Moissanite is a mineral increasingly used as a substitute for diamond. It is neither a fake diamond nor an imitation, it is a precious stone discovered in meteorite debris, which is why it is processed in laboratories. Moissanite is a cheaper alternative to diamonds as it has a similar appearance and characteristics. The fire and brilliance of moissanite are one of its highlights, it shines brighter than a diamond! Keep reading this Planderful post where we will tell you all about the fire and brilliance of moissanite.
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What is Moissanite?
Natural moissanite can be found in very small crystals but very rarely happens, as it is composed of silicon carbide, a material that can be found mostly in meteorites. It is not for nothing that moissanite is also known as stardust.
As it is very similar to diamonds, in fact even specialists confuse them, scientists managed to imitate its production and nowadays moissanite is produced in laboratories. Synthetic moissanite has become one of the most popular stones in jewelry. The synthetic stone is made of crystalline silicon carbide made in the laboratory and is widely used as a diamond simulant. Unless you are buying rare mineral samples, when you come across moissanite and moissanite rings for sale, you are dealing with the synthetic variety.
Classification of gemstones by fire and brilliance
Gemstones are minerals, rocks and organic materials that have been cut, polished to give them shine and thus turn them into jewelry. In the 19th century, these gems were divided into two categories, precious and semi-precious, due to the different values of the time.
Today, this categorization is not always correct because value is not the only criterion experts use to evaluate stones. In fact, the criterion of evaluation of a stone by experts is not only the "value", but also the "quality", "rarity" and "origin".
The brilliance, or fire, of a gemstone, is an optical property that is affected by its brilliance refractive index (BRI). The brilliance of a gemstone refers to the light that is refracted within the stone, rather than the light that is reflected from the surface of the stone. Luster is one of three terms used to describe the appearance of a gemstone when it reflects light. Luster describes the non-metallic or metallic appearance of a gemstone's surface when it reflects light.
When light strikes a gemstone and reflects off of it, you see a prism of brilliant colors. These colors are called fire. In gemological terms, this is called dispersion. When pure white light enters an opaque object such as a gemstone, it splits into different wavelengths of light that are refracted by internal facets. These spectral colors are the rainbow effect you see when you look at the gemstone.
You may also be interested in: Which Gemstones Have the Most Brilliance and Fire?
Why does moissanite sparkle brighter than other gemstones?
The refractive index of a gemstone is determined by shining a light on the stone and measuring the speed at which the light reflects or refracts off the facets. The speed of light in air is compared to the speed of light in the gemstone to get a number.
All minerals are measured on a scale of approximately 1.2 to 3. Moissanite, with a BRI of 2.65 to 2.69, is the brightest gemstone in the world. This means that the speed of refracted light in moissanite is 2.65 to 2.69 times slower than the speed of light in air. Likewise, the refractive index of a diamond is 2.42, which means that the speed of light in a diamond is 2.42 times slower than the speed of light in air.
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Refractive index of gemstones
Moissanite 2.65 to 2.69
Diamond 2.41 to 2.42
Ruby 1.76 - 1.77
Sapphire 1.76 - 1.77
Emerald 1.56 - 1.60
When looking at a gemstone, its brilliance simply represents the amount of light reflected from the crown of the stone to the eye. Since each gemstone has a different angle of refraction, the way light is refracted also varies from stone to stone. This helps to distinguish gemstones such as rubies and garnets.
How does the fire index of moissanite compare to that of other diamonds and gemstones?
The fire index of moissanite exceeds that of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and other popular gemstones. As a scientific measure, moissanite has a dispersion of 0.104, which means it has 2.4 times the fire of a diamond.
The lower the opacity of the gemstone, or the more colored it is, the lower the measured dispersion value. This is reflected in the dispersion of darker colored gemstones.
Moissanite - 0.104
Diamond - 0.044
Ruby - 0.018
Sapphire - 0.018
Emerald - 0.014
Moissanite has 5.7 and 7.4 times the fire of rubies, sapphires and emeralds, respectively. No other gemstone, natural or man-made, can match the brilliance of moissanite.
Source: https://www.charlesandcolvard.com/blog/post/what-is-fire-and-how-moissanite-compares-to-other-gems
Does moissanite retain its brilliance and fire?
Yes, it does. The luster and fire of moissanite are the same at 3,570 days as they were on day one. Moissanite's brilliance is unmatched among today's most popular gemstones. Moissanite will never lose its original luster. Some body creams, detergents and other chemicals can adhere to moissanite and make it appear dull, just like natural diamonds.
That said, you can take a bath wearing your moissanite engagement ring. By itself, water will not damage your moissanite stone. However, repeated exposure to soap, shampoo and conditioner can create a buildup of oils on the surface of your ring. This can give the stone a dull appearance.
Moissanite can be a stone that will last you a lifetime, which is why it is also a favorite for engagement rings, but all gemstones need minimal care.
For more information: 10 basic tips to take care of your Moissanite ring
If this article about the fire and brilliance of moissanite interested you, don't forget to visit Planderful's website and discover our jewelry.
