Moissanite is the closest you can get to a diamond in the world of jewelry. Even though this gemstone cannot be on a diamond chart, the two are highly comparable. This means, in terms of brilliance and hardness, only a trained eye can tell between a diamond and moissanite.

Therefore, if you want to learn about Moissanite for knowledge's sake or desire to own a valuable piece, note that: Moissanite is a budget-friendly gemstone that provides jewelry lovers with great diamond alternatives. It is durable and even has higher light refraction than diamond. 

So, can moissanite pass for diamond? To an untrained eye, yes. However, the two gemstones still have their solid differences. For that reason, it is important to take your time to differentiate between them so that you know what you are buying all the time. 

Quick Facts about Moissanite

Many people have come to appreciate the value of moissanite and the diamond-like features that have made it a great jewelry stone. Therefore, it is worth knowing more about it as follows: 

• Over the years, moissanite has gained popularity among jewelry dealers and lovers. This is so because of its striking resemblance to a diamond and pocket-friendliness. 

People can have tailor-made jewelry cuts at a relatively lower cost. However, there is more to jewelry than just the price. Therefore, diamond still has their place in people’s hearts.

• Moissanite is a rare gemstone mainly found in the earth’s crust. Even though it is possible for it to naturally occur on the earth, most of these stones on the market are synthetic.  
• Natural moissanite has a light-yellow color, while the lab-made version can be grey, yellow, green, or colorless. Therefore, this one area can help you pick moissanite in the market. 
• Moissanite is not diamond. Therefore, you cannot buy moissanite and take it as a diamond for your jewelry. The two remain different on various fronts. For that reason, you should treat them different despite their close look and resemblance. 

Striking Comparison and Contrast between Moissanite and Diamond

If you are new to the gemstone world, you will have a challenge differentiating a diamond from moissanite. This is because the two are very similar in appearance and texture. Below are similarities between a diamond and moissanite that will give the regular eye some trouble:

• Color and Clarity. Most diamond and moissanite stones have “colorless and “near-colorless” shades. However, moissanite has a yellowish-green color shade common in the market. 

Diamond has better clarity than moissanite. Therefore, it means that there are no or fewer inclusions when observed with the naked eye and under microscopic examination.  

• Appearance. By mere observation, moissanite looks like a diamond. Therefore, people may not get to realize the difference unless they take a keen eye on it. 
• Hardness and durability. These two stones have a close hardness value on the Mohs scale of hardness with diamond having a value of 10 and moissanite at 9.25. Therefore, their hardness and durability qualities are close
• Chemical composition. Moissanite is mainly silicon carbide whereas diamond is mainly carbon. Therefore, they are different in their chemical composition. 
• Fire and brilliance. With a higher refractive index, moissanite shines better than diamond. In addition, it retains its brilliance and shines for a longer period than a diamond. Therefore, it is easy to clean and maintain. 
• Shapes and sizes. Moissanite comes in different sizes and shapes. Therefore, you can tell it from sophisticated custom jewelry designs. 
• Carat weight. A specific size of a diamond has a specific carat weight. Moissanite occupying the same space and volume cannot match the same weight. It weighs less and hence cannot pass for a diamond in this case. 

For most people using the naked eye, moissanite will be used in place of diamond. However, experts can easily tell the difference. There is nothing wrong with buying moissanite but it should always be clear that you are buying moissanite and not a diamond. 

Final Thoughts 

Despite the close resemblance between diamond and moissanite, these two stones are different. For that reason, moissanite cannot pass for a diamond. Diamonds are forever and will always remain special. However, moissanite is a close alternative adopted due to its incredibly high value and available lab-grown options. Most importantly, moissanite is more affordable than a diamond.