From the Stars: The History of Moissanite
In 1893, French chemist Henri Moissan was examining rock samples in Canyon Diablo, Arizona. Peering inside a meteor crater, he came across a bevy of sparkling stones and mistakenly identified them as diamonds.
They weren’t.
These crystals were silicon carbide — aka, Moissanite. And Moissan actually wasn’t the first person to encounter Moissanite.
Enter: Edward Acheson
American chemist Edward G. Acheson successfully created silicon carbide in a lab in 1891. He pioneered the Acheson process, a process used to create silicon carbide. Similarly to Henri Moissan, Acheson also had a slight blunder: he was attempting to synthesize diamonds but instead created blue crystals of silicon carbide.
It wouldn’t be until 1904 that Acheson and Moissan would realize they were looking at the same mineral.
And although Acheson was first to the silicon carbide punch, Moissanite was named in honor of Henri Moissan.
Why Choose Lab-Created Moissanite?
In its natural form, Moissanite remains exceptionally rare, coming only from meteorites that strike Earth’s upper mantle. In fact, after Moissan’s discovery, no natural Moissanite was found until 1958 — this time in Wyoming. It’s because of this rarity in nature that humans decided to grow them in a lab, making Moissanite available for everyone — for both industrial uses and for jewelry purposes.
When used in jewelry, lab-created Moissanite has unmatched brilliance that sparkles from across the room. Its attractive price point adds to its dazzling impact, making any jewelry dream a reality.
Here are a few reasons to choose lab-created Moissanite for your engagement ring, body jewelry, or fine fashion jewelry:
- Lab-created Moissanite is affordable
- Because scientists have perfected the growing process, lab-created Moissanite is incredibly affordable. Carat for carat, your customers can get a larger Moissanite at a significantly lower price than a diamond of the same size. For couples with a limited budget, this lets them get the center stone they want with no sacrifice on size, clarity, cut, or color.
- Lab-created Moissanite lasts a lifetime
- It’s a 9.25 on the Mohs Scale, which means Moissanite has a high tolerance to being scratched. It’s harder than even sapphire and ruby, which rank at 9. Moissanite is also exceptionally durable — or, in geological terminology, tough. This refers to the fact Moissanite doesn’t chip, break, or fracture easily.
- Lab-created Moissanite has some serious sparkle — more than even diamonds!
- With its double refraction and radiant rainbow fire, this lively, durable gem offers each customer the exciting opportunity to wear sparks of rainbow fire in earrings, rings, body chains, anklets, and more.
- Nothing gets wasted in the growing process
- Non-gem-quality Moissanite is used in computer chips and motherboards.
Why Choose Stuller for Lab-Created Moissanite?
When you buy lab-created Moissanite from Stuller, you get a variety of benefits. Here are five reasons why Stuller is your go-to supplier for any Moissanite need:
NEW: 5 fancy color options
In Stuller Lab-Created Moissanite™, you have five affordable, vibrant color options:
- Fancy green
- Fancy blue
- Fancy yellow
- Fancy brown
- Black
Our colored lab-created Moissanite is never coated. The color you see is the color they were grown to be.
In-stock and ready to ship
With our inventory of over one million gemstones held on-site and ready to ship, you can choose a stone on our site today and have it in your hand tomorrow.
Sizes range from 1mm to 12.5mm
If you need a larger size, special cut, or anything else, our Special Order Services team is always ready to find it for you. With more than 10,000 gemstones procured each year, they know what it takes, where to go, and who to call to find exactly what you need.
Two luxurious brands
We offer two brands, both of which are eye clean, loupe clean, and affordable: Stuller Lab-Created Moissanite and Charles & Colvard.
- Stuller Lab-Created Moissanite™
- Available in two color grades: DEF colorless and GH near-colorless
- Best for customers who want to get maximum sparkle for their budget
- Has a variety of fancy-colored options: blue, green, brown, yellow, and black
- Charles & Colvard Forever One® Moissanite
- Available in two color grades: DEF colorless and GHI near-colorless
- Best for customers who want the traditional name in lab-created Moissanite
- Comes with a limited lifetime warranty
- Available in Old European cuts
An abundance of shapes and cuts
Our selection has 14 shapes and even more cuts, including on-trend and classic options, such as rose-cut stones.
Ready to discover all lab-created Moissanite has to offer? Head over to our website today to get started!
Fascinated by all things gemstones? Check out our recent Sell With a Story blog posts!
