When a man asks a question with dazzling fireworks, her response is almost always predictable, but also precious.

In addition to love and a lifetime commitment, she embraced dazzling diamond jewelry, which became even more beautiful when he slid it onto her finger.

An engagement ring to last

So you ask, what is it about a crystal like a one-carat diamond that always appeals to the senses of many women?

Not only do they have romantic beauty and craftsmanship, but durability diamonds are often prioritized because we know they are expensive.

While the price of a diamond can vary based on a number of factors, let's face it, this scene of giving and receiving diamond-encrusted baubles is probably reserved for the wealthy. So, most of us are left with this diamond daydream, hoping one day it will come true in one way or another.

What if the alternatives were not only within your financial means, but just as breathtaking, if not more so? What if this alternative was not only just as durable, but without the social baggage of "blood diamonds"?

Move over colorless diamonds; there is another player in the market. Enter the Moissanite gem.

Moissanite as a naturally-occurring mineral

Before delving into the benefits of natural moissanite and how they resist mined diamonds, we'll take you back to its origins over 50,000 years ago. During this time, a meteorite crashed into northern Arizona, and we consider it lucky that it didn't hit anyone.

In addition to the gigantic hole it creates, loosely known as Meteor Crater, Meteor also brings these unnamed fragments of diamond-like crystals, hence the name stardust and space diamonds.

The discovery

Despite their 'sparkling', these minerals remained unnoticed for thousands of years until they caught the attention of the famous French chemist and pharmacist Henri Moisan in 1893. Dr. Moissan began extensive research to understand his fascinating discovery and concluded that he had actually stumbled upon a new mineral, silicon carbide.

Interestingly, Tiffany & Co. mineralogist George Kunz named it moissanite in his honor. In addition to natural moissanite, Dr. Moissanite was also credited with discovering fluorine in his great book, and eventually won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Lab rebirth

Despite its uniqueness, moissanite did not take off as expected. At the same time, it is difficult to make them into a pair of earrings, even if the chances of finding them are slim. So they were put on hold for a long time. It was almost forgotten until the late 1980s.

Cree Inc. (now Wolfspeed, a North Carolina-based semiconductor company) became interested in developing synthetic silicon carbide using its proprietary method. A few years later, a master diamond cutter noticed its potential as a diamond moissanite and hired fine jewelry maker Charles & Colvard. After years of research and development, the first laboratory-made Moissanite gemstone was born and introduced to the world in 1998.

Moissanite vs diamond

All the other center gems are struggling to compete, if not for driving the mineral queen bee out of her comfort zone. According to a google search, there is cubic zirconia, which is considered a synthetic diamond, but is softer, heavier, and becomes cloudy after a while.

White topaz is a colorless, natural variant of the topaz mineral that may look very similar in color to lab-grown diamonds, but is not as hard on a hardness scale. Like cubic zirconia, it loses its luster over time.

No diamond moissanite

Attempts to disguise other lab-grown gems as genuine are relatively futile as they try to match, but always seem to fall short. This is what separates the Moissanite Center store from these diamond pretenders. You see, moissanite is not any of the following: fake diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, moissanite diamonds, or diamond simulants, but more like a diamond substitute. Although it can easily fool the untrained eye and even calorie-based diamond testers due to their striking similarity, moissanite possesses several qualities that surpass even the hardest and most precious substances in the world.

Moissanite withstands heat better

Diamonds are considered eternal, at least according to James Bond. But chemistry proves otherwise.

While it takes unusual circumstances to destroy a diamond (besides, who's crazy enough to set it on fire?), it's not technically indestructible.

If you have a burning house with a diamond in it, it may take some damage. You end up with fewer diamonds than in the previous state. We're talking about temperatures reaching 1,526 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the temperature required to burn a diamond.

In order for it to "go away," it needs to be about 7280 degrees Fahrenheit. But actually, even if you get to that melting point, it turns into graphite. It is the same material that makes up a pencil, which is a crystalline form of carbon. In case you didn't know, diamonds themselves are made of carbon.

On the other hand, moissanite is more heat resistant. According to Charles & Colvard, even when exposed to temperatures of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the moissanite centerstone remains intact and just as sparkly.

While it's not tested at more extreme temperatures to determine lines in the sand, it's enough to ensure your moissanite gem won't get hurt if you accidentally put it in the oven.

Moissanite does not change with time

It is normal for most items to fade or degrade, especially with continued exposure to air, moisture, and heat. Something like this shouldn't be surprising, right?

But when you compare diamonds, the best thing about moissanite is that it holds its own despite external factors. It doesn't develop any cloudy appearance after a while, like other diamond substitutes like cubic zirconia. The stones will have this unique opalescence - they are neither diamonds nor durable.

Durable and timeless moissanite

Like diamonds, moissanite looks the same as the day they were created, in their case, in the lab, maybe five or even decades later. Therefore, it can be an heirloom that you can pass on to future generations.

This durability is also great for an engagement ring that can continue to be worn for years after the wedding. Also, moissanite is more resistant to oil and dirt than diamond. When you do this elemental treatment to two rocks at the same time, you will most likely end up with a cleaner moissanite.

Moissanite shines brighter

Another thing we love about classic moissanite that proves it's its own gem is its fiery brilliance with more fire.

Diamonds have three ways of reflecting white light, namely: sparkling surface, white light and iridescent. Unlike moissanite, these distinguish them from other gemstones, which may exhibit different brilliance. Their carat weight makes them heavier than any diamond simulants.

On the other hand, Moissanite's firelight takes on more brilliance with a higher index of refraction. It's just stunning with these fiery rainbow flashes.

Each moissanite has unique patterned facets and an intense color spectrum, giving it excellent dispersion. This will be more pronounced for larger moissanite, which have completely different characteristics than diamonds.

Natural moissanite is extremely rare

We now know that commercially available moissanite is produced in a laboratory. This is because natural moissanite is extremely rare.

Unlike the internally flawless diamonds found on our planet, moissanite originated in outer space and can only be reached here by falling meteorites. If you're lucky enough to get it, it's pretty small and limited in size, so you'll need a lot to form a decent moissanite engagement ring.

On the other hand, we can say that the rarity of diamonds is somewhat exaggerated. While natural diamonds take millions of years to form, only flawless diamonds are considered rare. Traditional diamonds, including lab-grown diamonds, are found in many countries around the world and are abundant in specific locations.

Moissanite is way less expensive

You might not realize that diamonds were all but obsolete until De Beers turned things around with clever marketing. By promoting diamonds as a symbol of undying love and devotion, they changed the whole process and became the most popular gemstone in the world. Diamond becomes the so-called girl's best friend. Everyone wants to own them; hence its price soars. It also puts undue pressure on some men to prove their love by giving their girl an engagement ring with a real diamond, only to find themselves paying too much for something even though they didn't necessary to do so. Instead, they can set aside great changes for their future!

More bang for your buck

When you buy moissanite jewelry, it's not only an affordable try, it's also a lasting purchase. You know you're getting something that can be just as beautiful and well-crafted to wear for years and still be functional.

Colorless moissanite vs. colorless diamond

In the world of diamonds, no color is king. It just means pure and perfect structure. That's why colorless D diamonds are considered the gold standard - they make up about 1% of diamonds sold on the market. So buying it will definitely cost you an arm and a leg (or a kidney).

What would normally be financially impossible to afford such a diamond to the average person now falls into the realm of colorless moissanite. Since moissanite is lab-made, you can easily get a D-grade colored stone that you can produce at will. Of course, it won't be cheap, but it's still well below the price of a diamond. It also makes beautiful engagement rings.

Moissanite is controversy-free

You may have heard about blood diamonds, child labor, and terrorist financing, among other issues related to diamond mining, and how they might change the way you look at diamonds. The great thing about a moissanite ring or even a lab-grown diamond is that it doesn't have the constant conflicts and ethical issues with competitors. You can flaunt them anytime, anywhere without feeling guilty about wearing them.

All is good with moissanite vs. diamond

The love of diamonds is ingrained in our culture, and while this is unlikely to change anytime soon, Moissanite is expected to be a close second. Its favourable attributes of sparkle, durability, (lack of) colour, utility and structural integrity make it a highly credible competitor to the much-loved diamond.

Perhaps after reading this article, you've realized: Who needs a real diamond when you have an ABC - the affordability, beauty and conscience of moissanite?

One thing is for sure: your moissanite jewelry is perfect for everyday wear. It delivers an effortlessly refined, flawless diamond-like beauty while feeling good without really breaking the bank.