http://i.imgur.com/0HLN8lb.jpg TL;DR moissanite is a naturally-occuring, and scientifically manufacturable gemstone that obliterates diamonds in every category, and is about 3-4 times cheaper. It is an entirely separate gemstone, NOT a diamond simulant like cubic zirconia. Read on if you'd like to save a few bucks in the near future. (warning you now: this post is long.)
Sources:
Diamonds Suck! A Personal Essay on the Virtues of Moissanite and Why You Should NEVER Buy a Diamond (full description, charts, side-by-side comparisons, and brief explanation of diamond inflation.) <---visit this site! google (for cost per carat pricing. current diamond average is about $3,000-3,600/carat. Moissanite is about $400-800/carat).
Posting this because I want you all to know two things: (1) diamonds are an incredible rip-off, and (2) moissanite is superior to diamonds in virtually every way: cut, color, clarity, durability, fire, brilliance, and cost.
So what is moissanite? Moissanite is a rare, naturally-occuring gemstone, discovered by Henri Moissan, that is typically found in very small quantities in meteorites, corundum deposits, and kimberlite. (The chemical name of moissanite is Silicon Carbide and it is recreatable in laboratories.)
Moissanite has several qualitites in common with diamond: it is transparent, extremely hard (9.25 on the Mohs scale, compared to 10 for diamond), and has a high index of refraction (2.65 - 2.69, compared to 2.42 for diamond). When a large rough moissanite sample is cut and polished, the end result is a very bright, brilliant, transparent gemstone that is indistinguishable from diamond to the human eye.
In this picture, moissanite clearly destroys diamonds in the brilliance or "fire" contest. Brilliance is the "sparkle" or shine that most people seek when shopping for diamond jewelry. It is one of the main reasons why diamonds are so sought after. However, as shown in the picture, diamonds are not even close to the "shiniest" gemstone. So why are they so popular?
The answer is simple: advertising. How many of you have ever seen a moissanite commercial on tv? I'm guessing not very many of you. I only discovered it after flipping through the channels and seeing it on a paid programming infomercial. After researching it further, and eventually purchasing some moissanite jewelry, I can tell you without a doubt that diamonds are nothing special.
When most people see moissanite, the first thing they say is "omg that is so beautiful! is it real?" And my response is usually, what do you mean by "real?" And they say, "real diamond, of course." You see, in American society, (can't speak for other countries) diamonds have been presented as the "standard" for beauty and perfection in jewelry.
Whether it's Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Christmas, an Anniversary, or even your SO's birthday, there is no question, diamonds are the best. If you love a woman, you get her a DIAMOND. It doesn't matter what it is--earrings, a necklace, a bracelet. As long as it is sparkly and expensive. But where does this idea come from? Well let's take a look at some common phrases and song titles I'm sure you've all heard.
-"Diamonds are Forever," a movie released in 1971 and a very popular song released by Shirley Bassey the following year.
-"Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend," a song introduced by Carol Channing in the original Broadway production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1949, and later popuplarized further by Marilyn Monroe. (1953)
-"Diamonds from Sierra Leone" a Grammy-winning song by Kanye West (2005) The song contains a sample of 1971 song "Diamonds Are Forever," performed by Shirley Bassey (listed above).
-"Diamonds," a song released by singer Rihanna (2012). The catchy hook repeats "shine bright like a diamond."
There are more but this post is already long enough and I'm sure you all see where this is going. Not saying that music artists are all part of some giant, super-secret conspiracy to inflate the price of diamonds--not saying that at all. But what I am saying is that these artists have power. The power of influence. It's simple subliminal messaging. Does Kanye West care if you buy a diamond? Of course not. But the mere fact that someone as popular as Kanye West, or Marilyn Monroe for that matter, is mentioning them simply boosts the popularity of the stone.
So how many songs have you ever heard about good ol' moissanite? None? I thought so. It's because there simply isn't a market for it. The website listed above explains how the price of diamonds has been artificially inflated since as early as the 1880's by the De Beers diamond cartel. The plan? Tell the public two things:
1. Diamonds are incredibly rare. (this "fact" alone will make almost anything seem valuable to the uniformed.)
2. Diamonds are the shiniest, brightest, most beautiful stone in the world.
(If the mainstream public ever finds out these first two statements are lies, they are screwed^)
And there you go. Take those two ideas and eventually we end up with today's "If a man truly loves a woman, he will sacrifice and spend big bucks on diamond to show his love for her." The unspoken rule is that the ring (for wedding proposals) should cost about 2-3 month's salary. BULLSHIT.
Listen up everyone. There is something you need to know. A diamond is a ROCK. @TheBOULDER No but seriously, it's just carbon. I'm sure you all know this from science class. But it's just a rock. A common (not this ultra rare key to a woman's pants like the commercials would have you believe) rock that be found all over the globe. A rock that is vastly inferior to another rock: moissanite.
So at the end of the day, there is literally NO REASON to buy a diamond, other than to be able to brag to your friends that you bought your girlfriend a diamond. Or if you are a woman, to be able to brag to your friends that your boyfriend bought you a diamond. That's it. Because if you want a diamond for any of it's physical qualities, you're going to be buying an inferior product for 3-4 times the price, which is stupid.
My hope is that you all won't just take my word for it, but will actually research this gemstone for yourselves, and see the light. I am a strong supporter of moissanite (obviously) and absolutely despise the diamond industry. Not only does it lie to the public, but people actually DIE looking for these rocks. (See the movie "Blood Diamond" if you don't understand.) And I can't support people dying for rocks. Sorry @TheBOULDER. Happy Holidays everyone!
