Possessing fire, brilliance, and luster that far surpasses even that of a diamond, Moissanite twinkles and sparkles unlike any gemstone on earth. Composed of carbon and silicon, the Moissanite crystal is one of the hardest and toughest known elements on earth, making it extremely resistant to scratching, chipping and breaking.

Moissanite, also known as silicon carbide, is believed to have first been carried to the Earth in a meteorite 50,000 years ago. It is now available as faceted gemstones in a large array of shapes and sizes.

Because Moissanite and diamond are both very hard and highly refractive gemstones of similar composition (diamond: carbon; Moissanite: carbon and silicon), they share many of the same optical and physical properties as well as a strikingly similar appearance. However Moissanite is not a diamond "simulant" as its optical properties such as fire, luster and brilliance surpass that of a diamond, not just imitate or simulate. It is also more resistant to chipping (toughness) and heat than a diamond.

Click here to learn more about how Moissanite compares to diamond.

Yes, all of the Moissanite gemstones we sell is created by Charles & Colvard.

Moissanite is an extremely hard, tough and durable that will not cloud or change physical and optical properties with time. It is the type of heirloom gemstone that can be passed down from generation to generation and look just as brilliant as the day it was first purchased.

Charles & Colvard provides a warranty on the optical properties of Moissanite gemstones. Since the properties of moissanite are inert, and can never change, the warranty is offered as confirmation that moissanite will retain its properties forever. It is expected that there will never be an instance where a warranty claim would be necessary. Like all such warranties, the C&C warranty does not cover abuse or damage to the gemstone. Click here to view the C&C warranty card. To protect your Moissanite gemstone and jewelry against damage we would recommend obtaining jewelry insurance.

Moissanite gemstones are extraordinarly heat resistant, even moreso than a diamond. Therefore common jewelry repairs such as ring sizing, soldering and retipping prongs can be done without damaging the Moissanite gemstones.

Chlorine, bleach and other household chemicals will not damage Moissanite gemstones. However prolonged exposure can damage precious metals alloys, and therefore should be avoided.

Because of Moissanites superior and extraordinary fire and brilliance, from time to time customers will ask, "Is it too much?"

The beauty of highly refractive gemstones such as Moissanite and diamond is found in their characteristic "sparkle" (fire, brilliance and luster). Remove the sparkle from a diamond, and what is left is essentially a lifeless piece of glass. In our experience and the experience of our customers, when casual observers take notice of their Moissanite gemstones, they gasp and exclaim, "Wow, that is an amazing diamond!" but never: "It is beautiful but has too much sparkle. I would prefer the gemstone to appear more lifeless!"

Unfortunately there are purveyors of CZ jewelry such as Diamond Nexus who try to put a negative spin on the optical properties of Moissanite, saying it exhibits a "disco ball effect." It is simply an attempt to spin as negative the extraordinary optical properties of Moissanite, which compared to their ordinary CZ gems, is optically superior in every way. In the end, the average person is not a walking refractometer that can measure and quantify the fire and brilliance of a gemstone with their naked eye to determine the "correct" amount. However they will notice when a gemstone appears brilliant and fiery such as a Moissanite, or when a gem appears dull and lifeless as in the case of a cloudy cubic zirconia or a poorly cut / included diamond.

Please visit our Moissanite care and cleaning page for simple ways to clean your Moissanite jewelry.

The round brilliant cut is the most brilliant of all of the Moissanite cuts. The cushion cut is the 2nd most brilliant cut.

Unlike diamonds which are most cut to maximize carat weight, Moissanite gemstones are faceted to maximize the superior fire and brilliance of the gemstone. The Moissanite ideal cut patterns were established after years of studying the angles of light refraction through Moissanite. Although the Moissanite cut patterns are similar enough to the popular cuts found in diamonds that most people assume they are the same, there are slight differences as the cuts have been optimized for the Moissanite crystal. Click to learn more about the Moissanite cut.

The square brilliant cut has the same overall square shape as a princess cut, but the faceting is somewhat different. The facets run towards the center of the gem similar to a round brilliant. For this reason the cut has been named: square brilliant.

Although the marquise and pear cut are available in Moissanite we do not carry them due to a high level of customer dissatisfaction with these two cuts.

Unfortunately we do not offer a special order service for Moissanite shapes and cuts.

We offer two types of Moissanite gemstones: the standard Charles & Colvard Moissanite gemstones and the new Amora Moissanite gemstones. C&C Moissanite gemstones face up color tends to be in the I-K color range of the GIA scale. The new Amora Moissanite's face up color in the G-H color range.

Click here to learn more about the Moissanite color.
Click here to learn more about Amora Moissanites.

Moissanite is an extremely stable gemstone, and as such, it cannot change color with time.

The Amora Moissanites are 3 - 4 GIA color grades whiter than the regular Moissanite gemstones and they come with an independent lab cert guaranteeing their color. Click to learn more about the Amora Moisanites.

All Moissanite stones are listed with their actual size in mm and the diamond equivalent in carats. Therefore a 1ct round Moissanite sold on MoissaniteCo.com is approximately the same size as a 1ct diamond.

If you are having trouble visualizing the actual size of the Moissanite gemstone, we would recommend downloading and printing our actual Moissanite stone size chart. It can be downloaded here..

This is a fairly common question. However there is no rule of thumb that states if you wear a ring size X, the ideal diamond size is Y. In the end it is a matter of personal preference. We have customers who wear a ring size 8, but wear a ring with a 0.75ct center stone. We also have customers who wear a ring size 4, but wear a 3ct or larger center stone. We recommend downloading our actual Moissanite size chart for assistance in choosing the perfect size.

No, larger carat weight Moissanites look every bit as diamond like as the smaller Moissanite gemstones. The reason other diamond alternatives such as CZ appear glassy in the larger carat weights is due to "windowing" or light leakage because of the inferior optical properties. Click here to learn more about windowing, CZ and how it compares to Moissanite.

Will white gold turn yellow with time?

What is palladium?

Which is the "best" metal for my jewelry?

Will my ring be stamped?

Does your jewelry contain nickel?

Most items can be special ordered in platinum. Please email us the item details for current pricing (based on the current price of platinum). The more information you provide, the quicker we can provide a quote (i.e. model number, ring size, center stone size / shape, etc.).

We do not currently offer sterling silver.

Technically, no, it isn't any more difficult. However if a jeweler is unfamiliar with the metal and the correct procedures are not followed, the sizing may not turn out correctly. Because 14k gold is more popular and well known than palladium, it will probably be easier to find local jewelers who are comfortable working with it.

How do I find my ring size?

Do you offer 1/2 and 1/4 sizes?

Is it possible to order a very small ring size?

What if I order the wrong ring size?

International customers: how do I determine ring size according to the American system?