Finding Moissanite for sale online is easy, with Amazon being a great example of a reputable supplier, carrying a range of Moissanite earrings, Moissanite engagement rings, wedding bands and sets, and other general jewelry. Here is a look at some lovely pieces that are reasonably priced, and show the versatility of this stone. It’s worth noting that Moissanite is considered a better quality stone than Cubic Zirconia due to its hardness and brilliance. It is also a more complicated process to produce the gem, and these factors are reflected in the price to some extent.

First off, this modern styled Moissanite ring is in 14k white gold, and could make a unique engagement ring or even just a present for a special someone. This ring contains a single 1/4 carat gem, prong set, and is currently on sale for $229.	This elegant 14k white gold Moissanite solitaire engagement ring has a 3/4 carat brilliant cut stone, claw set. A good buy at $489. This type of ring is designed to showcase the stone, and the briliance of Moissanite will work really well with the white gold in this setting.
These Moissanite stud earrings in 14k white gold are 1/5 carat per stone, and are a modern, clean design. These are a good entry level set of earrings, retailing for $119.	Finally, these Moissanite dress earrings are 1/3 carats per earring. They are a dressy filigree design in white gold that would suit formal occasions or anywhere that calls for a little class. These earrings use a lever-back fastener and are available on sale for $229, down from $395.

Moissanite vs Cubic Zirconia & Diamonds

Interestingly, Moissanite is harder than Cubic Zirconia, coming close to a real diamond in hardness measured on the Mohs scale, rating a 9.25 vs 8.5 for a CZ. One of the key differences is its much higher level of dispersion. Dispersion in jewelry refers to the ability of the gem to split light into it’s rainbow of separate colors. The effect of this is to give Moissanite an incredible rainbow color effect compared to other diamond simulants. This certainly makes it distinguishable from a real thing, at least to an experienced observer, but many buyers actually find this a desirable quality, with their jewelry having amazing brilliance and fire.

One of the only problems with Moissanite, and it certainly is something that can be worked around, is birefringence. This quality means that light travelling through the stone is split into separate paths, giving a slightly ‘fuzzy’ appearance to the internal lines created by the facets. This can be alleviated to some extent by careful cutting of the gem, which is one reason that a reputable dealer is worth the slight extra expense.

Production

Moissanite is Silicon Carbide (SiC, also called Carborundum), and it is easy to mass produce the mineral using a mixture of coke or coal which is electrically heated to high temperatures. This process is done on an industrial scale to produce hundreds of tons of the material for use as an abrasive. However this process does not result in a gem grade material, being instead a coarse black mass. To make a true gem grade material a more controlled growth process is required. In a similar fashion to lab created diamonds, SiC is vaporized into a gas, and then introduced to a high temperature chamber containing seed crystals of Moissanite. This process can produce large crystals in less than a day.

Buying

As with any gem, shoppers are advised that you usually get what you pay for. You may be able to find cheap or discounted Moissanite on auction sites like ebay, but be aware of the language used by some retailers and make sure to read the fine print.

How are created diamonds made?

As we have discussed previously, there are several main methods of producing lab diamonds. All involve creating an environment to mimic the conditions under which diamonds are produced in nature, namely that of high pressure and high temperature. These conditions are created using a series of ‘anvils’ which are designed to increase pressure by transferring force through a series of smaller and smaller surfaces. Because the diamonds grown are formed so much more quickly than in nature, the conditions must be precisely controlled. In fact, diamond producing companies like Gemesis might have experimented with millions of possible combinations of temperature, pressure and trace elements before finding te perfect combination to produce optimal diamonds.

Are lab created diamonds real?

Yes! Lab diamonds are as ‘real’ as a mined diamond. They are made out of the same material and they are grown in a similar way as in nature. They are man made, but they are real diamonds in every sense of the word.

Choosing the best lab created diamonds

Buying lab diamonds can be a perilous affair if you aren’t familiar with the terminology. Look out for words like ‘simulated’, ‘synthetic’, ‘simulant’ or similar. If you hear this language, be very clear about what you are getting. Is it a real, lab grown diamond, made out of carbon? Or is it another material manufactured to look like a diamond? One of the best ways to tell is the price. Genuine lab diamonds, while cheaper than real gems, are still very expensive. You might pay several thousand dollars to buy a high quality one carat lab created gem. In contrast, good quality diamond simulants sell for closer to $100 per carat. Not that these can’t be lovely gems – but be clear that you are getting what you want.

How hard are lab created diamonds?

Because lab diamonds are chemically identical to real diamonds, they are extremely hard. Lab diamonds can scratch glass just like a real diamond.

Do created diamonds have flaws?

Yes! This is a common misconception. Lab diamonds are just as likely to have flaws in the stone as a real one. These are called inclusions and a good gem cutter will be able to minimize the visibility of these. The greater the clarity of a created diamond the greater the rarity and higher the price, just like a real diamond.

This means that lab created Emerald jewelry offers stunningly clear, large stones that work well with or without other synthetic stones like lab created Diamonds. This is a collection of the most beautiful and modern designs in lab created emerald rings, all from the created jewelry experts at finejewelers.com.

First, this stunning 14k Gold Lab Created Heart Shape Emerald and Diamond Ring which is on sale at $299. This ring features a total of 4 carats of created Emeralds, with the two main stones very tastefully set in a ring that comes in either white or yellow gold. 2 small natural diamonds are included. Jewelry aficionados will realize that this ring for under $300 is a steal given the size of the Emerald – a mined stone could cost as much as 5 or 10 times more yet have more inclusions than a created Emerald. Click here for more details or to buy one for yourself – or that special someone.

If you are looking for something a little understated yet elegant, take a look at this 10k Gold Lab Created Round Emerald and Diamond Ring. This one retails for $359, but is an absolute steal at the moment for $179. Featuring a 1.5 carat round brilliant cut stone, offset by two natural diamonds, this would be suitable for evening or casual wear. As with the previous ring, this is available in white or yellow gold.

Finally, this ultra stylish created Emerald ring is easily within reach at $129. With a shank of Sterling silver and plated with 14K white gold, the 1.3 carat created emerald is set with twin baguette cut white Topaz. In a design for the young, or young at heart, this could be dressed up or down as desired.

Of course, you can view this ring and many other styles before making a decision. If you head on over to Fine Jewelers you can score 10% off and free shipping for a limited time. Just use code PR2532Z when you complete a purchase.

More about created Emeralds

Emeralds are in the group of gems known as Beryl. Structurally the same apart from a small number of particles which are responsible for the differing colors, this family also includes the rare Red Beryl or Red Emerald, Heliodor and Goshenite.

Created emeralds can be produced in the lab by several different methods. The best quality lab created emeralds are made using the hydrothermal method. This method produces single, high quality crystals and works by introducing dissolved minerals to an aqueous environment under pressure and at high temperature. The temperature in the chamber is controlled so that minerals come out of solution and grow crystals over a period of days. Many different created gemstones can be produced using this method.

As a rule of thumb if the price is just ten or twenty dollars, chances are you are looking at a cubic zirconia or another synthetic diamond. The costs involved in making a lab created diamonds can be quite substantial – to end up with one carat of finished cut diamond you need a few carats of rough diamond. Gemstone cutters charge by the carat, and this might cost $1-200. Even if the diamond didn’t cost a cent the seller would still have to charge at least $400 per carat just to break even, and obviously the raw diamond itself is not free. So if you see someone selling man made diamonds at less than $100 a carat you can be pretty confident it is not real lab created diamond, regardless of what they claim.

Read the description carefully! If it says simulated lab diamond it is probably not a genuine lab diamond. If it says it is a Russian lab diamond, it is most likely cubic zirconia (cubic zirconia is often called a Russian diamond).
The absolute best way to make sure you are getting a good quality created diamond is to buy from a reputable source either online or in a real shop, and make sure it comes with some kind of certification from an independent lab. Most created diamonds these days should come with a grading report.

Every year native vegetation is destroyed and precious land cleared to accommodate the expanding number of diamond mines.  In the last ten years alone over three million people have died as a direct result of diamond mining in Africa.  Not only have these people died because of wars which have been funded by the diamond trade, but they have been killed or injured as a result of mining accidents from working in third world mines with no safety or prevention measures. Young children have also been sold into slavery and forced to work the mines.

The alternative to buying a mined diamonds is to buy lab created diamonds, and there are many benefits to doing so. Aside from the obvious value of helping to save the environment there is the added benefit of being able to afford a larger stone of better quality, with many more choices of color available.