What is Moissanite and Where Does It Come From? Edited

Moissanite is silicon carbide (SiC) - a naturally rare mineral, so nearly all jewelry moissanite is lab-created.

Discovery

In 1893, French chemist Henri Moissan discovered tiny SiC crystals in a meteorite crater in Arizona. It was named moissanite in his honor in 1905. Natural moissanite is too rare for jewelry.

Modern Lab Creation

Since 1998, Charles and Colvard grows gem-quality moissanite by heating silicon carbide to 2000C+ for 2-3 months, then cutting and polishing.

Properties

Hardness 9.25 Mohs, refractive index 2.65 (higher than diamond 2.42), dispersion 0.104 (more fire than diamond 0.044).