Cubic Zirconia and Moissanite - A Comparison

Alright everyone, we’re back again today with a little comparison of two well known diamond simulants - CZs and Moissanites. Cubic Zirconias are the most affordable diamond lookalikes and we did already compare the two in a previous post of ours. So if anyone is looking for super affordable versions of diamonds, but would like to know the differences before you make your purchase, have a look here.

Today it’s going to be another comparison but this time it will be Cubic Zirconia vs Moissanite. Moissanite is the second most common diamond imitation you could find in the market. We thought you might want to look at how it is different from CZ so we did our research and made this whole post, all about that. Read on if you’d like to know the details. 

Moissanite was discovered in Arizona, in the year 1893 by Dr. Henri Moissan. He was doing his research in a crater formed by a meteorite crash to see if he could find compositions of crystals that were able to conduct electricity. Instead he found these crystals composed of silicon carbide, which was actually quite rare. The crystals were later named moissanite stones after their discoverer. Their natural occurrence is extremely rare now so most of the moissanite is lab made. 

Moissanite is also called space diamond because it was discovered at the site of a meteor crash. Like we said, Moissanite is composed of silicon carbide and takes months to be grown in labs. It is still quite popular as a diamond substitute and is comparatively cheaper. 

Cubic Zirconia is a more recent discovery compared to Moissanite. The stone was discovered in the 1930s byM. V. Stackelberg and K. Chudoba, two German mineralogists who didn’t bother to give it a name or actually document the facts even. Some decades later, man made versions of it were used, not in jewelry but in technology. The Russions developed it for use in their laser tech at that time. 

A few more years later, people noticed that these gemstones in fact looked like diamonds and actually would look great in jewellery. And thus, the most affordable diamond look alike was born. The production of CZ requires a large amount of heat because zirconium dioxide needs to be crystallised to form the actual gem. Due to this reason, it did take some time for it to be widely available for use in jewelry.

When it comes to durability y'all know that diamonds are the hardest. They rank 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, that's the maximum. Moissanites are quite as hard as diamonds because they rank 9.25 on the Mohs Scale. CZs rank the lowest of the three at 8.5 but are still quite high up in the scale. This means Moissanites and CZs are almost as hard as diamonds and are very much resistant to scratches or damages. They would be definitely suitable for everyday use but you could take some care not to wear them too often when doing the dishes or laundry. 

Talking about affordability, we’ve already said that Cubic Zirconias are the most affordable diamond simulants so you’ve probably already guessed that they are much cheaper than moissanites. Moissanites are definitely cheaper than diamonds and it could cost you a few hundred dollars for a regular sized stone. They are much more expensive than CZs because their production process is more complicated and requires more time like we’ve discussed. So if you are able to afford that mid range price, moissanite jewelry is a good option but if you’d like more affordable ones then it’s best to go for CZ stones. You could own more than one type of jewelry for a few hundred dollars. 

Alright so now we’ve covered durabilities, composition, history and affordability. Now let's take a look at some other characteristics of the two stones in comparison to diamonds. The two stones look very much like diamonds so you can hardly tell the difference between the three, if you were to look at them form far off. Which is exactly why they can be used as diamond substitutes.

When you look closer however, you’ll see that CZ stones are almost always perfect. They don’t have any flaws when compared to diamonds because they are mostly lab made. Diamonds occur naturally so they are bound to have some flaws which cannot be corrected. Moissanites on the other hand have a long complicated production process so they could have some imperfections at the end. 

Moissanites can be completely clear or can appear off white, this will depend on the reactions during the production process but CZs are almost always clear and colourless. Diamonds on the other hand, have different grades based on their color with the most colorless being rated highest and the ones with faint colours being rated lowest.The price also varies depending on their clarities.

Okay, that’s everything we’ve got about Moissanites and Cubic Zirconias. If affordability is not an issue and you prefer timelessness and class over price, then diamonds are most definitely a better option. On the other hand, if you do feel that diamond jewelry is a bit beyond your reach at this point, then moissanites and CZs are great choices too. 

Moissanite stones and Cubic Zirconias also differ significantly in terms of price so you might want to consider your primary objectives again before you make your decision. If you are looking for jewelry that is for everyday wear and for long term use then moissanites are perfect. But if you are someone who wants everyday jewelry that’s durable but you’d like to keep changing them from time to time, then you might need cheaper options.

Alright guys, that’s our comparison. Hope this little guide will help understand the differences between Moissanites and CZs. Think about everything we've covered so it would be easier when you make your choice. Have a look at some of the popular CZ jewelry in our store too I you'd like.

Two Piece Tiny Butterfly Charm

Cali Necklace

Multi CZ Butterfly Charm

Have a great day! Bye!