New to moissanite shopping? Don’t worry - most people do not do this everyday so it’s natural that you might have some questions.
Here we answer some of your most important questions.
Question:
What is the quality of the gems that you will be using, because obviously you get different grades etc.? From what I understand, the Charles and Colvard moissanite is the best?
Answer:
Charles & Colvard is an American brand, they held the patent rights for moissanite production until it expired a few years ago. As a result, there are now more laboratories that can manufacture moissanites too. In my opinion, Charles & Colvard is not better or poorer quality, just a stronger (and older) brand. They carry a higher price tag, especially in South Africa, because they have a sole agent that supplies it locally at a rate that is based on a converted price set in the USA (think Dollar conversion!). I do not use it, as I can't justify the higher price for my customers.
Question:
The DEF range is colourless which is why it's more expensive compared to the GH range which is near colourless, is that right?
Answer:
Colour alone does not indicate quality. Charles and Colvard, like all other brands including Stella, all offer different colour ranges. White (or colourless, as is more accurate) moissanites are graded on a colour scale much like diamonds are, but the variation is smaller because it's a manufactured gem. So you won't find the same range and variety in moissanite as you get in mined diamonds.
The colour scale starts with Colourless (DEF) to Near Colourless (GH) to Faint (KL). Diamonds go further down that scale, moissanites don't.
We use DEF or GH, depending on client preference. If a client doesn't have a preference, we always suggest the GH range (Near Colourless) because it has a great price and still shows up very white and colourless. It's not yellowish to the naked eye at all.
Colour grading does impact ring prices, so if the moissanite is a DEF it will likely cost a few thousand Rand more than when you use a GH moissanite.
Question:
I can buy a cheaper moissanite on Facebook Marketplace, why shouldn't I just do that and save R300?
Answer:
How a gemstone is cut and polished is very important to your final product. A reputable jeweller will work with gems that have very good symmetry and proportions because they have been cut and polished with care. We hand select all our moissanites based on their colour, inclusions and how well they are cut. Poorly cut gems do not make the cut to become a Stella Moissanite ring - pun intended!
If you're concerned about quality when shopping for moissanite, these are the two things you need to avoid:
- Film coated or colour treated moissanites (most commonly pink stones). Moissanite does not naturally come in the colour pink, so a coloured film is applied over a colourless moissanite to obtain the colour. Moissanite comes in colourless, shades of yellow, grey, black, blue and green. If it's pink - think again. Anything else is likely a coated product, which can come off over time. I do not use colours that are added through coating.
- Buying from non-reputable brands who do not offer certificates or warranties. All my gemstones over 0.5ct come with certificates of authenticity and a lifetime warranty against chipping and discolouration under normal wear. Even diamonds can chip if exposed to high heat and if banged / dropped on hard surfaces and the same goes for moissanite. We see this when people take their jewellery to bad jewellers who work on it without taking care to shield it from torch flames etc.
The diamond test
And finally, ask your jewellery to show you a live demonstration of the moissanite you intend to buy using a diamond and moissanite test pen. These pens detect whether a gem is a diamond, moissanite or something else such as a cubic zirconia or glass crystal. If you're worried about counterfeit products, a quick test will reveal the truth and put you at ease.
To date we have a zero return or claim rate on all our moissanite 🙂
