How to Distinguish the Quality of Moissanite

 The international standard to grade Moissanite is 4C: the carat, the clarity, the color, and the cutting.

The Carat

The word carat comes from a seed called carob, which was used in ancient times to measure weight. One carat =200mg, 142 carats =1 ounce. The carat can be further divided into 100 cents =1 carat, and half a carat = 50 cents.

The heavier Moissanite, the higher the price. Moissanite is 10% weight lighter than a diamond of the same size, so if you buy a Moissanite by weight, you will find that it is 10 % larger than you expected. Because Moissanite is cheaper than diamond, so most of the Moissanite on the market is 1 carat.

Moissanite weigh in carats. 1 carat =200 mg =0.2 g. A carat is divided into one hundred parts, and each part is called one cent, 0.75 carat is 75 cents, and 0.09 carat is 9 cents. Under other similar conditions, the value of Moissanite will increase by its weight. Moissanite of the same weight will vary in value due to their color, clarity, and cut.

The Clarity

Because Moissanite is grown in a laboratory, they usually have better clarity and are excellent looking even when viewed under a 10x magnifying glass. Moissanite’s clarity according to the standards of international Inspection subdivided into LC, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, Si1, Si2, P1, P2, P3 the total of 10 grades. Already inlaid Moissanite divides again for general 5 levels: extremely good, very good, good, and not bad. It is generally recommended to buy SI and above grade of Moissanite.

 

Flawless (LC&FL): Under the standard light source, with a 30-x magnifying glass, no defect features were found and defined. This means that the gemstone does not contain any blemish features larger than 5 microns that are sufficiently bright.

Very, very slightly included (VVS): With a 30-x magnifying glass, you can pick up very, very small flaws. The difficulty ranges from very difficult to very difficult. VVS1(Few inclusions at 30X) or VVS2 (Some inclusions at 30X) were determined according to the size, position, and number of defect features.

Very slightly included (VS): Small imperfections can be detected with a 10-x magnifying glass. The difficulty is not too difficult. VS1(Few inclusions at 10x) or VS2 (Some inclusions at 10x) were determined according to the size, position, and number of defect features.

Slightly included (SI): Small blemish features can be easily detected with a 10-x magnifying glass. According to the size, position, and number of defect features, it was decided whether it was Si1 (Few visible inclusions) or Si2 (Some visible inclusions).

Poor (P): Imperfections are easy to detect with the naked eye.

 

The Color

Whether it is a diamond or a Moissanite, their color grade is colorless for the best quality. The more transparent the color, the more beautiful the brilliant will be when the light shines through. The highest grade of the Moissanite is classified as D, and the further back the letter, the more the Moissanite tends to be yellow, which means the lower of the grade. So, class D Moissanite is preferred to purchase.

The color of Moissanite is usually divided into light yellow, nearly colorless, and transparent colorless has three categories: Colorless, near colorless, and yellow from low to high divided into N to D and other 11 levels, of which D, E, F level is defined as transparent colorless, G to L level is defined as nearly colorless, M and N level is light yellow. When you want to check the color of the Moissanite, be sure to watch it against a pure white background, so that the color is easier to see. Generally, the bigger the drill, the more obvious the color to see.

The Cutting

Moissanite can be processed into a variety of different shapes to meet the needs of different consumers. But the degree of excellence of the cutting process will also directly affect the Moissanite bright fire color. Moissanite in the absence of processing is no luster, only those who have been trained craftsmen to carve out the masterful shine of Moissanite.

Top 10 shapes of Moissanite cutting:

1.   Round Brilliant Shape: this kind of shape is the most popular and common shape for this gemstone, round brilliant shape has 57 facets that can maximize the light reflection. Cutting work on the best will appear, Heart, Arrow effect. The round shape is suitable for almost all styles which from classic to the most innovative designs.  

 

Round and diametrically shaped, there are eight arrows from the top and eight hearts from the bottom. The standard eight arrows and eight hearts blanks lose a lot in cutting.

2.        Asscher Cutting Shape: Asscher cutting has110 years old, it can be thought of as a transition cut between a round cut diamond and an emerald cut diamond. The combined advantages of these two shapes produce a classic look with better shimmering characteristics than the universal step-cut diamond.

 

3.        Emerald Cutting Shape: The emerald shape has a unique optical visual appearance with a wide countertop that looks extremely elegant and clear, yet it is not as bright and shiny as a round diamond. The step cut accentuated the clarity of the stone. If emerald-cut gems have a low clarity, they will usually have much more significant inclusions than round diamonds. Moissanite clearances are generally very minor (VVS) or above, so inclusions are not a concern. In addition, the emerald-shaped step cutting can also be applied to the square Moissanite, also known as the upper T-square (emerald-shaped).

4. Heart Cutting Shape: The heart shape is the best symbol of love. For a romantic, this is the perfect shape for a wedding ring. Hearts can also be matched with other shapes. In cutting techniques, heart-shaped cutting usually uses more raw materials, because the left and right sides of the heart must be the same and symmetrical regardless of shape and size.

5.  MarquiseCutting Shape: The Marquise cut is fashionable which has two obvious advantages of Moissanite, one is the plane area of the Moissanite can be promoted to the highest, in the appearance of the larger. Marquise shape can visually the finger is slender and long.

6.        Oval Cutting Shape: The oval cut is directly named after its shape, and the oval Moissanite also uses a bright cut, so it has a beautiful shimmer like the round diamond. Oval shapes are also popular because their length accentuates the thinness of fingers, especially for women with smaller palms.

 

7.        Pear Cutting Shaped: Pear-shaped Moissanite using bright cut, on the surface of one side is the tip, the other side is a semicircle because it resembles crystal clear water droplets, it is also known as water drop shape. Pear shape has a unique charm, highlighting a soft beauty, so it is also a popular choice of high jewelry.

8.        Princess Cutting Shape: The princess square is fashionable and beautiful. It's a complete four-sided square with four sharp right angles. The princess square is a symbol of fashion and the most popular shape outside the circle. Princess squares beautiful burnish and unique quadrate cut, the Mo Sang stone ring that makes princess square looks more attractive and rich emotional appeal, make it’s become the popular choice of ring.

9.        Cushion Cutting Shape: The cushion shape has truncated corners to give it a curved, rounded appearance. The cushion shape is also having a long history of cutting methods used to shape gemstones and has gone out of style over the years. Currently, it is the most popular cutting style of Moissanite. If you like the classic look of a round shape and want something a little different, it is a perfect choice.

 

10.    Radiant Cutting Shape: Radiant cutting can a collection of the most popular major shapes advantages of the integrator. It has the brilliant color and sparkle of a round diamond, the beveled corners of a square shape, and the opening of an emerald-cutting shape. It appeals to those who seek a blend of modern elements.

 

Except for the top 10 shapes of Moissanite cutting, there are other 4 shapes you can meet in the online store. Baguette shape is a rectangular shape with a stepped-cut face. If the longer sides are gradually narrow. Trillion is a triangular shape with 50 cut faces, often used as a foil and companion stone. Tapered baguette is a shape with a stepped-cut face, tapering the longer sides. And the last one is Barion t has a traditional step-cut crown and a modified bright-cut pavilion. Apart from the pavilion tip, the square Barion cut shape has a total of 62 sections.

 

Moissanite’s price is determined by the 4C parameter, in general, the color closer to the colorless value is higher because Moissanite is equivalent to an excellent filter, the role is to reduce the overflow of reflected light, to get a better color. Color of brilliant is better, then Moissanite’s price is higher.