Is moissanite a real stone? Everything you need to know
It's the most common question asked when someone discovers moissanite for the first time. And it makes sense: if it sparkles so much and costs much less than a diamond, something must be wrong. The short answer is no. Moissanite is a real gemstone, with physical and optical properties that make it unique. Here's why.
The origin: from meteorite to laboratory
Moissanite was discovered in 1893 by chemist Henri Moissan inside a meteorite that fell in Arizona. The stone he found was silicon carbide — a compound that does not exist naturally on Earth in sufficient quantities for jewelry. That's why today it is synthesized in laboratories under controlled conditions. That doesn't make it any less real: the process precisely reproduces the same crystal structure that Moissan found in space.
Its physical properties are exceptional
Moissanite has a hardness of 9.25 on the Mohs scale, just below diamond (10). This means it withstands daily wear without scratching, losing brilliance, or degrading over time. Its refractive index is higher than that of diamond, which produces more fire — those flashes of color you see when light passes through it. It's not an artificial visual effect: it's pure physics.
Moissanite vs. cubic zirconia: they are not the same
Many people confuse moissanite with cubic zirconia. They are completely different materials. Zirconia is zirconium oxide, has a hardness of 8.5, scratches easily, and loses transparency in months. Moissanite lasts for decades with no visible changes. Comparing them is like comparing a quartz watch with a high-end mechanical one: they look the same from a distance, but they are not.
Why Silver Status works with VVS moissanite
VVS stands for Very Very Slightly Included — the highest clarity grading available for moissanite. In practice, it means the stone is visually perfect to the naked eye and under magnification. It's the same standard applied to high-end diamonds, applied to a stone that offers equal or greater brilliance at a fraction of the price.
If you want to see the difference in detail, read our honest comparison between moissanite and diamond. Or discover our collection of VVS moissanite jewelry in 925 silver directly.
