Have you ever thought about the differences between a moissanite and a diamond? Although they both look gorgeous, there are actually a few differences that may not be easily seen by the naked eye. Knowing how to distinguish one from the other is a handy skill when jewelry shopping, and today, we're going to teach you how!

How Can You Tell a Moissanite from a Diamond?

• Brilliance and Sparkle: Moissanite often exhibits a higher level of brilliance and fire than diamonds. You will notice that it has vibrant flashes of rainbow-colored light, known as dispersion, due to its high refractive index. According to beyond4cs, "It doesn’t require any state of the art equipment or expensive tools. All you need is a 10x loupe and a keen eye for details."
• Clarity: Moissanite typically has a higher clarity rating than diamonds, as it is grown in controlled laboratory conditions. Diamonds, on the other hand, can have natural inclusions that affect their clarity.
• Fire and Dispersion: Moissanite tends to have higher fire and dispersion than diamonds, which means that it creates more rainbow-colored flashes when it catches the light.
• Hardness: Diamonds are the hardest natural substance, scoring a 10 on the Mohs scale as compared to moissanite which has a score of 9.25. Despite the difference, moissanite is still very tough and fully capable of preserving its brilliance and shape after many years of use. 

Can People Tell If Your Ring Is Moissanite?

It truly depends on the person's level of expertise. However, the average person can't really tell but here are some features that may give it away: 

• Size of the Stone: Larger moissanite stones may be more easily identified due to their increased brilliance and fire.
• Setting and Design: The way a stone is set and the overall design of the jewelry can affect the perception of its authenticity.
• Viewer's Expertise: A trained gemologist or certified appraiser can definitely identify if you are wearing moissanite jewelry.

Common Mistakes in Identifying Moissanite:

• Moissanite's exceptional brilliance can sometimes lead to confusion, because the way it sparkles and its level of clarity is so close to a diamond. Make sure to thoroughly inspect the stone before giving out judgment!
• Another mistake is relying on your eyes alone. If you really want to be sure, you might want to use additional testing methods to accurately differentiate between moissanite and diamonds.
• Remember that moissanite has a high refractive index and dispersion so it can create an illusion of greater brilliance. 

In the end, there's really no better option between moissanites and diamonds because it's truly up to your budget and preferences. As a matter of fact, more and more people are preferring moissanite jewelry because it only costs a fraction of a diamond's price, while giving the same level of clarity and brilliance, if not more. We hope you found this guide helpful!