Engagement rings are seen as an expense that should never be spared but due to modern technology, there are a huge variety of options available for those who are more budget-conscious. Growing gemstones in a laboratory have become common practice and an even more popular choice for engagement rings. When opting for a moissanite engagement ring means that dreaming big can be a reality! Read on for some expert guidance from Lily Arkwright and how you can save on your engagement ring, without compromising on the quality.
What is moissanite?
Before we move on to how to choose the right engagement ring, you might have never heard of moissanite before and would like to find out more! Moissanite should be viewed as a gemstone in itself as it has its own unique optical and physical properties.
Moissanite gems are made up of the material silicone carbide and can occur naturally. However, they are extremely rare in nature and are far rarer than diamonds, as they only occur in very small quantities. It was first discovered in a meteorite crater in Arizona, the United States by French Nobel prize winner doctor Henri Moissan in 1893, hence the name moissanite. It wasn’t until over 100 hundred years later that scientists successfully created an innovative lab growing process, then shortly after in 1998 Charles and Colvard, who are the leaders in moissanite gemstones, produced the first commercial-quality lab-grown
moissanite gemstones. Moissanite is born in the stars and what is a more romantic way to showcase your love?
Nowadays, almost all moissanite is grown in a lab under strictly controlled conditions and it can take up to 3 months for a scientist to meticulously create a single lab-grown moissanite.
What are the benefits of moissanite?
Other than moissanite being a beautiful alternative white gemstone to diamond and it is extremely difficult to tell a difference in appearance between them. However, unlike lab-grown and mined diamonds, which are chemically and optically the same, moissanite is an entirely different gemstone. Moissanite has various physical benefits such as how gorgeously it glitters and looks due to its high refractive index, which is the measurement used to determine how quickly the speed of light is emitted through a gemstone. The brilliance, sparkle, and fire that moissanite exhibits is just simply stunning and
non-comparable.
Another great physical feature of moissanite is its excellent durability. The hardest known mineral on the planet is of course a diamond, scoring a 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, which is a measurement that measures the scratch resistance of a mineral, and moissanite scores a 9.25. To put this into perspective, the hardness score of moissanite is higher than a sapphire which is a popular engagement ring choice and favoured by many celebrities such as Kate Middelton, Elizabeth Taylor, and Victoria Beckham. Despite being slightly lower than diamond, this is still a very high score and means that any moissanite engagement ring works fantastically as a piece of jewellery to be worn every day. Any engagement ring set with moissanite will last you a lifetime and any moissanite ring from Lily Arkwright includes a limited lifetime warranty.
Moissanite possesses sustainable and ethical qualities which appeal to many customers who are eco-conscious and who would like to eliminate any risk of harmful practices occurring. This is because the process of mining into the earth is withdrawn and thus reducing any chances of jeopardising biodiversity, ecosystems, and local communities. When gemstones are grown in a laboratory there is increased transparency between consumer and manufacturer. All moissanite jewellery produced by Lily Arkwright comes fully certified, so you can be assured that no community or environment has been harmed during the process of producing your engagement ring.
Probably one of the most significant benefits of moissanite engagement rings is the affordable price tag! You can get a larger stone for your money as moissanite is up to 90% cheaper than naturally mined diamond rings.
Final thoughts:
If you are considering a moissanite engagement ring or simply wish to find out more about moissanite or other lab-grown diamond and gemstones head over to the Lily Arkwright website or drop their expert team an email at hello@lilyarkwright.com as they are always there to help guide you through the process!
Disclosure: collaborative post
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