Moissanite

Lab Grown Diamond

Natural Diamond

Difference 1: Cost

Moissanite is the most affordable of the three types of stone. They can be as much as 80% cheaper than a natural diamond.  

However, it’s worth remembering that Moissanites don’t hold their value like a diamond would. 

A lab-grown diamond is generally cheaper than a mined diamond of the same cut, colour and clarity. 

While it will still hold A certain value, lab-grown diamonds are more affordable than mined diamonds as they are more readily available.  

Mined or natural diamonds are the most expensive of the three options. 

This is because mined diamonds are not only rare, but the process of mining is expensive and time consuming. Naturally mined diamonds will hold their value well over time.

Difference 2: Colour

Lab-grown Moissanite can range in colour from completely colourless to a yellowish-green tone. 

You can also buy fancy coloured Moissanite in a range of colours such as pink, purple, blue and yellow. 

Lab-grown diamonds are measured on a colour scale, ranging from D, which is completely colourless, to Z, which can be a light yellow, brown or grey. 

Similarly to Moissanite, there are more options than just colourless diamonds, with yellow, pink and blue becoming popular.

Natural diamonds are measured on the same colour scale as lab-grown diamonds. Ranging from colourless to light hues.

Just like lab-grown diamonds, you can also get fancy-coloured diamonds that occur naturally in a range of colours, from bright colours such as pink, blue, green, and yellow to dark colours like brown, greys and black diamonds.

Difference 3: Sparkle

As Moissanite is a different type of stone from a diamond, it reflects light differently. 

Moissanite refracts light with more of a rainbow effect than diamonds, meaning that more colours are visible when the stone catches the light, and less bright white sparkle.  

Lab-grown diamonds will sparkle in the same way as a natural diamond. 

The amount of sparkle is typically due to the cut of the diamond, and instead of refracting just rainbow colours, a lab-grown diamond will flash bright white sparkle when exposed to light. 

A natural diamond and lab-grown diamond will have the same fire and brilliance, depending on the cut of the diamond. 

Just like a lab-grown diamond, the stone will flash with white glints rather than reflect just rainbow colours. 

Difference 4: Hardness

Moissanite is 9.5 on the Mohs scale, making it one of the hardest gemstones available.

Stronger than Sapphires but less durable than a diamond.  

Both lab-grown and natural diamonds have the same level of hardness on the Mohs, 10. 

10 is the hardest number on the Mohs scale, meaning that diamonds are the most durable gemstones.  

Natural diamonds also have a rating of 10 on the Mohs scale.

Diamonds are the hardest natural material known to man. 

Difference 5: Material

Moissanite is made from silicon carbide - a compound of silicon and carbon that is usually created in a lab. 

Although extremely rare, it can be found naturally in meteoric rock.

Lab-grown diamonds are made in a laboratory that mimics the conditions that are needed to create natural diamonds. 

They are made from pure carbon. 

Natural diamonds are formed deep underneath the earth’s crust and are created when carbon is exposed to high temperatures and pressure.

Just like lab-grown diamonds, they are made from pure carbon.