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If you have been in the market for a diamond ring lately, you have probably heard the mention of “moissanite rings”. Moissanite rings have become increasingly popular in the past few years. But you may be asking yourself why? What was so wrong with the traditional diamond ring? What is Moissanite? Is it acceptable as an engagement ring or gift? Does it look cheap? Will it last?
I’m Stephanie Lang, owner of Lang Floral Designs. I’ve been in the wedding industry for over a decade. This means, I’ve seen my fair share of engagement rings! In recent years, I have run across many (dare I say MOST) of my clients, who chose Moissanite rings over a traditional diamond.
Aren’t engagement rings supposed to be a surprise?
Well, in my experience, yes and no. Weddings and engagements have evolved drastically from the traditions our parents knew. These days, most couples discuss the marriage in great detail before the guy “pops the question.” And with such a costly and life-long purchase, many guys seek a ring “wishlist” from their girlfriends before making a purchase. Now, in my experience, the exact purchase and all the final details are still usually a secret. And even though the couple may have talked about marriage and rings before, the proposal is still a surprise…and definitely a big production. (Think a professional photographer hiding in the bushes, family members there to surprise the couple immediately after, and even maybe a massive party that night).
It is also becoming MUCH more common to make that huge purchase online, instead of at an old-fashioned retail jewelry store. Today’s young adults are far more comfortable navigating online reviews, website coupon codes, and the knowledge that a retail “brick-and-mortar” experience comes with a cost!
I mean, think about it. The last time you went to the mall, did you run across an item where you thought “Wow, I could get this way cheaper on Amazon”. Yeah, me too! In the early days of Moissanite rings, many people still felt the need to “touch and feel” this new type of gemstone. But as this point, many years into the moissanite craze, most of us have a friend or two (or a dozen!) who have a moissanite you can examine in person. But how do you decide if it’s right for you?
What is Moissanite?
Moissanite is a naturally occurring stone of silicon carbide. It was originally discovered by the French chemist Henri Moissan in 1893. Moissanite is used as an engagement ring gemstone because of its incredible durability and sparkle. While moissanite exists naturally in the earth, it is so rare that most are created in a lab to produce pieces large enough to cut into gemstones. When cut and faceted, moissanite is by definition, the most brilliant gem in the world (this refers to light refraction and sparkle).
Moissanite tops the scales with a great amount of brilliance and fire, which refer to the stone’s brightness and sparkle. Moissanite is more brilliant than any other gemstone, ranging from 2.65-2.69. And its fire dispersion is over 4x greater than any other popular gemstone. For hardness, moissanite comes second only to the diamond. In addition, moissanite’s durability is excellent, meaning it will survive daily wear and tear.
Why Moissanite Rings?
If you have recently been in the market for a ring, you have probably run across the term “conflict-free”. But you may be asking yourself what that means exactly. In short, the African diamond-mining industry has, in recent history, been highly corrupt. This corruption has caused civil wars, violence, worker exploitation, and environmental degradation. The conflict is very extensive and ever evolving. But the purpose of this article is to inform you about moissanite, rather than turning you away from the diamond industry. So, I’ll spare you the politics and details, and let you do some research for yourself, if you choose.
Is it acceptable as an engagement ring?
In my personal opinion, the only person who can answer this question is the bride. If you are considering a moissanite engagement ring for your girlfriend, I would highly recommend checking with her to see if she’s okay with a stone that isn’t a traditional diamond. But in my experience, most of my brides chose Moissanite themselves after doing their own research. It appeals to them much more to be able to go with a larger stone, spend more on the wedding or honeymoon, or put back some money for a downpayment on a home. It’s really a matter of personal preference, but moissanite rings and other diamond alternatives are much more socially acceptable now than they were in our parents’ day and age.
Where to find the best Moissanite Rings
I recently wrote a blog with some great Moissanite online shops: TOP 5 MOISSANITE WEBSITES. However, here’s a quick overview:
- Forever Moissanite
They use only the top quality moissanite stones, and have a lifetime manufacturing warranty. I LOVE how easy to use their website is, and how you can customize each design. I also recently got a wedding ring upgrade from Forever Moissanite, and freakin LOVE it (mine is the second picture).
- Etsy
Since Etsy.com is a collection of all sorts of handmade retailers, professionally crafted jewelry has a major presence here. (Who knew, right?!) A huge perk is that they are much more affordable than many other online jewelry store (probably because of the low overhead and lower markup compared to traditional jewelry stores. Try THIS LINK to find all US based moissanite Etsy shops.
Here are a few of my favorite Etsy Moissanite Shops (click on the images below to go straight to their Etsy link):
- Kobelli
is a reputable online jewelry retailer, but they also sell through Amazon. Many people are more comfortable making a big purchase on a site they’ve used before than on a new website. They also have a TON of reviews and pictures on each item, so you can check out what other customers have to say.
We hope these resources have helped you explore the idea of a Moissanite Ring. We wish you the best of luck finding the perfect one!
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Lang Floral Designs is a premier wedding florist in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We do wedding and event flowers in the surrounding areas of East Tennessee and North Georgia, and we also love providing brides everywhere with useful ideas and information for their wedding day. For a better idea of all we can do at your wedding, click here. Contact us today if you’re interested in hiring us for your wedding or event.
Amazing blog! Thanks for sharing! I learned a lot. We are also into moissanite ring and have the unique collection. Visit https://forever-moissanite.com/product-category/moissanite-engagement-rings/ to check our collection.