How to Save Money When Buying moissanite grading scale

06 May.,2024

 

Understanding the importance of Moissanite certification

Buying jewelry is not a simple purchase; it is a sizeable investment. Therefore, you must wear authentic jewelry made of tested and certified stones. Whether you buy a moissanite ring, necklace, or loose stone, moissanite grades tell you if the gemstone's price matches its quality. Diamondrensu's moissanite jewelry has passed all grading tests, so if you want to wear approved and certified jewelry, check our catalog!

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Not all moissanites are the same. Each moissanite stone differs in clarity, cut, color, carat, brilliance, and fluorescence. These factors significantly affect the stone's appearance, quality, and cost. Based on the factors above, institutes like the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the International Gemological Institute (IGI) issue a moissanite certificate of authenticity. Moissanite grading thoroughly evaluates a stone's overall quality, authenticity, and reliability.


Antique 19.27 CT Portuguese Cut Moissanite for Engagement Ring, Handcrafted Portugal Cut Moissanite

Importance ofMoissanite Grades

You can think of moissanite grading certificates as internship or course certificate. Like an internship certificate proves one's skills, knowledge, and expertise, grading certificates acknowledge a moissanite's worth. The certificate notifies the buyer of the stone's measurements, color, weight, polish, and quality. Not only does a moissanite certification measures a stone's external characteristics, but it also evaluates its composition and internal makings. It informs the buyer of the gemstone's production, work, and all the factors contributing to its identity.

When buying moissanite, you should make sure the stone's price is worth its qualities and the jeweler's description. Before finalizing your purchase, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Authenticity.

    Are you sure that the stone you are purchasing is authentic?

  • Durability.

    Are you sure that the gemstone is sturdy, strong, and durable?

  • Trustworthiness.

    Is the jeweler's description accurate, or is it a ploy to sell the stone?


A moissanite certificate does not determine a moissanite's price. Instead, it helps you determine if the stone's price does justice to its material, composition, and qualities. Even though both jewelry appraisals and certificates measure a stone's quality, the former places a subjective monetary number on it.

On the other hand, a certification is a more objective evaluation of a gemstone. Certified gemologists use laboratory tools, such as microscopes and other equipment, to judge a stone's characteristics. An appraisal decides the stone's market price, whereas a certificate determines if the price is worth the purchase.

Before buying the gemstone, you should ask the jeweler for its moissanite certificate of authenticity to ensure it underwent a laboratory test and has the approval of professional and trained gemologists. The certifications prove that the moissanite's descriptive qualities are true, not exaggerated, and match the report's results. Purchasing a certified moissanite gives you the guarantee and assurance that the stone is authentic.

If the moissanite stone does not have a grading report, you should not purchase it. Since purchasing moissanite is a sizeable investment, you should rely on more than just word of mouth. If you buy uncertified moissanite, do so with a grain of salt that the jeweler might exaggerate the stone's qualities and beauty.


1.65 CT Cyan Blue VS1 Loose Moissanite for Eye Catching Moissanite Engagement Moissanite Engagement Ring 

Reasons to Ask forMoissanite Grades

Even if uncertified moissanite has an impressive quality, you must always lean towards buying graded and certified moissanite for the following reasons:

Make Informed Decisions

Asking for a moissanite grading certificate allows you to make confident purchasing decisions. It also lets you compare different stones based on their carat weight, cut, clarity, color, and fire to decide which gemstone best fits your needs and requirements. On the other hand, uncertified moissanite does not allow you to compare and buy. You will have to depend on the jeweler's description alone regarding the stone's price, quality, and making.

No Regrets

Regretting a jewelry purchase is very disheartening. However, you do not have to worry about making regretful choices with certified moissanite. Since moissanite certification confirms the unbiased evaluation of the stone, you can add it to your cart with a light heart and guilt-free conscience, knowing your purchase will match its price.

High Resale Value

Even though you will never want to part with your moissanite jewelry, a moissanite certificate assures you that you can resell it for a higher price should you choose to. Buyers or traders don't purchase uncertified moissanite, as a lack of a grading report removes the proof of the stone's authentication and durability.

6.57 CT Fancy Elephant Tooth Cut Near Colorless Loose Moissanite

What areMoissanite Grades?

Moissanite stone grades are the factors on which institutes like GIA or IGI assess and evaluate their quality. The four primary grading factors are moissanite carat, color, cut, and clarity.

Carat Weight Grade

Unlike a diamond, whose carat weight determines its heaviness, moissanite's carat weight follows a different scale. Since moissanite has less density than diamonds, a moissanite certification cannot compare the two gemstones based on weight. Given the different thicknesses of the stones, gemologists measure a moissanite's carat weight according to its size in millimeters.

Here are some things to know about the carat weight grade of moissanite:

  • Carat weight is measured in metric carats, and one carat is equal to 0.2 grams.

  • Moissanite is available in a wide range of carat weights, from small accent stones to large center stones.

  • The price of moissanite increases as its carat weight increases, with large stones generally being more expensive than smaller ones.

  • Moissanite of the same carat weight can vary in price based on cut, color, and clarity.

  • Moissanite stones that are smaller than 0.5 carats may appear less brilliant and have less fire compared to larger stones.

  • Moissanite stones that are larger than 1 carat may have visible color tints, especially in certain lighting conditions.

  • The ideal carat weight for a moissanite stone depends on personal preferences and the desired style of the jewelry piece.

  • When choosing a moissanite stone, it is important to consider the carat weight of the ring setting and the wearer’s finger size to ensure a balanced and proportionate look.

Color Grading

A moissanite's color grade indicates the color concentration of the stone. This moissanite grades scale starts from D (colorless) to Z (presence of a yellow hue). Gemologists classify moissanite color grades into three categories:

  • D, E, or F — Colorless

  • G, H, or I — Slightly colorless

  • J or K — Hues of yellow

Cut Grading

A moissanite's cut does not only refer to its symmetry but also its polish. The stone's cut determines its appearance, radiance, and sparkle. For instance, well-cut stones allow the light to pass through them, increasing their brilliance. Alternatively, gemstones with a poor cut will stop light from traveling through them, which decreases their shine and makes them look dull. A moissanite certificate gives the following cut grades to moissanite stones:

  • Poor

  • Fair

  • Good

  • Very Good

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  • Excellent

Clarity Grading

Almost all stones have imperfections or flaws called inclusions. Inclusions are crystals inside a stone that can be visible to the naked eye or hard to spot even under microscopic lenses. These small white, black, or dark spots develop during a stone's formation when minerals and gasses get trapped inside it. Since moissanite is a lab-grown stone, it has slight and rarely visible inclusions. The gemstone's inclusions are invisible to the naked eye or only visible under 10x magnification.

GIA's moissanite certificate of authenticity groups moissanite inclusions into five categories:

  • Flawless (F) or Internally Flawless (IF)

    : Flawless moissanite contains no visible inclusions under 10x magnification. Internally flawless moissanite have inclusions that cannot be seen under 10x magnitude but have tiny spots.

  • Very, Very Slightly Included (VVSI)

    : Categorized as VVS1 or VVS2, moissanite with VVSI grading has minor inclusions that are hard to spot even under 10x magnification.

  • Very Slightly Included (VSI)

    : Very slightly (VS1 or VS2) included diamonds contain slight inclusions.

  • Slight Inclusions (SI)

    : Moissanites with SI1 or SI2 inclusions are easily visible under 10x magnification and, in some cases, to the naked eye.

  • Included (I)

    : Even untrained eyes can spot included diamonds (I1, I2, or I3). These inclusions are also visible under 10x magnification.

1.13 TW Kite Cut Colorless Moissanite, Best Pair Loose Moissanite for Earrings

What is the Best Moissanite Grade?

Understanding different moissanite grades helps you buy the best stone confidently. The grades inform you of the stone's qualities and characteristics, allowing you to check if they match your expectations.

Since jewelry is a personalized gift, it is understandable that moissanite qualities and needs differ from shopper to shopper. However, if you are buying a gemstone as gorgeous as moissanite, you should purchase one with a D, E, or F color grading, F or IF clarity grading, and a cut grading report that reads 'excellent.'

Antique Butterfly Cut Yellow Moissanite

Wrapping Up

It is the season of responsible shopping habits—moissanite grades help you buy the best stones. The moissanite grading system allows you to buy a stone that checks all the boxes, from beauty and personal taste to excellent quality. It is a culmination of your personal preference and objective, unbiased assessment.

A grading certificate assures you that the stone you bought is worth the price you paid for it. Every moissanite jewelry in Diamondrensu's collection is tested, approved, and certified, whether loose stones or engagement ring. So, you can shop for gorgeous jewelry confidently and to your heart's delight!

Moissanite grades - Blogs & Forums - QVC

The info you posted is very interesting.  The quality of gemstones like diamonds is often characterized by the grading scale used by the GIA,   color, claity, cut (not shape, but optimization compared to ideal standards) and carat weight.  The better the grade,  the more expensive the diamond.  And when you combine the different characteristics,  the prices of better diamonds can be many times more expensive than lower quality diamonds.

 

Moissanite can vary from stone to stone among these same characteristics.   Color is generally the most obvious characteristic that people focus on because it's the easist to see.  Earlier mossanite often had distinctly less appealing color (more yellow or green caste).   More recent manufacturing techniques have produced better color stones (better meaning less color) which look like better quality diamonds.

 

In the diamond world D-E-F are the best diamonds in terms of color grading (truly colorless) and the most desireable diamonds.  G-H-I color graded diamonds show a little more body color,  but are still lovely and in todays world G-H color diamonds are very sought after.

J-K-L color diamonds can still be very pretty, especially if the stones are good quality and well cut.  But if you look at the J-K-L color diamonds against a white piece of paper, the stones will be  more yellow.  In a piece of jewelry, however, depending upon all the other factors, and the size of the stone, and how it's set,  it can still be

lovely.

 

As we are taling about diamond quality,  I must say that many (most) of the diamonds  that are sold today are so far from the top or middle end of the color and claity scale.  The smaller stones used in multi stone designs today are often hightly included and well down the color scale.

 

Back to moissanite,  different manufacturers use different names to distinguish the overall quality of their stones.  The collection name often encompasses both the color and clarity assessmet of the stones, and possibly also the quality(precision) of the cutting.  

 

Charles and Covard held the original pattent on moissanite namufacturing.  In the last few years, other companies have produced moissanite stones.  As consumers,  the more we can learn about the relative quality grading of the stones,  the better decision we can make.   Since most of jewelry buyers aren't trained or interested in understanding all the technical quality measures,  it's helpful when a company groups their stones into collections and gives each one a name.  As long as we have a sense of the differences between the collections characteristics,  we can make better decisions.   Comparing one manufacturer to another is still difficult,  but some info is better than no info.

 

Generally stones set into silver are of lower quality than the stones a manufacturer will use for gold or platinum setting.   Of course if you are buying loose stones,  you need to understand something about the stones to do a compare.

 

To add to the confusion,  different people have different preferences.... based on what appeals to them and also what they are used to seeing.   If every diamond you have seen is a mid level quality and someone has a top quality diamond.... that top quality diamond will look fake to you.   To your eye,  in your mind,  the brightness, sparkle, and clairty of that top quality diamond doesn't fit with what a diamond looks like in your experience.   The same is true with man-made stones like moissanite.   If you are used to seeing mid range diamonds then a top quality mossanite will look fake.  And moissanite does look different than a diamond,  even when comparing top quality of a diamond to top quality of moissantie.  Moissanite will display more fire and brilliance.

 

So where does this leave us....I'd say,  pick the best quality (best color...as close to colorless, and best clarity) that you can afford.   Compare the cost and the look of the same size pair of studs in the 2 top Charles and Covard grades.

Generally,  G-H-I color stones are considered very good, especially for earrings,  so don't feel you are making a bad choice if that is what you opt for.   Just be sure to understand return policies in case what you pick doesn't delight you.

 

If you go with another brand,  do your research to understand as much as you can about their stones.   The top grade from another company might be the middle grade or even the lowest grade from Charles and Covard.

 

Good luck.  Hope this helps.   There are some posters who have purchased moissanite and maybe they can provide info on where they have gotten stones that they think are beautiful and worth the money. 

 

I own diamonds and CZ,  but no moissanite.   I think that the better quality moissantie is beautiful,  but given what I already own,   I haven't seen the need to invest in moissanite.  If I was starting from the beginning,  I might make different choices,  I don't know. 

 

The one thing I do know is that you need to love what you buy and not feel you compromized.  If you are going to spend a lot of money on a moissanite or a diamond,  you should be delighted with what you get and not feel you wish you could have gotten better or bigger.  Once the studs are on your ears most people won't have a clue if they are diamond, moissanite, or CZ.... regardless of how 'expert' they think they are.  Because my friends know that I have diamonds,  they assume every time I wear studs, they are the diamonds. And many of my friends are relatively knowledgeable about jewelry.    Most of the time,  the studs are the CZ,  with the diamond ones tucked safely info the safety deposit box in the bank.  The only time they question if the studs are real is when they are very large stones,   over 2 carat each ear.  Smaller stones,  even my 20 year old diamonique studs set in 14K still look wonderful and sparkle beautifully if I keep them reasonably clean.

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