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Cubic Zirconia Jewelry
14k Gold
Jewelry
Moissanite Jewelry
Company Information
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The hardness, the brilliance, the fire you expect
from a new unexpected source. The history of natural moissanite can be traced back to the
late 1800's and a man who later became a Nobel Prize winner.
Dr. Henri Moissan discovered natural silicon carbide while analyzing part of the Diablo
Canyon meteorite in 1893. The mineral name for silicon carbide, moissanite, was given in
Dr. Moissan's honor in 1905.
| Gemstone |
Mohs
Hardness |
Refractive Index |
Dispersion |
Specific
Gravity |
Toughness |
| Diamond |
10 |
2.42 |
0.044 |
3.52 |
Good-Excellent |
| Moissanite |
9 1/4 |
2.65 |
0.104 |
3.21 |
Excellent |
| Ruby &
Sapphire |
9 |
1.77 |
0.018 |
4.00 |
Excellent |
| Cubic Zirconia |
8 1/2 |
2.23 |
0.060 |
5.80 |
Good |
| Emerald |
7 1/5 |
1.58 |
0.014 |
2.72 |
Good -Poor |
Natural sources of silicon carbide are rare, and only certain atomic arrangements are
useful for gemological applications. Recently, single-crystalline silicon carbide, in
certain forms, has been used for the fabrication of high-performance semiconductor
devices. North Carolina-based Cree Research, Inc., founded in 1987, has developed a
commercial process for producing large single crystals of silicon carbide using technology
originally developed at North Carolina State University and licensed to Cree on an
exclusive basis. Cree is the world leader in the growth of single crystal silicon carbide.
More info at
www.moissanitejewelry.com/moissanite.htm
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