Aterna Vs. Moissanite

The first difference you notice when comparing an Aterna^® to Moissanite is the color. Moissanite stones suffer from a tendency towards muddiness; their hue is usually a faint yellow or greenish tone that becomes even more prominent as the stone increases in size.

Unfortunately for Moissanite, diamonds are valued by how closely they approach colorlessness. Most Moissanite stones would grade within the I-J color range, which is the equivalent of a very low-grade, inferior diamond. Newer versions of Moissanite have been introduced, but they still only range in the near colorless range. The Super brilliant Aterna, on the other hand, rates in the upper colorless range of D-F, which is comparable to very expensive mined diamonds. Simply take a look at the two rings below - one created with Moissanite and the other with Aterna lab gems. The difference is very noticeable and the choice is obvious!

 

Hardness

A gem’s hardness is measured according to the Mohs scale, where it will achieve a rating somewhere between 1 (the softest) and 10 (the hardest). As expected, diamonds are a 10 on this scale. Moissanite, in comparison, has a hardness rating of 9.25 Mohs. Aterna rates at an impressive 9.5 Mohs making it the second hardest gem in the world! The Aterna will not change color under heat! Moissanite will turn a bright yellow upon heating and eventually over multiple times heating, will become more colored in its appearance. The Aterna is guaranteed never to dull or fade over time.

 

Brilliance

Brilliance – or sparkle – is compared using a Refractive Index, which measures how much slower the speed of light becomes when it passes through the gemstone. The higher a stone’s Refractive Index, the more light it reflects from its surface. Moissanite, as presently synthesized, has a rating of 2.65 – 2.70. Its brilliance is fuzzy and less focused. This effect is perceived as a doubling of the stone's back facets, which appear blurry to the naked eye.

An Aterna, like a diamond, has very crisp and non-fuzzy brilliance with an closer rating between 2.45 and 2.50 Its facet lines always appear clean and sharp when you look through the top of the stone at various angles.

 

Cut

Because Moissanite is faceted to maximize the high refraction of Silicon Carbide it has different optical properties than a diamond. It cannot be cut to the same diamond standards and produces a lower carat weight for the same size stone. Aterna, on the other hand, is cut to exact diamond proportions -- Every Aterna is Ideal / Excellent cut allowing it to display the true essence of a diamond.

 

 

Aterna Vs Moissanite

**Moissanite is cut to correct its double-refractive index.

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