Moissanite vs lab-grown diamond: what is the difference?
Moissanite is not a diamond. It is a different gemstone (silicon carbide) with rich, noticeable sparkle and a lower price. A lab-grown diamond, by contrast, is a real diamond — carbon grown in a laboratory. On our product pages you can choose between the two.
| Lab-grown diamond | Moissanite | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Carbon (diamond) | Silicon carbide (a different stone) |
| Hardness (Mohs) | 10 | about 9.25 |
| Refractive index | about 2.42 | about 2.65–2.69 |
| Dispersion (“fire”) | Lower | Higher — noticeable rainbow flashes |
| Price | Higher | Lower |
| Label on this site | “Lab-grown diamond” | “Moissanite” — never “diamond” |
Which should you choose
- Lab-grown diamond: for those who want a real diamond, at a more accessible price than a natural one.
- Moissanite: for those who want a sparkling look on a smaller budget and are comfortable with a stone that is not a diamond. Its sparkle is different — more colourful and lively.
Stone size
Moissanite is usually measured in millimetres. Our product pages give the centre-stone diameter in mm, and for a lab-grown diamond also its weight in carats.
More guides: lab-grown vs natural diamonds · the moissanite line: shop.