During a casual dinner with close friends, my sparkling white gold, two-carat Moissanite earrings was the center of everyone’s attention. One of my friends at the table whispered, "Those are the most beautiful diamond earrings I've ever seen." I gave her a heads up that they weren't diamonds, but a new kind of jewel: Moissanite.
Before I knew it, I was the talk of the table. People had questions and comments like "What is Moissanite?" “They're so brilliant they must have cost a fortune!" "Are they rare?" and "I have to own a pair!" Well ladies, if you want to know my secret, read on.
Moissanite has opened doors to women, giving them the opportunity to own quality, eye-catching jewelry at affordable prices. Some stores in the internet are also offering discount shopping online for jewelries such as Moissanite. What is the story behind this fantastic jewel? In 1893, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist by the name of Dr. Henri Moissan began studying fragments of a 50,000 year old meteorite. In these fragments, Moissan believed he discovered diamonds from outer space possessing superior fire and brilliance. After extensive research, it was concluded that Moissan discovered a new mineral. In 1905, it was named Moissanite in his honor.
During the late 1980s, inspired by Moissan's discovery and by the fact that natural Moissanite is incredibly rare, a trading company called Charles & Colvard, Ltd. developed a proprietary process for producing large quantities of Moissanite. By 1995, Charles & Colvard, Ltd. was monopolizing the Moissanite mineral industry, possessing two worldwide patents.
"Moissanite's superior diamond-like appearance is incredible," said Nat Hyman, president of Landau, an accessory boutique with more than 70 stores. "The customer is getting so much more for their money,” he finished.
“But once they leave the store, are they going to tell even their best friends?" asked Nick Baxevane, also of Landau. "Moissanite looks like what a beautiful diamond should look like, so what they tell their friends is their decision. They can have the million dollar look without the million dollar price tag."