Moissanite is a gemstone that is often used as a diamond alternative in jewelry. It is a naturally occurring silicon carbide mineral that was discovered by Henri Moissan in 1893 while examining rock samples from a meteor crater located in Canyon Diablo, Arizona. At first, he mistakenly identified the crystals as diamonds, but later identified them as silicon carbide. Moissanite was introduced to the jewelry market as a diamond alternative in 1998 after Charles & Colvard received patents to create and market lab-grown silicon carbide gemstones, becoming the first firm to do so. Moissanite is marketed as a lower-priced alternative to diamond that does not involve the expensive mining practices used for the extraction of natural diamonds.

Moissanite has some optical properties that exceed those of diamond, such as more brilliance and fire. It is birefringent, meaning that light sent through the material splits. On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, moissanite is rated as 9.25, making it a durable gemstone. Moissanite is sold based on size and color (colorless or near-colorless) while diamonds are priced based on their 4 Cs as well as many other factors. Although moissanite is a convincing diamond simulant, there are slight differences in their beauty that consumers may notice.

In summary, moissanite is a gemstone that is often used as a diamond alternative in jewelry. It is a naturally occurring silicon carbide mineral that has some optical properties that exceed those of diamond. Moissanite is marketed as a lower-priced alternative to diamond that does not involve the expensive mining practices used for the extraction of natural diamonds.