White Sapphire vs. Moissanite: Which IS Bettle
When it comes to engagement rings, diamond rings are the first option for the majority of people. However, its high prices may keep you away from these beautiful sparkling things. Therefore, many people prefer to buy diamond simulants rather than the actual thing. These diamond simulants are not only very similar to diamonds but also less expensive than their natural counterparts. These two prominent natural gemstones that resemble diamonds, can serve as suitable alternatives. However, between the two, which is your option?
In the following, we will make comparisons: White Sapphire vs. Moissanite, with our hope of bringing some suggestive information to you.
What is white sapphire?
It refers to a colorless sapphire. Like blue sapphires and rubies, they are made of the same substance called corundum. The trace element is the only difference between these jewels and the white sapphire. The ruby turns red if it contains chromium, while the sapphire turns blue if it contains iron and titanium.
Known as diamond alternatives, they cost less and don’t have any color. The cut and color of the sapphire ring will make it look a lot like diamond jewelry, with just a few small differences.
What is Moissanite?
Moissanite, a natural crystalline substance, was first discovered in a meteor crater by Dr. Henri Mossan in 1893. Composed of silicon carbide, moissanite bears high similarity to diamonds in hardness and clarity and even features better fire and brilliance than diamonds. That is also the reason why this gem’s rise to prominence in the market for wedding and engagement rings. However, natural moissanite is extremely rare. Thus, these gemstones available on the market are lab-grown. So they are less expensive than diamonds.
White Sapphire VS Moissanite: The Differences
White Sapphire VS Moissanite: Hardness
Compared to natural diamonds, both white sapphire and moissanite are less hard than diamonds. However, they are extremely durable for everyday wear. As the Mohs Hardness Scale shows, white sapphires get a rating of 9.0 while moissanite rank slightly higher at 9.5. However, you should be more cautious with sapphires over time because they (especially the edges) tend to wear easier.
White Sapphire VS Moissanite: Appearance
Both moissanite and white sapphire appear colorless. However, the latter will come with yellow tinges due to impurities. Thus, in terms of clarity, moissanite may appear clearer than a white sapphire. Besides, white sapphire scratches and attracts dirt more frequently than moissanite, so more frequent cleaning will be essential to sustain its beauty.
Moissanite may also have a modest advantage in terms of overall brilliance. Featuring a refraction index of 2.65 and fire of 0.104, moissanite has better fire and brilliance than diamonds( Refraction index 2.42and fire 0.044). In comparison, white sapphire has a refraction index of 1.77 and rates of 0.018 in the fire. There, it is less sparkling than diamonds and moissanite.
White Sapphire VS Moissanite: Price
Both white sapphire and moissanite are affordable options for engagement rings. That is also the reason for its increasing popularity in engagement rings. However, in terms of cost, white sapphire is more affordable than moissanite.
Here’s a table comparing pricing by carat size: White Sapphire vs Diamond vs Moissanite
Advantages and Disadvantages of Moissanite
Advantages:
- Moissanite bears high similarity to diamond
- Better hardness and durability than white sapphire
- Have better fire and brilliance than white sapphire and diamonds
- Require less routine cleaning than white sapphire
- Require no mining process. It is an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and ethical option.
Disadvantages:
- More expensive than sapphire (1.5 ct and under)
- Moissanite will have a rain effect
Advantages and Disadvantages of White Sapphire
Advantages：
- White sapphires resemble diamonds a lot
- Less expensive than moissanite and diamond (Depending on size).
Disadvantages：
- Lacks the fire and sparkle of moissanite and diamond.
- Wears and scratches a little more easily over time
- Require a more frequent cleaning than moissanite and diamonds to keep its sparkle.
Shopping Suggestions
White Sapphire is a popular engagement ring choice since it resembles diamond but is cheaper than Moissanite.If you want a diamond alternative that is cheaper and about 1.50 cts, this will be the best option. However, as the carat weight of the natural sapphire increases, the price per carat starts to add up due to its rarity.
Moissanite is worth every penny because of its better durability, brilliance, and clarity than a white sapphire. Besides, moissanite diamonds are lab-grown, so they require no mining process, without bringing heavy carbon footprints. It will be an affordable, environmentally friendly, sustainable, and ethical purchase.
The choice between White Sapphire vs. Moissanite is determined by personal preference. Whichever you choose, you must buy it from a trusted retailer. For example, if you want high-quality moissanite, Best Carat Jewelry may be one of your best options because it sells moissanite engagement rings with great quality, low prices, and great customer service.
But if you want to buy a white sapphire engagement ring, Kohl’s or Etsy are great places to go because they have a wide range of high-quality rings in different styles.
