Moissanite Engagement Ring?

[ashjade]

Would you choose a Moissanite over a diamond as your engagement ring? (Or have you already?)

Just curious. My JA engagement ring fell through, so I’m back to looking again.

I watched a Lauren B video where they compared diamonds and Moissanite - noticed that the rounds are harder to tell the difference, but I’m a cushion cut type of girl.

 

[meely]

I was reading your other thread and was about to suggest that you come over here! I think it could be a really good option and although they are not popular for engagement ring on this forum for obvious reasons they are on other forums. I would take a look at august vintage, think love affair diamonds are also selling now and they look absolutely stunning to me.

Edit - Take a look at this thread
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/august-vintage-inc.236273/

 

[ashjade]

@meely my boyfriend might kill me if I join another forum

I’ll check into August vintage!

 

[meely]

ha - hopefully you like what you see!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I recently sold my one carat princess cut engagement ring and wanted an old cut diamond but the size I want is out of my price range in diamond so I'm going with an OEC moissanite in a 7mm size. That way I still get a pretty ring in the cut I want and get to throw the rest of the money in our emergency account.

 

[ashjade]

@StephanieLynn that sounds awesome! I noticed that you can get a moissanite comparable to a 3ct diamond for so much cheaper! Clearly because it isn’t diamond, but they have more fire - and I read that they are a lot sturdier than CZ.

I’m debating on getting a diamond engagement ring from a “mall store” or getting a moissanite - but then I worry my boyfriend won’t go for the latter because people “might think he’s cheap” if he doesn’t get a diamond.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Mall stores are notorious for huge markups and not the best quality. You could always go preloved. If you like antique you could get a really pretty diamond with great details. Granted if you want a three carat moissanite will probably be your best bet for budget unless you go colored stone center.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

@ashjade, with all due respect to your boyfriend, YOU are the one who will be wearing the ring. If you want a moissanite instead of a diamond, that's perfectly OK. What other people think should have no bearing on a decision as important as this one. "Other people" aren't paying for or wearing the ring, so it's none of their business. Get what YOU want and what fits YOUR budget!

Also, I agree that you should definitely take a look at August Vintage, Inc. Their August Vintage Cushion Moissanites are GORGEOUS! I have a 4-carat one on the way myself!

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Also, if you're concerned that a cushion moissy won't look as diamond-like as a round moissy, check out this video. Jon at August Vintage, Inc. (formerly of Good Old Gold) is comparing an August Vintage Cushion moissanite to an August Vintage Cushion diamond. Watch the video without sound and see if you can tell which is which.

 

[foxinsox]

I have a 7mm diamond engagement ring currently but of course, I want to go larger
we’ve got lots of house and other life stuff that means a properly big stone isn’t in our budget now and won’t be for another 10 years at least if it ever is - I find myself feeling weird about tying up that much of our money on something that’s not for our common use. DH is actually fine with it once we’re financially in the position that we could drop USD$20k on something without it impeding any of our other goals.
So if I want to go big, it’ll be moissy I think for the foreseeable future and I’m pretty comfortable with that.
Also you’re the wearer - the ring is a symbol of your shared commitment to a life together but as the wearer, you need to be happy with what you’re wearing. What other people think isn’t as important as you wearing something that makes you smile every time you look at it. He needs to weigh his worries about what irrelevant people might think against your joint fully informed decision for your ring

 

[Bron357]

It’s a personal choice. I have both.
I personally love the “extra disco ball sparkle” that is Moissanite, while others might find this effect a bit cheap and tacky looking.
Moissanite are similiar to diamonds, they are a “white” sparkling stone which is hard wearing and suitable therefore for a ring worn daily.
There are those “purists” who cringe at the mere mention of a man made diamond look alike being used in an engagement ring instead of a natural diamond and those “anti blood diamond / anti DeBeers cartel” who would never buy or wear a natural diamond.
Moissanite are a lot cheaper than a similiar sized diamond, but they aren’t diamonds.
They are doubly refractive and actually have a higher dispersion than diamonds so they are more “disco ball”.
My take is, buy a Moissanite if you want a Moissanite, don’t buy one if you want to “pass it off” as a diamond, you might feel embarrassed when someone with knowledge / experience calls you out.
And anyone out there thinking they can “slip” a Moissanite into the engagement ring and pretend it’s a diamond - just don’t.

 

[absolutme77]

I’ve been following your other thread and I’m sorry about the whole JA credit situation. I’m hoping it will rectify itself and as others told you there, there are always new diamonds listed. As for your question here, no I would not choose Moissanite over a diamond for my engagement ring of the only reason for you to do it is to have something diamond looking. If you want and appreciate moissanite for its own properties then yes, other people have. I have moissanite rings as my travel rings. I like the difference with the double refraction but not sure if I would want it all the time.
If you still want diamonds, but perhaps a more affordable option, have you thought of a center gemstone with diamond halo (like the royal family)?

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Good points here, moissanite is a very different animal than a diamond so if your heart really wants a diamond, a moissanite will not fit the bill. I like the sparkle and the fact that I don't have to worry about inclusions with moissanite but it will never be a diamond, my husband is more than okay with it seeing as it would cost thousands to get the diamond I want.

Someone in the antique forum just got an old European diamond ring for $200 so there are pretty rings out there if you are okay with pre-owned. You could also do a stack of eternity rings, a woman I used to work with had two emerald and one diamond eternity that she wore as her wedding set. Just another idea.

 

[soxfan]

If it was an august vintage cushion cut, YES.

 

[chappy]

I requested moissanite for my e-ring (a small one, could've easily gone diamond, but at the time I thought moissanite was the coolest thing ever -- more rainbows?? Sign me up!), and I have zero regrets. But I've also never attempted to pass it off as diamond, I told everyone who commented.

However they're really not the same. Similar enough, sure: sparkly white durable stone. If you're expecting diamonds though, you'll probably be disappointed. Diamonds just reflect back... sharper. Moissanite is a bit fuzzy, even the best cuts (perhaps the double-refraction). It did take me years to be able to pinpoint the difference, but it's there. Whether that difference will bother you or not -- is a personal call, kind of like how some people who are really color-sensitive have to get D diamonds while others aren't bothered by J's.

Order some loose with good return policy and check it out in person?

 

[dkata]

Would you choose a Moissanite over a diamond as your engagement ring? (Or have you already?)

Just curious. My JA engagement ring fell through, so I’m back to looking again.

I watched a Lauren B video where they compared diamonds and Moissanite - noticed that the rounds are harder to tell the difference, but I’m a cushion cut type of girl.

To tell the truth, I really would prefer a diamond for an engagement ring, but if you would like to see a nice and cheap moissanite, go and have a look at my thread about it. I’ve bought it from China, it’s a 7 mm OEC, and I think it’s quite nice for 170$ including shipping. You could try it for fun, and see, how a moissanite behaves.

I think it’s much better in old cuts and step cuts, I don’t like moissanites as RB, cushion or princess.

 

[rockysalamander]

I think the old-cuts by several vendors are pretty successful. To me, the larger facets minimize the disco ball effect. I have an Amora Gem OEC from BetterThanDiamonds, from before they installed the new laser cutting systems. Its a shame they stop cutting them, because they are really wonderful. A family friend who is a retired diamond cutter actually recommended it to me as he had seen them in person.

In any case, for old cuts, I like Harro, DiamondsbyLauren, August Vintage, and JYBJewels. If you really want to "see" the cut pattern, you can request a large culet. It basically increases the leakage and allow more of the pattern to show. I don't love modern cuts as much, as I think the disco ball effect is pretty apparent, but I several folks in my office who have them and nobody seems to know that they are not diamonds.

I'd totally recommend them to you given your wants and budget. You can always change out the moissy later if you really want a diamond. I wear plenty of diamonds and other gemstones, but my moissy always gets the compliments.

This is my OEC moissanite flanked by two diamonds OECs

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@rockysalamander, you mentioned above a larger culet on an OEC for example will show more of the pattern of the stone. How about a smaller culet in an OEC, does that enable more sparkle or flashes of color. Sorry if this is OT but curious.

 

[rockysalamander]

Yes to a point. Culets on modern and antique diamonds and moissy are cut parallel to the table -- it was a way to protect the tip of the diamond. When they are faceted to not be parallel, they are just called and extra facet. The larger the culet, the more light leaks out of the bottom. So, yes, smaller culets (with all else being ideally balanced), holds more light inside the stone to then bounce around and may be returned to the viewer. If the rest of the angles are off, however, any light you saved from the culet can still be lost. With moissy, in particular, you need to allow some controlled leakage to avoid the early disco-balls that looked totally unrealistic.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Yes to a point. Culets on modern and antique diamonds and moissy are cut parallel to the table -- it was a way to protect the tip of the diamond. When they are faceted to not be parallel, they are just called and extra facet. The larger the culet, the more light leaks out of the bottom. So, yes, smaller culets (with all else being ideally balanced), holds more light inside the stone to then bounce around and may be returned to the viewer. If the rest of the angles are off, however, any light you saved from the culet can still be lost. With moissy, in particular, you need to allow some controlled leakage to avoid the early disco-balls that looked totally unrealistic.

Thanks for this explanation! It makes a lot of sense to me. And I guess that’s partly why the AVC cut works so well with moissy . . . it has that lovely large culet that allows some light to leak out to help avoid the disco ball effect.