Re: Moissanite grades

AuntMame · ‎10-16-2010

@Lavenderjunkie wrote:
I caught a bit of the QVC moissanite show early this morning. Didn't hear much details about specific quality specifications, just that it was 'top' quality and Q waited to bring in moissanite because early stone quality wasn't good enough! Don't know if the product descriptions are more detailed. And don't know how the quality of the moissanite on QVC compares to Charles & Covard or any other source. Remember quality is a combination of the color of the stone, the clarity, and the precision with which it is cut. All these factor into how beautiful the stone will look.

They did however emphasize that the setting on QVC moissanite were 14K and substantial. That's important and hard to compare settings from one place to another unless you see them in person. Charles & Covard has a reputation for well made 14K settings. In this day and age, a lot of 14K settings on the market are very light weight. It's somewhat less critical in earrings, which don't get much abuse, compared to rings and bracelets. However, if you are paying $$$ for a man made moissanite stone, you don't want the setting to be so thin that the stone falls out. And cheap looking settings tend to make any piece of jewelry look fake.

Unrelated to any quality comparison, I'd consider the ease of returning an item as a factor in buying online. I don't know about the return policies of C&C, or how much of a hassle it is or isn't to buy from (and return to) some of the other shopping channels. But, from many decades of experience with QVC, it would be top of my list for an expensive purchase that might need to be returned. Of course, I'd follow the rules to the letter and be sure the return was fully insured (by me) and take no chances on shipping back using anything but UPS. But given all that, I wouldn't have any second thoughts if I was dealing with QVC (or HSN). I know ease of returns and associated return policies, etc. are only one factor in the decision. But.... that is one of the reasons people are comfortable buying from QVC and trust them.

The fact that returns are so easy with QVC, and I've never had a problem on those occasions when something hasn't been up to par, is a definite incentive for buying from QVC rather than another vendor.

However I am worried about the settings. The settings for QVC's Diamonique earrings get so many bad reviews lately for being flimsy, are the moissanite ones any better?

Good to know that Charles & Colvard have decent 14k settings. That may be the deciding factor for me.

Thank you for all your help, Lavendarjunkie!

And everyone else too!

depglass · ‎03-10-2010

Years ago, maybe 25, I happened into a TJ Maxx store near Detroit. They had a large showcase of Moissanite, along with a very bored older male store manager. He was pretty talky, and his remarks about Moissanite surprised me. I commented that most of the pieces looked yellow to me. He said yes, that is pretty much what got shipped to them. Were these sub-par stones, and therefore shipped to TJ Maxx, which was back then only a closeout store? Or were these first quality stones? On that day I totally dismissed the idea of ever buying any Moissanite. Diamonique? Yes, I still buy occasionally, and I've never gotten any off-color stones.

Lavenderjunkie · ‎03-10-2010

Moissanite stones come in different qualities.... depending upon the color, clarity, and precision of the cutting. Over time, the overall quality has improved, especially the color (lack of color) they are able to achieve. That said, then, as now, you can't judge by what one store is selling. And it's difficult to compare from one store to another unless you can see the items side by side. Even if a store (or vendor) assigns a

quality grade to their stones, we can't know how that will compare to some other stores assigned quality grade. Unless the stones are manufactured and graded by Charles and Covard, each store or manufacturer is free to call their stones as they wish.

The same lack of consistency exists for pearls and many other gemstones.

AuntMame · ‎10-16-2010

@depglass wrote:
Years ago, maybe 25, I happened into a TJ Maxx store near Detroit. They had a large showcase of Moissanite, along with a very bored older male store manager. He was pretty talky, and his remarks about Moissanite surprised me. I commented that most of the pieces looked yellow to me. He said yes, that is pretty much what got shipped to them. Were these sub-par stones, and therefore shipped to TJ Maxx, which was back then only a closeout store? Or were these first quality stones? On that day I totally dismissed the idea of ever buying any Moissanite. Diamonique? Yes, I still buy occasionally, and I've never gotten any off-color stones.

I watched one of the presentations posted online with the moissanite items. Jane and the vendor, whoever he is, did a spiel about how this particular vendor came to QVC with moissanite ten years ago. QVC said no because the stones were too yellow. She said that since then the stones' manufacture has improved enough that they are no longer yellow and QVC now feels comfortable offering them for sale. Take it for what it's worth.

By the way the moissanite earrings I was looking at on Charles & Colvard's web site shot up in price today. That makes them just a few bucks shy of the same size earrings with real diamonds on Blue Nile's web site. Thinkin I'm gonna pass.