Jewelry

[AuntMame]

Some of you have mentioned how important it is when buying Moissanite to buy a good grade of it. I visited the Charles & Covard web site. I'd like to buy a pair of stud earrings. But I couldn't make heads or tails of the grades. Maybe someone can help me. 

They have three manufacturing grades:

Forever One

Forever Brilliant 

Forever Classic

They also have these three grades. They are:

DEF -- colorless

GHI -- near colorless 

JK -- subtle color shades

On the web site they say this:

"Charles & Colvard Forever One moissanite is a triumph of art, science and sustained effort. The structural configuration of this specific moissanite material is what yields its unsurpassed, colorless (D-E-F) quality. While chemically it is still silicon carbide (SiC), and its optical and hardness properties remain the same, it is the stacking of SiC material in the manufacturing process that makes Forever One moissanite unlike any of its predecessors.

Through its research and development efforts working with Forever One, Charles & Colvard developed a second grade of Forever One, in G-H-I quality. Boasting the same optical properties of our DEF quality moissanite, this near colorless gemstone emits a faint, icy hue compared to its Forever Brilliant predecessor, which yields a warm hue.

Forever Brilliant moissanite falls within the prized, near-colorless G-H-I range. Forever Brilliant was developed through improvements to the crystal growing process from the original brand of Charles& Colvard created moissanite also known as Forever Classic.

Forever Classic offers subtle color shades in the J – K range of the industry color scale, with faint undertones of green, yellow or gray."

Maybe I'm not too bright because I'm confused. Do I want earrings in the Forever Brilliant category? 

[SilleeMee]

Maybe this can help:

[CalminHeart]

moissanitecodotcom is a great place to go for moissanite.  I've never been disappointed and their customer service is great!  

[Lavenderjunkie]

The info you posted is very interesting.  The quality of gemstones like diamonds is often characterized by the grading scale used by the GIA,   color, claity, cut (not shape, but optimization compared to ideal standards) and carat weight.  The better the grade,  the more expensive the diamond.  And when you combine the different characteristics,  the prices of better diamonds can be many times more expensive than lower quality diamonds.

Moissanite can vary from stone to stone among these same characteristics.   Color is generally the most obvious characteristic that people focus on because it's the easist to see.  Earlier mossanite often had distinctly less appealing color (more yellow or green caste).   More recent manufacturing techniques have produced better color stones (better meaning less color) which look like better quality diamonds.

In the diamond world D-E-F are the best diamonds in terms of color grading (truly colorless) and the most desireable diamonds.  G-H-I color graded diamonds show a little more body color,  but are still lovely and in todays world G-H color diamonds are very sought after.

J-K-L color diamonds can still be very pretty, especially if the stones are good quality and well cut.  But if you look at the J-K-L color diamonds against a white piece of paper, the stones will be  more yellow.  In a piece of jewelry, however, depending upon all the other factors, and the size of the stone, and how it's set,  it can still be

lovely.

As we are taling about diamond quality,  I must say that many (most) of the diamonds  that are sold today are so far from the top or middle end of the color and claity scale.  The smaller stones used in multi stone designs today are often hightly included and well down the color scale.

Back to moissanite,  different manufacturers use different names to distinguish the overall quality of their stones.  The collection name often encompasses both the color and clarity assessmet of the stones, and possibly also the quality(precision) of the cutting.  

Charles and Covard held the original pattent on moissanite namufacturing.  In the last few years, other companies have produced moissanite stones.  As consumers,  the more we can learn about the relative quality grading of the stones,  the better decision we can make.   Since most of jewelry buyers aren't trained or interested in understanding all the technical quality measures,  it's helpful when a company groups their stones into collections and gives each one a name.  As long as we have a sense of the differences between the collections characteristics,  we can make better decisions.   Comparing one manufacturer to another is still difficult,  but some info is better than no info.

Generally stones set into silver are of lower quality than the stones a manufacturer will use for gold or platinum setting.   Of course if you are buying loose stones,  you need to understand something about the stones to do a compare.

To add to the confusion,  different people have different preferences.... based on what appeals to them and also what they are used to seeing.   If every diamond you have seen is a mid level quality and someone has a top quality diamond.... that top quality diamond will look fake to you.   To your eye,  in your mind,  the brightness, sparkle, and clairty of that top quality diamond doesn't fit with what a diamond looks like in your experience.   The same is true with man-made stones like moissanite.   If you are used to seeing mid range diamonds then a top quality mossanite will look fake.  And moissanite does look different than a diamond,  even when comparing top quality of a diamond to top quality of moissantie.  Moissanite will display more fire and brilliance.

So where does this leave us....I'd say,  pick the best quality (best color...as close to colorless, and best clarity) that you can afford.   Compare the cost and the look of the same size pair of studs in the 2 top Charles and Covard grades.

Generally,  G-H-I color stones are considered very good, especially for earrings,  so don't feel you are making a bad choice if that is what you opt for.   Just be sure to understand return policies in case what you pick doesn't delight you.

If you go with another brand,  do your research to understand as much as you can about their stones.   The top grade from another company might be the middle grade or even the lowest grade from Charles and Covard.

Good luck.  Hope this helps.   There are some posters who have purchased moissanite and maybe they can provide info on where they have gotten stones that they think are beautiful and worth the money. 

I own diamonds and CZ,  but no moissanite.   I think that the better quality moissantie is beautiful,  but given what I already own,   I haven't seen the need to invest in moissanite.  If I was starting from the beginning,  I might make different choices,  I don't know. 

The one thing I do know is that you need to love what you buy and not feel you compromized.  If you are going to spend a lot of money on a moissanite or a diamond,  you should be delighted with what you get and not feel you wish you could have gotten better or bigger.  Once the studs are on your ears most people won't have a clue if they are diamond, moissanite, or CZ.... regardless of how 'expert' they think they are.  Because my friends know that I have diamonds,  they assume every time I wear studs, they are the diamonds. And many of my friends are relatively knowledgeable about jewelry.    Most of the time,  the studs are the CZ,  with the diamond ones tucked safely info the safety deposit box in the bank.  The only time they question if the studs are real is when they are very large stones,   over 2 carat each ear.  Smaller stones,  even my 20 year old diamonique studs set in 14K still look wonderful and sparkle beautifully if I keep them reasonably clean.

[stellabystarlight]

Excellent summary of Moissanite, Lavender Junkie.  I own both diamonds and moissanite, and my moissanite solitaire is a Charles & Colvard Forever Brilliant purchased before they advanced their manufacturing to a whitest color - DEF Forever One.  Mine is in the GHI, but looks like the finest diamond.  In fact, when I went to my jeweler to have a battery replaced in my watch, he pulled my hand over and looped my ring.  He told me it was a gorgeous diamond.  I had to be honest with him and told him it was moissanite.  He said it was a beautiful stone.

Now diamonds are being produced in the lab.  I mean real diamonds with the same chemical and optical properties using carbon but they speed up the process.  These stones are much less expensive than a natural mined diamond, which takes millions of years to produce the diamond crystal.  DeBeers has a monopoly on basically the majority of the diamonds used for jewelry and because of that monopoly, prices have skyrocketed.  We must be educated consumers and buy what we can afford.  My moissanite ring is gorgeous and everyone believes it is a real diamond.  When I got engaged, many decades ago, we did not have a lot of money, and my diamond solitaire was just about 82 points.  Believe me, I love it and the meaning behind it.  But moissanite is just as lovely and much less expensive.  Thank you, Lavender Junkie.

[Lavenderjunkie]

Stella:  it's great to hear that your moissanite ring is so beautiful and that you get so much enjoyment wearing it.  And it's always nice when a jeweler thinks it's amazing too.

[AuntMame]

Thank you everyone for your great help and advice! A special thanks to LavenderJunkie for typing all that--what wonderful advice and wisdom! I really appreciate it!  

One source of my confusion is the fact that I'm looking at two nearly identical pair of studs on moissonitedotcom (which is Charles & Colvard). The pair which is graded "Forever One - GHI near colorless" is $79 more expensive than the pair which is graded "Forever One - DEF colorless." Both pair are round, same caret weight, and have identical settings. One would think it would be the other way around, no? 

I really REALLY appreciate your comments Stellabystarlight that you are happy with your CZ. I have lots of CZ earrings. Because I wear them all the time I assumed that I would like a moissonite pair even more. But maybe not? Maybe I should just be happy with my CZ. This would be good on my pocketbook. So now I'm going to reconsider. 

Thank you all!!! 

[AuntMame]

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@Lavenderjunkie wrote:

I own diamonds and CZ,  but no moissanite.   I think that the better quality moissantie is beautiful,  but given what I already own,   I haven't seen the need to invest in moissanite.  If I was starting from the beginning,  I might make different choices,  I don't know. 

The one thing I do know is that you need to love what you buy and not feel you compromized.  If you are going to spend a lot of money on a moissanite or a diamond,  you should be delighted with what you get and not feel you wish you could have gotten better or bigger.  Once the studs are on your ears most people won't have a clue if they are diamond, moissanite, or CZ.... regardless of how 'expert' they think they are.  Because my friends know that I have diamonds,  they assume every time I wear studs, they are the diamonds. And many of my friends are relatively knowledgeable about jewelry.    Most of the time,  the studs are the CZ,  with the diamond ones tucked safely info the safety deposit box in the bank.  The only time they question if the studs are real is when they are very large stones,   over 2 carat each ear.  Smaller stones,  even my 20 year old diamonique studs set in 14K still look wonderful and sparkle beautifully if I keep them reasonably clean.

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This is one of the things I was referring to. This advice is extremely helpful. Thank you Lavenderjunkie! Since I already have so much Cz I'm going to reconsider whether I should buy a pair of moissanite studs. My pocketbook thanks you too! 

[Lavenderjunkie]

AuntMame:  it's so easy to get caught up in the desire to get a new piece of jewelry,  especially something as beautiful as moissanite stud earrings.   The more research you do and the more time you take to make your decision, will make you feel good about what ever you decide.

One other thing that experince has taught me.... buy and wear a pair of CZ stud earrings in the size you are considering purchasing (in moissanite) before you make the investment.  When I bought my diamond earrings I thought that I'd never need another pair of earrings.   That those diamond studs would be what I would wear always.  

Turns out that at 70 pts each earring,  those diamonds are just too small.   Times changed and big earrings became the fashion,  and my tiny studs no longer made me happy.  A pair of 2 ct. each ear diamonique stud earrings became my every day go to earrings in the late 1980's.   The real diamonds were beautiful,  but didn't have enough presence.   Of course,  even if I had know this,  I couldn't have bought diamond studs of 2 ct. each.   But had I know it,  I wouldn't have invested all that money in my smaller diamond studs.   I got good quality and good color and beautiful stones, which I thought would be a perfect size.   Didn't work out that way.

And,  I still love my 2 ct. each diamonique stud earrings set in 14K yellow gold.  I wear those and the 1.5 ct. each diamonique 14K gold studs very often.   I'm not trying to push diamonique or CZ,  just sharing my experience.

[AuntMame]

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@Lavenderjunkie wrote:

AuntMame:  it's so easy to get caught up in the desire to get a new piece of jewelry,  especially something as beautiful as moissanite stud earrings.   The more research you do and the more time you take to make your decision, will make you feel good about what ever you decide.

One other thing that experince has taught me.... buy and wear a pair of CZ stud earrings in the size you are considering purchasing (in moissanite) before you make the investment.  When I bought my diamond earrings I thought that I'd never need another pair of earrings.   That those diamond studs would be what I would wear always.  

Turns out that at 70 pts each earring,  those diamonds are just too small.   Times changed and big earrings became the fashion,  and my tiny studs no longer made me happy.  A pair of 2 ct. each ear diamonique stud earrings became my every day go to earrings in the late 1980's.   The real diamonds were beautiful,  but didn't have enough presence.   Of course,  even if I had know this,  I couldn't have bought diamond studs of 2 ct. each.   But had I know it,  I wouldn't have invested all that money in my smaller diamond studs.   I got good quality and good color and beautiful stones, which I thought would be a perfect size.   Didn't work out that way.

And,  I still love my 2 ct. each diamonique stud earrings set in 14K yellow gold.  I wear those and the 1.5 ct. each diamonique 14K gold studs very often.   I'm not trying to push diamonique or CZ,  just sharing my experience.

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I do have Diamonique studs that are 1.5 ct. each and...get this a pair that is a whopping 3 ct each that I've worn for years. But they're pretty big on my ears. 

For the past year I've been wearing for everyday what seem to be 1/3 ct. total weight CZ studs--$10 from Macy's. They really do look like low-cost CZ so I thought I would upgrade and try moissanite. 

On the other hand...I have several pair of CZ 14k leverback earrings that really do look wonderful, so I'm thinking save your money girl. Be happy with what you have! 

I hear all the time about women who buy diamond studs then later regret it because they're too small. So I worry about that too. 

Thank you for your comments, they're really helpful and are helping me think this through!