Moissanite is a rare, naturally occurring mineral also known as silicon carbide. It was first discovered by the Nobel Prize-winning chemist Dr Henri Moissan at the site of a massive meteorite strike in Arizona. Since natural moissanite is incredibly rare, the moissanite available today is laboratory-created. Moissanite is similar in appearance to diamonds but is compositionally and visually quite different from a real diamond. The durability, brilliance, and colour of the two gems are quite distinct. The hardness and durability of gemstones are measured on the Mohs Scale. The scale assesses a gem’s ability to withstand surface scratching. On this scale, moissanite scores a 9.25, while diamonds are just slightly harder & are rated a 10. Moissanite is a more brilliant stone & has a refractive index from 2.65 – 2.69, which is higher than a diamond.