First and foremost, moissanite has its own chemical and physical properties and is its very own category of gemstone. Diamonds are made of Carbon while moissanite is made of Silicon Carbide. Though moissanite is different from diamonds, they are among a select few gemstones which possess a high enough refractive index to perform against light in the same way a diamond does. Moissanite actually outscores diamonds on several scales, including dispersion and refraction. Moissanite is a 9.25 on the Mohs Scale, making them second only to diamonds in hardness. This means, just like diamonds, moissanite will not lose its brilliance or scratch over time the way other gemstones do.We cannot provide exact price comparisons without first sourcing the actual stone due to the fact that the price of a diamond is determined by how it is graded on the “Four C's:” cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. Diamond costs vary greatly depending on these factors, making it hard to assign a dollar amount to just the carat weight. The size of moissanite, however, is determined by measurement in millimeters, and has a much smaller spectrum of possible imperfections. Visit our Responsible Sourcing page for a general comparison chart of diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, and moissanite.When it comes to converting the carat weight of diamonds into millimeter measurements of moissanite, it is important to understand that moissanite has a differing specific gravity than diamonds which means they will weigh differently even if they are the same size. This is why moissanite is not accurately measured in carat weight and can be quite misleading when advertised this way. For this reason, we have chosen to communicate the size in the actual millimeter measurement and provide an approximate carat weight conversion. You can view our full Conversion Chart here.It is our mission to bring our clients several beautiful, affordable and ethical engagement ring options. We are not here to talk you into or out of anything, but rather present you with the facts and allow you to determine what fits your lifestyle, values, and budget.