We’re excited to be able to offer beautiful moissanites from three different companies! Two brands of white moissanite are available: Forever One™ by Charles & Colvard, and Supernova™ by Moissanite International. Both are great companies, offering gorgeous stones in a range of white color grades and price points. The third company, Iconic Moissanite, is my own brand of grey moissanite. Which brand you choose is truly a personal choice — you’ll have to weigh which factors are most important to you. Below is a summary and background of each white moissanite option:
Forever One (colorless, D-E-F)
The Forever One is by North Carolina based company, Charles & Colvard. Their stones are made in the USA, which may or may not be of importance to some clients. They were also the original creators of gem-quality moissanite, and have been producing it for over 20 years. Because they were the originators, they have greater brand name recognition. Their colorless stones grade in the D-E-F range, according to the diamond color grading scale. (If you’re unfamiliar with color gradings or how the scale works, read The 4 C’s to learn more.
The round shape of Forever One is also available in two faceting styles: their classic Round Cut, as well as the newer Hearts & Arrows cut. The difference between these two round cuts is discussed in greater detail in this blog post.
Supernova (colorless, D-E-F)
The Supernova is by Australian based company, Moissanite International. In decades past, Charles & Colvard was the only maker of moissanite since they held the patent. In 2016 their patent expired, thus opening the gates for other competitors. Moissanite International has been developing and fine-tuning their stones in anticipation of the patent ending. Their stones are stunning, and are truly on par with those from Charles & Colvard. The Supernovas also grade in the colorless D-E-F range, so they’re comparative to the Forever One D-E-F. However, the Supernovas come in at a lower price point than those from C&C. To learn more about the cut of the round Supernova and how it compares to the Forever One round, see this blog post.
Forever One (near colorless, G-H-I)
In addition to their colorless D-E-F moissanite, Charles & Colvard also offers a near-colorless option that grades in the G-H-I range of the color scale. It’s less expensive than Supernova, making it budget friendly. Unlike their older Forever Brilliant line (which was supposedly also G-H-I, but often was more like I-J-K for some shapes), the new Forever One Hearts & Arrows GHI are truly in the G-H-I color range. Most of the oval and rounds I’ve seen so far are even the higher “G” color grade, and honestly look nearly identical to the D-E-F to the untrained eye. The vast majority of diamonds you see don’t even grade as colorless; most are near-colorless, just like the new GHI moissanite. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting the new GHI to be that different from their old FB, but the whiteness is really incredible. I’m a believer.
Ask yourself these questions when choosing a white moissanite:
◇ Do you only like an icier/bluer stone, or do you prefer a little warmth?
◇ Are you working within a budget?
◇ Does it matter to you where the moissanite was made?
◇ Does brand recognition matter to you?
◇ Does cut matter to you more than color and/or brand name?
◇ Prefer a non-white stone? Skip below to “Grey Moissanite” section!
Forever Brilliant (near colorless G-H-I — but really closer to I-J-K)
Before C&C introduced the newer Forever One GHI, their near-colorless option used to be the Forever Brilliant, or FB for short. The FB’s were cut from a different material than the new GHI and were visibly warmer/yellower. Although C&C claimed the FB also graded in the G-H-I range, I actually think the fancy shapes (such as radiants, emeralds, pears, etc.) graded more in the I-J-K color range. Color isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s just something to be aware of. In fact, many clients actually prefer a warmer stone. Many antique rings from the Art Deco, Victorian, etc. periods are faintly yellow.
Iconic Moissanite (Fancy Grey color)
I founded my own brand, Iconic Moissanite, after realizing that not all couples are looking for a white stone ring. The Iconic line features rare fancy greys, a hue that occurs naturally during the moissanite crystal growing process. Iconic grey moissanites are perfect for those wanting something a bit less traditional. The wonderful thing about grey is that it’s still a neutral that goes with everything, but the grey shade lends a little something different and edgier. Iconic greys can range in shade from a warmer dove grey, to a medium smoky grey, to a dark steel-hued grey. Learn more about the Iconic Grey Moissanite here.
I plan expand the Iconic brand to include white moissanites in the near future, so stay tuned! I already have a few white Iconic moissanites cookin’ — a gorgeous Hearts & Arrows, and some insanely beautiful antique cuts of white moissanite as well, such as Old Mine cuts, and more. Keep an eye on my Instagram, where I always post sneak peeks of new offerings first!
