Moissanite vs Amora

It is often said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But, we are sure that every woman must have vacancies left for a couple of more best friends; namely the emerging alternatives of a diamond.

It is true that jewelry is an unmatched and precious indulgence and necessity in every woman’s life.

However, given its price and rarity in some cases, finding alternatives is a smart option to settle for.

Are you thinking of buying an engagement ring for that special someone? You have narrowed down your choices to either moissanite or amora. You are, however, uncertain about which one to choose.

That is not unexpected considering the plethora of information available and each jewelry site promoting the qualities of both gemstones.

Here’s a rundown of what you should be aware of and what to avoid.

In this blog, we will be analyzing and comparing moissanite and amora together and will be showing how the two gemstones are similar or different.

About Moissanite

Moissanite is an amazing gemstone that has been gaining a lot of traction in the past few years as a notable substitute for diamond.

Moissanite, unlike diamonds, is formed of silicon carbide rather than carbon.

Moissanite, similar to diamonds, can be found naturally, however, it is more frequently than not manufactured in a laboratory.

Natural moissanite is extremely uncommon, and when it does occur, it is only as small crystals. As a result, the naturally generated variant is less suitable for jewelry.

We must clarify first that when we are talking about “moissanite,” we are exclusively talking about the lab-produced gemstones and not the naturally occurring ones.

Natural moissanite stones are very rare, as mentioned.

However, when produced in the lab, it offers the same qualities, including hardness which is 9.25 on the Mohs scale, compared to 10 on the Mohs scale for diamonds.

History Behind It

The discovery of Moissanite dates back to 1893 when Dr. Henri Moissan found the gemstone in a meteorite depression.

The meteor had apparently landed on earth nearly 50,000 years prior to that. Inside the meteorite depression, he found masses of dazzling crystals composed of silicon carbide.

However, it was later that he found the true composition of moissanite since he initially thought it to be diamonds, owing to their similarity of naturally occurring state and appearance.

Although the gemstone was discovered long back, it was only in the 1990s when moissanite got the recognition it deserved.

Thanks to the efforts of scientists at the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, a lab-generated alternative to natural moissanite was introduced.

Charles & Colvard, the people behind the discovery, quickly patented the process and consequently ruled the moissanite market till 2015, when their patent finally expired.

This is the reason why, when you do any google search regarding the stone, you get tons of results relating to Charles & Colvard.

Before 2015, only they were allowed to commercially market the beautiful stone.

However, since then, many other jewelry brands have jumped up on the bandwagon and tried to mimic the process that the duo leveraged to make the stones.

About Amora

Amora Gem is a dazzling gemstone noted for its one-of-a-kind feel and beauty.

Owing to its incredibly scarce nature and unavailability, it is among the most valuable gemstones on the planet.

The Amora gem, often considered the ideal diamond substitute, is in a league of its own due to its amazing purity, lovely polish, and outstanding sparkle.

However, this unusual gem is sometimes classed with others in the Moissanite family – an inaccurate assumption, particularly given the high grade of Amora gems.

As a comparatively recent discovery, it is easy to understand why professional jewelers and clients alike are perplexed by the range of various jewels in the industry.

Amora gem wedding rings are more than simply expensive products these days because you are fortunate to be able to obtain this beautiful gemstone.

When talking about the chemical makeup of the gemstone, it is understandable why many people confuse the two gemstones.

Both moissanite and amora are made of silicon carbide. Regardless, moissanite and amora are not the same gemstones.

Indeed, they both include carbon, as well as silicon and, are members of the same crystal family of silicon carbide. However, that is the end of it.

History Behind It

The history behind the amora gem is one of mystery and ambiguity for a couple of reasons. Amora is actually stardust that is found in the vicinity of massive stars.

However, the crystals of amora can only be formed at high temperatures, so high that they can even evaporate diamonds.

Because of the exceedingly high temperatures required for its growth, Amora’s natural existence on Earth is extremely uncommon, and it is only detected in minute amounts near the Earth’s core.

The more flexible availability of diamonds, rather than Amora, may be among the chief reasons why they became the most valuable stone on the planet.

On the official website of the Amora gems, they say that the gemstone is older than our planet itself.

That sounds dubious since it would mean that it has been discovered to form on Earth only recently.

The website says that the Amora Gem, which is far rarer when compared to diamond, formerly only existed near big carbon-rich stars, making it inaccessible to mankind for about 4 billion years.

The extreme temperatures needed to form the stone added to its scarcity and as a result, diamonds quickly climbed through the ladder and became the most sought-after gemstone.

Today, Amora gems are grown in labs using a special technique that replicates star-like conditions.

However, when compared to lab-grown diamonds, the production output of amora gems is far less since the process to create them is not an easy one.

Thanks to its rarity and imprecise origin, the amora gem has managed to shield itself with a veil of mystery.

Note that the amora gem only started to be commercially marketed in 2013.

Moissanite Vs Amora Gem Comprison

Both moissanite and amora gem share a few qualities which make it difficult to distinguish between the two of them, especially to the untrained eye. 

In this section, we will attempt to analyze the similarities as well as the differences between the two gemstones. 

Similarities

While amora gems and moissanite have a vast array of differences, they do share a few qualities.

Here’s a rundown of those:

1. Both crystals are members of the Silicon Carbide family. But, this just implies that they, like the other 200 stones of this family, are composed of silicon and carbon.
2. Mining is the source of almost every gem in the world. Some mining methods, though, have a harmful influence on our ecosystem. The good thing about moissanite and amora is that they are from the lab. In this instance, the environmental impact is negligible. Mining has the potential to drastically destroy biodiversity, cause soil erosion, and damage freshwater bodies. As a result, both gemstones are environmentally friendly and sustainable.
3. Moissanite and Amora Gems are quite inexpensive! With costs ranging from 70% to 80% less than a similar diamond, these lovely gemstones will suit almost any budget.

Differences

Now that we have established the similarities between the two gemstones, it is time we study their differences in detail.

Chemical makeup

Wait a minute, didn’t we just mention that both the stones have the same chemical makeup?

While it is true that both amora and moissanite are composed of Silicon Carbide, the Amora gem differs from regular Moissanite in various ways.

Amora has a different internal structure than moissanite. Moissanite is classed as a 6H polytype, a form that cannot reach a full lack of color.

Amora stones are made from an entirely distinct, more pure quality of Silicon carbide that is able to achieve the actual clarity that natural diamonds are renowned for, as well as superb optical brilliance and brightness.

This distinction in grade is what distinguishes Amora stones from comparable gems, due to their unparalleled purity.

Origin

According to the Amora website, their gemstone may be located only in the Earth’s core or by recreating “star-like conditions.”

Both statements appear exaggerated, considering the impracticality of mining close to the Earth’s core as well as the impossibility of replicating star-like circumstances in a laboratory.

Regardless of the initial origins of Amora, the Amora stones presently in the industry are lab-generated.

Moissanite occurs naturally, but thanks to technological advances, it is now less costly to make using a thermal growth method.

The origin of moissanite is not as muddled as amora.

If you are less swayed by exaggerated sales jargon and interested in information backed up by facts, then the Charles and Colvard website is more detailed and accurate than its Amora cousin.

Color

As briefly described above, the lack of color in Amora gemstones is what causes them to look so similar to diamonds.

Amora gemstones can be properly rated alongside diamonds due to their high clarity and attractive brilliant white coloration, which cannot be accomplished with lower grades of Silicon Carbide.

This purity of color is what helps make Amora stones so coveted and distinguishable from lesser-quality stones like Moissanite.

Amora stones retain the same clarity of color and a beautiful polish whether combined with gold, silver, or white gold.

Cut

Moissanite leverages a signature cut that was originally patented by Charles & Colvard. On the other hand, the amora gem leverages a “Hearts & Arrow” cut.

Depending on the way they are cut, moissanite stones appear to be more sparkling than their counterpart, which in comparison, looks a little flat.

Brilliance

When it comes to the brilliance of both stones, they are almost in the same league. Both the gemstones offer excellent sparkle.

Amora has an RI of 2.66-2.71, whereas moissanite has an RI of 2.65-2.69. As a result, there is not much difference in the sparkle between the two stones.

Fire

The fire of a gemstone implies the amount of white light refracted from it. Both the stones offer the same amount of fire dispersion since they score 0.104.

Warranty

It should be noted that the Amora seller does not provide a guarantee on the Amora stone.

When compared to the perfect hardness of diamonds, Amora gems have a hardness of 9.5 on the Mohs scale and as a result, the Amora website claims that the stones do not require any guarantee, much like diamonds thanks to their hardness.

In comparison, Charles & Colvard offers a limited lifetime guarantee, free returns, and a variety of payment alternatives for its Forever One moissanite stones, which other common moissanite suppliers do not.

If you are interested in the grade of the stone you will be purchasing, keep the warranty in mind.

Final Thoughts: Moissanite vs Amora

The Amora gem is a relatively new addition to the valuable stone industry that has perplexed observers and dethroned the tried-and-true stone moissanite.

Though it might be rarer and hence more valuable than moissanite, the moissanite stone still takes the lead in several areas, as seen by this Amora gem versus moissanite comparison.

With respect to hardness, durability, as well as color, amora stones are equal to moissanite, but inferior with respect to value for money, clarity, and cut.

Furthermore, if you believe you will have more peace of mind since you have a gemstone and a guarantee in your hands, Moissanite is the clear winner.

Even then, the amora gem is an excellent option for those who do not want to go the traditional route and buy a more intriguing gem.

Just know that whatever stone you ultimately pick, you will be making a morally safe choice since both stones are ethically sourced.

They do not have environmental repercussions like mined diamonds do, which cause great harm.

You do not have to bother about this with moissanite or amora because both gemstones are made in laboratories, so you can be confident that any stone you choose is environmentally safe.

Our recommendation if you want to buy a Moissanite engagement ring is Forever Moissanite, as they have one of the biggest ranges when compared to other similar companies.