Are you looking for a suitable ring or jewelry and are confused by white topaz vs moissanite?

Do you also want a diamond substitute that still looks pricey and beautiful?

You may also want a piece that would not be a liability much later, which is fine. 

Debates have often broken out among jewelers regarding white topaz vs. moissanite stones.

There is no confusion that they look very much alike and may often be mistaken for each other.

The difference is in the shine, brilliance, metaphysical properties, and inclusions.

White topaz also differs from moissanite by the jeweler setting and even the beauty considerations. 

This article is a ride in the world of white topaz vs moissanite. Keep reading to find out more information on these gemstones. 

What is Moissanite?

Moissanite is an artificially created stone. But is derived from naturally occurring materials. And is sometimes found as an inclusion in diamonds.

The artificial stones go through harsh conditions. Gases are superheated, pressurized, and then left to condense in sealed chambers, especially for this purpose.

The condensed gases form the stone. Some trace elements like nitrogen, sulfur, and boron interact with the stone.

The carbon in the stone interacts with the gases and causes a tint within the gem.

It has similar physical and optical properties as diamonds. Moissanite can also survive severe thermal, chemical, and baric conditions.

The synthetic production process that moissanite goes through impacts its color. The artificially produced moissanite comes in brown, yellow, blue, or green shades.

These colors are not standard, as most of the stones produced are colorless. However, they possess subtle yellow or brown undertones. 

What Is White Topaz?

Topaz is a naturally occurring stone that comprises silicate minerals with aluminum and fluorine. 

It is commonly colorless and called white topaz. When impurities are involved, it can become pale blue, golden brown, or yellowish orange.

The other colors, like deep blue, green, pink, or purple, result from treatment with heat or radiation. 

Topaz is one of the hardest minerals that occur naturally. It can also be found in several places all over the world. 

Can White Topaz Be Mistaken For Moissanite?

White topaz looks like moissanite on a surface level. They can often be mistaken for each other by untrained eyes.

Some similarities result in confusion when telling these gemstones apart.

• They are both colorless if not tinted. The uncolored moissanite is called white moissanite.
• When cleaned, moissanite sparkles more than white topaz. This is because of its silicone content and its brilliance.
• Moissanite does not lose its sparkle, unlike white topaz. 

White Topaz vs Moissanite

As established above, these two stones have a reasonable resemblance to each other but differ in many ways.

Let’s delve deeper into their innate differences.

1. Formation

White topaz is the end product of some uncontrolled natural processes on the earth. The gem is beautiful but may develop some impurities during the formation process.

These impurities commonly manifest as either a tint on the surface or cloudiness. 

Moissanite is another naturally created gem. However, it is extremely rare. Naturally created moissanite also develops impurities in it.

Because of the rareness of this gem, it is now produced artificially. Artificial moissanite does not have any impurities. This is because of the care that goes into creating it. 

2. Hardness

When comparing the hardness of white topaz vs. moissanite, moissanite tops the chart. The Mohs scale of hardness is used to measure the hardness of a gem.

White topaz is not a very durable gem. It also has a Mohs rating of 8. 

Moissanite has a better Mohs rating as compared to white topaz. Its rating is about 9.25.

The mathematical difference of 1.25 between white topaz and moissanite gives some advantages to the moissanite.

Therefore, it is evident that moissanite wins the hardness comparison. 

3. Brilliance

The brilliance of a gemstone is measured by the refractive index. A white topaz vs moissanite comparison reveals that their brilliance differs. 

White topaz has a refractive index of 1.6. This means that the brilliance is relatively low. On the other hand, the refractive index of moissanite is 2.7. 

What this means is that moissanite is more brilliant when compared with white topaz. Moissanite’s brilliance surpasses a diamond’s as the score is higher. 

4. Sparkle

Considering white topaz vs. moissanite, three factors are essential for sparkle.

• Light-reflecting away from the gem.
• Light refraction within the gem gives off a rainbow effect.
• The surface of the gem.

White topaz has some of these features. The gem that possesses all these features is a diamond. Despite the white topaz resembling the diamond as regards shine, it is not total. 

The sparkle of white topaz is authentic and genuine. However, it is short-lived.

The white topaz gets easily messed up with impurities, affecting the shine. The shine gets dull and lacks the same effect it once had. 

On the other hand, moissanite doesn’t sparkle as much as white topaz. It may seem similar, but its cover is blown with a more significant gem cut.

The larger the cuts of the moissanite, the less likely it is to have much sparkle. You may be deceived if the cuts are small because they shine even better than white topaz. 

5. Clarity

The clarity is poor for white topaz, which has been established prior as a naturally formed gemstone.

Clarity is essentially the imperfections that occur in the formation of the precious stone. These flaws may not be obvious but can be seen by the jeweler when grouping them. 

When considering moissanite, the clarity is way much better than white topaz. The reason is simply that it is an artificial stone.

Since moissanite is artificial, the chances for errors or imperfections are reduced hence the reduced clarity. 

6. Price

Price is another determining factor in the white topaz vs. moissanite debate. Their prices differ but are relatively inexpensive when compared to stones like diamonds.

One carat of white topaz may be sold for about $55. Whereas moissanite goes for about $480 for one carat. 

When you compare pricing this way, you find that moissanite is way more expensive. In fact, it is almost times 7 the price of white topaz. 

The quality of the stones affects the price. If there are imperfections in it, the price will go higher.

Another price determination is the fluctuation in price by market unions too. 

7. Cut

When referring to gemstones, the cut may mean a variety of things. It may be the shape of a finished gemstone or a faceting style.

A stone’s cut relates to its proportion, a stone’s symmetry, or rough dimensions.

There is no limitation to a cut. Sometimes, the type of cut given to the gemstone can cause a slight change in the appearance of the gemstone.

Irrespective of the variations due to cut, it fades when the stone is mounted in jewelry. 

White topaz has more superiority as regards its cut. This is unlike moissanite. 

8. Setting

Moissanite 

There are several ways you can set your moissanite stones. The metal choice and setting can contradict the tinting or color in your stone. 

If you want to have a brighter stone with more shine, especially with a low color grade, mix the colors. Rose gold or yellow gold highlights the gem perfectly. 

Other settings you can use are the hidden-halo setting. 

White Topaz

Like moissanite, there are specific colors that flatter the white topaz jewel. You can set it in rose gold or white gold for a brighter stone shine.

Other jewelry colors will also be a good fit but may not highlight the stones’ beauty maximally. 

Conclusion

In the white topaz vs. moissanite debate, there are several determining factors. The eventual choice boils down to you and the characteristics you are looking for. 

Your choice may eventually be shaped by the cost, the clarity, the cut, or the sparkle you need.

These stones are erroneously referred to as fake diamonds a lot of the time. Jewelers, however, beg to differ. 

The stones are gems in their own right and should be considered as such. It is better to refer to them as diamond substitutes.

Between white topaz vs. moissanite, you can’t stick out your neck and say one is better than the other.