moissanite - Suzanne Crudden Custom Jewellery

Lab Grown Gemstone Guide

Suzanne Crudden — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 17:47:27 +0000

In recent years the popularity of lab grown gemstones has sky rocketed as the general public learns more about them. We have developed this lab grown gemstone guide to provide more information about these beautiful options.

Lab Grown Gemstone Guide

At first it might not be so obvious but synthetic gemstones and imitation gemstones are two entirely different things.

A synthetic gemstone is chemically identical to a natural mineral from the earth but made in a lab environment. An imitation gemstone is a material that is similar in appearance to another mineral or gemstone but chemically different.

More and more I have clients who are interested in using synthetic gemstones but the terminology can get confusing. Let’s explore the distinction between these two terms a bit more.

SYNTHETIC OR LAB CREATED GEMSTONES

Synthetic gemstones may also be known as ‘lab grown stones’, ‘lab made stones’, ‘lab “gemstone name”, lab sapphire or man-made gemstones. They are all the same thing. A synthetic gemstone is created by humans in a lab to be chemically identical to a natural mineral.

There are many different processes to create these gemstones, the first of which was developed in the late 1800’s. Since there can be confusion between these synthetic stones and natural stones because they share chemical and optical characteristics, there are strict disclosure guide lines for the marketplace.

WHAT KINDS OF LAB CREATED OR SYNTHETIC STONES ARE AVAILABLE?

Synthetic stones are most often available in gemstones for which there is a high demand. So, for example, synthetic ruby is readily available while synthetic peridot is not. The most common synthetic gemstones are sapphire (blue, yellow, pink, purple, green and padparadscha), ruby, emerald, spinel and alexandrite.

There are also synthetic diamonds and they are pure carbon, just as natural diamonds. They may be referred to by the process by which they were created, for example HPHT (High Pressure, High Temperature) diamonds.

MOISSANITE

Moissanite is another synthetic gemstone created in a lab. Natural moissanite was discovered over a century ago but it is very rare and the sample was extremely small. The properties of this gem proved so alluring that in the proceeding years many tried to recreate the mineral in a lab. Finally the company Charles & Colvard succeeded and an alternative to diamond became a reality.

At first the moissanite gemstones produced had a yellow0ish undertone (now referred to ‘Moissanite Classic’) but in recent years new, colourless moissanite have been developed such as the ‘Forever Brilliant’ and the ‘Forever One’ lines.

LAB CREATED DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE ENGAGEMENT RINGS

As the title implies, lab created diamond or sapphire are most suitable for engagement rings. This is due to their hardness. The toughness and durability of natural diamonds and sapphires are what have always made them best suited for the everyday wear of engagement rings. The same applies for their lab created versions, as they have identical chemical compositions, they have identical hardnesses.

IMITATION GEMSTONES

Also known as simulants, imitation gemstones are stones that are essentially trying to mimic another gemstone. So, for example, a cubic zirconia in place of a diamond. Imitation stones are not chemically, optically or physically similar to the gemstone they are imitating in any way.

COMMON IMITATION STONES

Most of us are familiar with cubic zirconia that is used to imitate diamond but there are many more stones both natural and synthetic that are used to imitate higher cost natural stones. Here are just a few:

Synthetic spinel is used to imitate all birthstones
Dyed quartz can be used to imitate almost any gemstone
Dyed howlite is used to imitate turquoise
Plastic and glass can be used to imitate opal and pearl

If you’re interested in learning more about imitation gemstones I highly recommend checking out the GIA website where they have a lot of great information.

If you are planning to make a piece of jewellery that will be worn everyday then you’ll want to make sure you select a synthetic or lab made gemstone, not an imitation stone.

The post Lab Grown Gemstone Guide first appeared on Suzanne Crudden Custom Jewellery.

Moissanite Engagement Rings

Suzanne Crudden — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 15:22:05 +0000

Chances are you’ve already done your research on the stone if you’ve found yourself here. But I thought it would also be a good time to talk a bit about moissanite as well as it’s application in custom jewellery. More and more people are choosing moissanite engagement rings.

What is Moissanite?

Naturally occuring moissanite is silicon carbide first discovered by Henri Moissan in the late 19th century. It is an extremely rare mineral and only limited deposits have ever been found – mostly in association with meteors but also in kimberlite and as naturally ocurring inclusions in diamonds.

Due to its rarity natural moissanite, ie: mined from the earth, is not widely available. Instead it was synthesized in a labratory and is now commercially available from Charles and Colvard. It has a number of applications but the most important to us here is as a beautiful gemstone in jewellery.

Why Choose Moissanite for your Engagement Ring?

The properties of moissanite make it a great choice for wedding and engagement rings or pieces that are worn every day. It is second only to diamond in hardness on the Moh’s Scale of hardness and is actually more reflective than a diamond due to it’s higher refractive index. People love the brilliance and fire of this stone!

As with any gemstone, there are certain considerations to keep in mind when choosing moissanite for your ring. In the past moissanite had a bit of a yellowish undertone but within the last five years or so the colour clarity has improved dramatically to a consistent white. This is when moissanite became a true diamond alternative.

Another thing to consider is price point. You will certainly receive more carat weight for your budget with moissanite than you will with diamond. If you are person who likes the look of larger stones but not the cost then moissanite is definitely a great choice for you!

And finally, I find one of the most important reasons a lot of my clients prefer moissanite is because they are an ethical choice. Since they are lab created and not mined from the earth there are less associated environmental and cultural impacts.

Custom Moissanite Engagement Rings

Why would you choose to create a custom moissanite engagement ring versus purchasing one already made? The main reason is that the design you have in mind isn’t available in the stone choices that you want. Or perhaps you really want to flex your creative muscles and you make something truly unique. Whatever the case I’ve been helping my clients create their custom moissanite engagement rings in Toronto for years. Way before it became trendy.

In the years since a lot of companies have sprung up to take advantage of the popularity of moissanite. If I can toot my own here for a moment, I think it’s really important to select a designer that cares about you and your ring and not just the bottom line. I specialize in designing custom rings for my clients, listening to what they want and developing our relationship so that it is truly a collaborative experience.

Here's a small sampling of some custom moissanite engagement rings I've made with my clients:

Where to Purchase Moissanite in Toronto?

If you would like to use moissanite in your custom engagement ring there are two options. You can source a stone(s) yourself by logging on the Charles and Colvard website and then bringing the stone(s) to me to design a custom piece. Alternatively I can source the stone(s) for you.

This second method is often easier because it enables you to see the stone(s) in ‘real life’ and you can decide if you would like to use it in your piece. If not, it can always be returned. Sometimes it’s also hard for you to know how many and of which size stones you should order for your design. Since I will know all of the precise details of the design it may be easier for me to order in the stones required.

In the years since Charles & Colvard first perfected their bright, white material many other moissanite companies have sprung up around the world. There are a few that I feel create high quality material but there are a lot out there with sub par product. As with natural diamonds the cut is really important. You can have beautiful material but if it’s not cut right it won’t sparkle the way it should.

The Next Step

If you still have questions you can also check out my moissanite FAQ’s . Or if you have specific questions about the custom process this page might help. Finally if you need some inspiration check out my engagement ring portfolio. I hope we can work together soon!

The post Moissanite Engagement Rings first appeared on Suzanne Crudden Custom Jewellery.