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— by Cullen Jewellery

Does Moissanite Get Cloudy?

Moissanite is quickly becoming one of the most popular gemstones used in engagement rings – and for good reason! Incredibly durable, ethical and beautiful, moissanite is the whole package without the extravagant price tag.

If you’ve just come across this precious gem, you probably have quite a few questions. Some of the most common questions we receive include: How long will it last? Is it a real gem? Where does it come from? Well, have no fear! Here at Cullen Jewellery, we specialise in moissanite and love to provide the answers to your questions.

Photograph of Henri Moissan

What is Moissanite?

First discovered in 1893 by a French scientist named Henri Moissan, moissanite is a naturally-occurring gemstone that fell to earth in a meteor. At first, Moissan mistakenly identified the crystals as diamonds. It wasn’t until 1904 that the crystals were correctly identified as silicon carbide – making this a whole new gemstone: moissanite! Since natural moissanite is understandably rare, scientists have been able to reproduce this stunning gemstone in labs and have been using lab grown moissanite in jewellery since the 1990s.

With a similar appearance to diamonds but with a touch more sparkle, moissanite is a fantastic choice of gemstone for those who want the look of a diamond without the overly expensive price tag.

Does Moissanite Last?

Not only is moissanite significantly cheaper than diamonds, it is also guaranteed to last just as long. Moissanite is one of the hardest substances on earth. With a 9.25-9.5 rating on the Moh’s hardness scale, moissanite is the second hardest gemstone in existence (second only to diamonds at 10). A gemstone’s hardness determines how easily it can be scratched. With such a high score, this means moissanite is extremely scratch-resistant, making it the perfect choice for your engagement ring stone.

Since your engagement ring will be subject to daily wear and tear, you want your stone to be able to survive this without losing its sparkle.

With a guarantee to maintain its fire and brilliance for a lifetime, you can rest assured that your moissanite will last!

Cullen Jewellery Engagement Ring on hand
Cullen Jewellery Engagement Ring on hand

Will My Moissanite Go Cloudy?

Over time, some gemstones take on a milky-white haze, creating a “cloudy” look and dimming the sparkle of the stone. This cloudy look is created by the build-up of dirt, oils and grime from everyday use. For soft stones such as cubic zirconia (which score an 8 on the hardest scale), this build-up is damaging to the stone and creates an irreversible cloudy look. Soft stones scratch much more easily and are unstable at room temperature, meaning its appearance and colour will alter over time. Since soft stones are porous, they will fill up with makeup, lotion, perfumes and dirt. Thankfully, moissanite is one of the hardest substances on earth and will not be damaged by the normal build-up of dirt and oil and is extremely scratch-resistant. Grime will only gather on the surface of moissanite rather than filling it, and can be easily washed off.

Soft stones will lose their brilliance almost immediately and will need to be replaced within a few years. Moissanite will not need to be replaced and is guaranteed to shine as brightly as the day you received it for an entire lifetime!

Cleaning Your Moissanite

As you can imagine, it is inevitable that wearing your moissanite engagement ring every day will eventually make it dirty. Though highly resistant to dirt and grime, oils will slowly build up on the surface of your ring over time. This blocks light from entering your stone and you may notice that the sparkle of your moissanite is slightly dull. This is completely normal and is easily removed – right in the comfort of your own home! To clean your moissanite, fill a bowl with warm water and some liquid dish soap. Let your ring soak for a few minutes before taking a soft toothbrush and gently scrubbing your ring. Make sure to get in those hard-to-reach areas! Let your ring air dry or dry it off with a lint-free cloth. Enjoy your freshly sparkling ring! You can wash your ring as much as you like – just be wary not to use harsh chemicals to clean your ring, as this can damage the precious metals.

You can also have your ring professionally cleaned by a jeweller. We highly recommend doing this once a year.

Cullen Jewellery Trilogy Engagement Ring

Conclusion

Moissanite is an extremely beautiful, ethical, affordable and sparkly stone. As one of the hardest substances on earth, it is the perfect option for your engagement ring stone. Highly scratch-resistant and sparkly, moissanite stones will never tarnish or become cloudy – and we can guarantee this with a lifetime warranty!

Browse our range of exquisite engagement rings here and if you have any questions about moissanite, please feel free to contact us here – we’d love to hear from you!