Moissanite vs Diamond vs Zirconia

Understanding the Difference Between Modern Luxury Gemstones

When choosing fine jewelry, the gemstone matters as much as the design itself. Today, consumers are faced with more options than ever before — with moissanite, diamond, and AAA zirconia often appearing side by side. While they may look similar at first glance, the differences in performance, durability, and value are significant.

This guide breaks down the key differences between moissanite, diamond, and AAA zirconia, helping you understand which gemstone truly delivers long-term quality and modern luxury.

Diamond — Tradition and Rarity

Diamonds have long been positioned as the ultimate luxury gemstone, largely due to tradition and perceived rarity. Natural diamonds are formed under extreme pressure over billions of years, which contributes to their status and cost.

In terms of hardness, diamonds rank 10 on the Mohs scale, making them the hardest natural material known. However, hardness alone does not determine brilliance or overall performance. Diamonds reflect white light well, but their fire (colored light dispersion) is relatively limited compared to newer gemstone alternatives.

The most notable downside of diamonds is price. Much of the cost is driven by controlled supply, marketing, and resale perception rather than optical performance alone.

Zirconia — Appearance Without Longevity

Zirconia (cubic zirconia) is often used as a low-cost diamond substitute. When new, zirconia can appear bright and visually appealing, which is why it is common in fashion jewelry.

However, zirconia ranks only 8–8.5 on the Mohs scale, making it significantly softer than both diamond and moissanite. Over time, zirconia is prone to scratching, clouding, and loss of brilliance. This degradation makes it unsuitable for long-term wear, especially in fine jewelry intended to last.

AAA zirconia prioritizes short-term appearance over durability and performance.

Moissanite — Performance-Driven Luxury

Moissanite represents a modern approach to fine jewelry. Originally discovered in meteorite fragments, moissanite is now precision-created to deliver exceptional consistency and performance.

Moissanite ranks 9.25 on the Mohs scale, making it harder than any gemstone except diamond. More importantly, it surpasses diamonds in brilliance and fire, meaning it reflects more light and disperses more color.

High-grade VVS1 moissanite offers exceptional clarity, durability, and optical performance without the artificial price inflation associated with diamonds. Unlike zirconia, moissanite does not cloud over time and maintains its brilliance through daily wear.