Materials
Metal and stone, compared honestly
Buyers ask two questions: what is it made of, and how will it wear. This page answers both without the marketing layer — including what moissanite is not.
Metals we cast
Every metal below is cast in our own flasks. The choice rarely comes down to quality — it comes down to landed cost, target market and how the piece will be worn.
| Metal | Composition | Hardness (Mohs) | Finish | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 925 Sterling Silver | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper alloy | 2.5–3.0 | Rhodium or gold plating | Lowest landed cost; the default for wholesale test orders |
| 10K Gold | 41.7% gold | 3.0–3.5 | Usually left unplated | Harder, cheaper entry point for gold programmes |
| 14K Gold | 58.3% gold | 3.2–3.8 | Unplated or rhodium | The volume choice for bridal in the US market |
| 18K Gold | 75.0% gold | 3.5–4.0 | Unplated or rhodium | Deeper colour, softer; best for high-value settings |
| Platinum 950 | 95% platinum | 4.0–4.5 | None needed | Heaviest and most durable; quoted per programme |
Hardness figures are material references, not test results for a specific alloy batch. Plating thickness is the variable that most affects nickel-release compliance.
Why most of our catalogue is 925 silver with rhodium
Silver keeps a bridal look at a fraction of gold cost, and rhodium gives it the white finish buyers expect. The trade-off is plating wear: at 0.05–0.1 micron a ring holds colour for months, at 0.15–0.2 micron for years. We quote the thickness rather than the finish name, because that is the number that decides how the piece ages.
Stones: moissanite, lab-grown diamond, natural diamond
All three are colourless, hard and durable. They are not interchangeable in law or in resale, and a B2B buyer should never let a listing blur the difference.
| Property | Moissanite | Lab-Grown Diamond | Natural Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardness (Mohs) | 9.25 | 10 | 10 |
| Refractive index | 2.65–2.69 | 2.42 | 2.42 |
| Colour | Colourless to near-colourless (D–J equivalent) | D–F typical | D–Z graded |
| Typical wholesale cost | Low | Mid to high | Highest |
| Grading body | GRA card, IGI on request | IGI or GIA | GIA, IGI, HRD |
| Best for | Volume programmes, fashion lines | Bridal with a diamond-adjacent look | Fine jewellery and resale value |
Moissanite is silicon carbide, not diamond. It must be sold as moissanite. Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds by composition and must be disclosed as lab-grown or laboratory-created in most markets, including the US under FTC guidance.
What the labels on this site mean
“VVS1” on a moissanite listing
Moissanite is not graded on the diamond clarity scale by any recognised laboratory. When our listings show VVS1 or D colour, it describes the visual grade our own QC assigns to the batch — near-inclusion-free, colourless body. It is not a laboratory certificate, and the GRA card that ships with the stone is a grading card, not a diamond report.
“925” and “S925”
Both mean 92.5% silver. We stamp the piece itself where the design allows, and the invoice states the metal in full.
“Gold-plated” versus “solid gold”
Plated silver is silver with a gold-coloured layer; solid gold is gold through the whole cross-section. We never describe plated silver as gold, and quotes name the metal explicitly.
Full moissanite vs diamond comparison · Certificates and test reports · Lab-grown diamond loose stones
Materials questions
Will moissanite turn cloudy over time?
Moissanite does not cloud the way some softer stones do, but it collects oils. Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush restore the brilliance; ultrasonic cleaning is safe for the stone, though not for plated settings.
Is lab-grown diamond cheaper because it is lower quality?
No. A lab-grown diamond can carry the same 4C grades as a natural one; it costs less because supply is not constrained by mining. Resale value differs sharply, which is the practical reason buyers choose one over the other.
Can you supply nickel-free pieces?
Yes. Nickel-release compliance is a plating and base-metal decision. We quote white bronze or specific plating thicknesses for markets that test to EN 1811 or equivalent.