Moissanite is a rare, naturally occurring mineral also known as silicon carbide, which was first discovered by the Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Dr. Henri Moissan, at the site of a massive meteorite strike in Arizona. This intriguing new stone was named “moissanite” in his honor.

It wasn’t until the late 90s that scientists–working in a research laboratory located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina–developed the innovative thermal growing process that creates silicon carbide crystals. These crystals are fashioned into moissanite gemstones that rival any natural gemstone for fire and brilliance. These man-made gems are more durable than any other popular gemstone such as diamond, sapphire, ruby or emerald.

Charles & Colvard is the original creator of moissanite. The process is lengthy, complicated and expensive, which limits the output—it takes two to three months for the creation of a single gem. Charles & Colvard’s manufacturing process and years of expertise in creating the gemstone currently makes us a leading source and global distributor of created moissanite.

Years of development have led to a rigorous production process, which follows exact specifications and very high standards of quality control.

Post production, all created moissanite undergoes stringent testing for quality and purity, along with numerous rounds of grading before being released for sale.

The Charles & Colvard Certificate of Authenticity certifies that every gem is authentic Charles & Colvard Created Moissanite® manufactured according to rigorous standards by highly skilled specialists.

Carefully and precisely faceted, each Charles & Colvard created moissanite gemstone is cut according to exact angles and proportions specific to moissanite. When cutting moissanite, precision is critical to maximizing its brilliance and enhancing its incredible fire.

Charles & Colvard employs graduate gemologists certified by the Gemological Institute of America. Each Charles & Colvard gem is studied by trained grading specialists using a 10x jeweler’s loupe for any imperfections that may affect it’s optical performance.