hexagonal Simulant diamond simulant
Moissanite (Faceted)
Formula SiC (silicon carbide)
Crystal Structure
#! Species: Moissanite
#! System: Hexagonal (6mm)
#! Habit: Hexagonal prism terminated by pinacoid
hexagonal[6mm]:{10-10}@1.0 + {0001}@0.6
hexagonal
6mm
{10-10} {0001}
Quick Facts
Hardness
9.25
Specific Gravity
3.21
Refractive Index
2.648
Optical Character
Uniaxial +
Physical Properties
- Crystal System
- hexagonal
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 9.25
- Specific Gravity
- 3.21
- Cleavage
- Indistinct
- Fracture
- Conchoidal
- Lustre
- Adamantine
Optical Properties
- Refractive Index
- 2.648
- Birefringence
- 0.043
- Optical Character
- Uniaxial +
- Dispersion
- 0.104
- Fluorescence
- Weak orange (LW UV)
Origin & Identification
- Origin
- Simulant
- Manufacturer
- Charles & Colvard (primary)
- First Produced
- 1998
- Diagnostic Features
- Very high birefringence (0.043) causing visible doubling of back facets, higher dispersion than diamond (0.104 vs 0.044), needle-like inclusions parallel to c-axis, reads as diamond on thermal probe (high thermal conductivity)
Characteristics
Colours
Near-colourlessSlightly tintedGreen-grey (older production)
Common Inclusions
Needle-like inclusions parallel to c-axisWhite stringy inclusions
Natural Counterpart
The natural gem this simulant imitates
Related Minerals
Other minerals in the hexagonal system
