Where to buy loose moissanite

A loose stone is the simplest way to buy moissanite. You choose the stone on its own merits — its cut, its size, its grade — and then decide what it goes into. The harder part is choosing who to buy it from, because loose moissanite is sold everywhere online and the listings don't all mean the same thing. This guide sets out what to check, what to avoid, and how buying in South Africa compares with importing a stone yourself.

Why buy a loose stone

• You choose the stone first. The centre stone is what people look at. Picking it on its own lets you compare cuts and sizes properly, rather than taking whatever stone came in a finished ring.
• Any jeweller can set it. Take it to a jeweller you trust, have a ring made around it, or have it set into a ring you already own.
• Replacing a stone. If a stone has been lost from a ring, or you want to upgrade a stone in a setting you love, a loose moissanite in the right size and cut is all you need.
• For jewellers. Makers who design their own pieces buy loose stones to set in their work — see trade buying below.

What to check in any seller

Whoever you buy from, these are the questions worth asking before you pay.

Is the grade stated plainly?

Moissanite is graded for colour on the familiar letter scale. D, E and F are colourless; G, H and I are near-colourless, with a faint warmth that shows most in larger stones and in white metal. Clarity runs from FL/IF through VVS and VS to SI. A good listing gives both, as letters, not as “premium” or “super white”. Our grading guide explains the scales.

Does it come with a certificate?

A certificate of authenticity confirms the stone is moissanite and records its details. It is the document you keep with the stone, and the one a jeweller or insurer will ask about.

Can you return it, and is it guaranteed?

A stone looks different in your hand than on a screen. A fair returns period lets you see it in person, and a warranty tells you the seller stands behind what they sold.

Is the size described honestly?

Moissanite is a little lighter than diamond, so sizes are given in DEW (diamond-equivalent weight) — the weight a diamond of the same size would have. That is normal and useful. What matters is that the seller also gives the millimetre size, because millimetres are what you and your jeweller actually work with.

Will it pass a moissanite tester?

A thermal diamond tester can read moissanite as diamond, so it proves little. A moissanite tester, which measures electrical conductivity, tells the two apart — and tells genuine moissanite from cubic zirconia or glass. A reputable seller will be happy for your jeweller to test the stone.

Red flags

• “Moissanite-style” or “simulated” stones. These are usually cubic zirconia or glass. Genuine moissanite is silicon carbide and is sold as moissanite, nothing hedged.
• Vague grades. “Diamond quality” or “ice white” is not a grade. If the colour letter isn't given, assume it's near-colourless or lower.
• Weight with no millimetres. A carat figure alone makes it hard to compare stones or to plan a setting.
• No returns, no warranty, no way to reach anyone. If something is wrong with the stone, you want a person and a process, not a closed listing.
• A price far below everyone else's. It usually means a lower grade, a hurried cut, or not moissanite at all. Our price guide covers why prices differ.

Buying in South Africa or importing yourself

You can order a loose stone directly from overseas, and many people do. It is worth knowing what comes with that. A parcel from abroad may attract customs duty and VAT on arrival, which is often not included in the price you saw, and it can sit in transit or at customs for a while. If the stone is not what you expected, sending it back across the world is slow and costly, and a warranty is only as useful as your ability to use it.

Buying from a South African seller removes most of that. The price you see is the price you pay, the stone arrives by local courier, and returns or warranty claims are handled here. Where importing yourself wins is choice: you may find an unusual cut, colour or size that no local seller carries.

How we sell loose moissanite

Moissanite SA has sold moissanite in South Africa since 1999. We are online, based in Knysna in the Western Cape, and we sell loose stones first. What that means in practice:

• Ten cuts. Round, oval, cushion, pear, marquise, princess, asscher, radiant, emerald and heart, from 0.5 ct to 4.5 ct DEW. Browse every cut.
• One grade. Every stone is DEF colourless and VVS clarity, so there is no lower tier to trade down to.
• Priced by weight. The cut doesn't change the price. A 1.00 ct round (6.5mm) is R 2 400; the price guide lists every size.
• True size on a hand. Each stone's page shows it on a hand at real size, calibrated to your screen with a bank card.
• In stock or ordered in. Popular sizes are held in South Africa and ship the day you order; other sizes in the range are ordered in and ship in about two weeks, at the same price.
• What comes with it. A certificate of authenticity, a lifetime warranty, free tracked courier and 14-day returns.

If you're new to moissanite, our buyer's guide is a good place to start, and moissanite vs diamond sets out the differences honestly.

Jewellers and trade buyers

If you are a jeweller or buy moissanite to set and sell, our trade programme is the place to start. You can also reach us on 010 100 8760 or at sales@moissanite.co.za.