Recently TV3 screened a 'Cambell Live' segment on the Gemstone Moissonite. They spent some two hours interviewing Bill Palmer, one of the partners at AGL in the Laboratory, on what we believed was a program to alert the public on problems with Moissonite, and the problems it is still creating within the Jewellery Industry. However, clever editing omitted many of the facts Bill gave the interviewer. Instead of exposing the difficulties in identifying Moissonite and failing to disclose the gem as an imitation diamond, the program appeard to promote the gem for its' New Zealand distributor. There were several factual inaccuracies which the program also mentioned, the most obvious was that Moissonite was a 'new' gemstone. AGL has been at the forefront of educating the trade and public as to the problems Moissonite is causing, for almost TEN YEARS. TV3 also said Moissonite was almost as hard as diamond, another inacuracy. The theme of the program was that Moissonite was a suitable substitute for diamond at a tenth of the price.

Moissonite, in our opinion, is no substitute for diamond. It is a diamond simulant, just as Cubic Zirconia is, and even paste (glass) may imitate diamonds. Why would you give your loved one a diamond simulant "fake diamond"? Doesn't excactly put your intentions in a good light does it? The problem is in identifying this simulant. A normal diamond tester will incorrectly identify Moissonite as a diamond, so it is necessary to either purchase a Moissonite detection instrument, or have the training and skills we have, as gemmologists, to correctly identify a gem as Moissonite. 

Let's not beat around the bush. Moissonite is a simulant of diamond, but not an equal substitute. Nothing compares to the rarity, magic and mystery of diamond.

Moissonite is just another one of a long string of Diamond & Gem imitations, dating from earliy times when men and women began adorning themselves with items of value, which could be substituted for those of lesser value, but still looked identical to the genuine article.