a few weeks ago i was invited to visit charles & colvard to get a crash course in everything moissanite. after some quick research there was no doubt i was in.

moissanite is a diamond alternative made from silicon carbide, an extremely rare mineral that charles & collard attempted and succeeded in recreating. with this mineral they create gems with refractive properties exceeding that of a diamond (aka. they look damn good and in most cases more brilliant than the real thing). besides moissanite being a fraction of the cost of a real diamond, it is the strongest alternative to a diamond, it is ethically sourced, conflict free, lasts a lifetime and is made in the USA.

being a lover of diamonds and special occasion jewelry, it's exciting to share that there is an alternative out there that is more attainable but still as beautiful. collecting pieces from meaningful celebrations in life isn't just to have those gorgeous stack of rings on your fingers. i know that when i look down at what my husband has given me over the years, there is a reason for all of them and i can tell you why, when, how, where… everything.

here is a bit more about our trip, what we experienced… and of course, an amazing giveaway for one lucky reader at the end!

arriving at our hotel. the girls from charles & colvard prepared a lovely little bag for all of us complete with chocolates (which i obviously went straight for and devoured).

we also had a few jewelry designers join us. these are some of kristin coffin's designs she had previously made using moissanite. you can see her work here.

our tour of the facilities took us through where they shot finished photos to the room where raw materials were housed, prepared, cut and finished. you can see above how the silicon carbide starts and is finished.

each gem was carefully reviewed and graded. these ladies have some patience.

this was the finishing process where they were heated. they come out glowing yellow and slowly cool to the bright white color.

moissanite ready to be cleaned, graded and packed.

just trying them on for size! they brought these natural green gems out at the end for us to drool over. now it is my goal in life to have one of my own.

another test in patience… these little moissanite gems were being meticulously counted and bagged.

at the end of our day at charles & colvard, we were escorted to the vault where all of their ready made pieces were stored. see all of those blue containers? full of jewels. so naturally, we put on as many as we could at once.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

i did get to bring home a souvenir for my readers too! i selected this pair of 2.5ctw round forever brilliant moissanite friction back earrings in 14k white gold, two 7mm stones. retail value $1,099.

here's how to enter (US residents only):

leave a comment telling me an occasion you are celebrating that these moissanite earrings would make the perfect gift for.
head on over to moissanite.com and tell me what your dream piece of jewelry would be

THIS IS ONE COMMENT, BOTH MUST BE INCLUDED IN YOUR COMMENT

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