Yes, if you want a large, colourless stone hard enough for daily wear, without a diamond's price. Moissanite rates 9.25 on the Mohs scale against diamond's 10. A 6.5mm Mariqe solitaire ring costs $79 to $99, against roughly $800 to $1,500 for a 1 carat lab-grown diamond alone. The trade-offs are the metal, the look up close, and grading.
Is moissanite hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. Moissanite rates 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale. A jewellery trade supplier, Stuller, ranks it second only to diamond, at 10. Hardness is resistance to scratching, and very little you touch in daily life is hard enough to scratch a moissanite's facets, so the stone keeps its polish and its sparkle through years of wear.
No gemstone is indestructible. Diamond itself has perfect cleavage in four directions, so a hard knock at the wrong angle can chip even the hardest stone. Whatever the gem, the setting does most of the protective work. The Mariqe Eterna holds its stone in six prongs, and it is worth having the prongs checked by a jeweller now and then, as with any ring worn daily.
What about the metal, if the ring is worn every day?
The stone is the durable part. The metal is the part worth understanding. Mariqe's rings are 925 sterling silver with platinum plating or 18k gold plating, not solid gold, which is a large part of why they cost under $170. Plating is a thin surface layer, and on a ring worn every day it gradually thins where the band meets the palm. That is normal for plated jewellery from any maker.
Taking the ring off for swimming, cleaning and the gym helps the finish last, and a jeweller can replate a band when it needs it. Our guide to sterling silver with plating versus solid gold explains how each wears over years.
Mariqe's Lifetime Moissanite Warranty covers the stone, including changes to its clarity, colour, fire or brilliance. It does not cover the band, the setting, worn prongs or a lost stone. If you want a ring to wear daily for decades with no attention to the metal, solid gold or platinum is the better choice. Other jewellers sell moissanite set in solid gold, at a higher price that reflects the gold.
What does it cost in 2026, next to a diamond?
Lab-grown diamond prices have fallen steeply. Insurance appraisal data from BriteCo, published in March 2026, put the per-carat price gap between lab-grown and natural engagement ring diamonds at 72.8 percent, up from 26.6 percent in 2019. Moissanite is still far cheaper than either.
| Stone | Size | Price | What the price covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mariqe Eterna moissanite solitaire | 6.5mm (listed as 1 carat) | $79 platinum plated, $99 18k gold plated | Finished ring, 925 sterling silver |
| Mariqe Eterna moissanite solitaire | 8mm (listed as 2 carat) | $98 platinum plated, $128 18k gold plated | Finished ring, 925 sterling silver |
| Mariqe Eterna moissanite solitaire | 9.1mm (listed as 3 carat) | $148 platinum plated, $168 18k gold plated | Finished ring, 925 sterling silver |
| Lab-grown diamond, G to H colour, VS2 clarity | 1 carat | $800 to $1,500 (median $1,060) | The diamond only |
| Lab-grown diamond, G to H colour, VS2 clarity | 2 carat | $3,500 to $6,000 | The diamond only |
| Natural diamond, G to H colour, VS2 clarity | 1 carat | Median $3,600 | The diamond only |
| Natural diamond, G to H colour, VS2 clarity | 2 carat | $22,000 to $28,000 | The diamond only |
Mariqe prices were checked on the product page on 26 October 2026. Mariqe runs sales, so the product page is the final word. Diamond prices are from thediamondprice.com, as shown on 26 October 2026, and a setting adds to them.
Will it look like a diamond?
Both stones are colourless and usually cut as round brilliants, so at a glance they read much the same. The differences show up close. Moissanite's refractive index is 2.65 against diamond's 2.42, and its dispersion, the splitting of white light into colour, is 0.104 against diamond's 0.044. In practice that means more rainbow coloured flashes, more noticeable in larger stones. Some prefer that, others prefer diamond's whiter sparkle.
Moissanite is also doubly refractive. Under a 10x loupe, a jeweller can see the back facet edges doubled, which is one of the ways it is identified.
When is a lab-grown diamond the better choice?
- You want a diamond. A lab-grown diamond is diamond in every technical sense, and every tester will confirm it.
- Independent grading matters to you. The retail listings behind the diamond prices above carry GIA or IGI reports. Each Mariqe stone comes with a GRA report and a unique certification code in the box. That is a record of the stone's specification, not grading equivalent to GIA or IGI. Our guide to GRA certificates explains the difference.
- You want the hardest stone. Diamond is 10 on the Mohs scale. Moissanite is 9.25.
- You want a solid gold or platinum heirloom. If the budget covers a lab-grown stone and a solid gold setting, the metal will need less care over decades.
In 2026 this is a closer call than it was a few years ago, and for some couples a lab-grown diamond is the right answer. Our comparison of moissanite and lab-grown diamond goes further.
When is moissanite the better choice?
- A larger stone on a modest budget. A 2 carat lab-grown diamond starts around $3,500 for the stone alone. An 8mm Mariqe Eterna is $98 to $128 as a finished ring.
- You like more fire. Its higher dispersion gives more colour in the sparkle.
- A second ring. For travel, or for daily wear while the original stays safe.
- Lab grown, not mined. Henri Moissan first identified moissanite in 1893, in samples from Meteor Crater in Arizona. Natural moissanite is far too scarce for jewellery, so the moissanite sold today, including every Mariqe stone, is grown in a laboratory.
How do you buy the right size?
Compare stones by millimetres, not carats. Moissanite is lighter than diamond, with a specific gravity of about 3.22 against diamond's 3.52, so some sellers quote "diamond equivalent weight", the weight a diamond of the same diameter would have. Mariqe lists the Eterna by both carat and diameter: 1 carat is 6.5mm, 2 carat is 8mm and 3 carat is 9.1mm.
The Eterna comes in US ring sizes 4 to 10.5, in half sizes, and Mariqe suggests sizing up if you are between sizes. If the ring is a surprise, you have 30 days from delivery to request an exchange or return, provided it is unworn. Do not have it resized first: the returns policy does not accept pieces resized or refitted before they come back.
What this means for you
Moissanite is a sound engagement ring stone: hard, colourless and very good value in 2026. Decide first what matters most. The material itself, independent grading and a solid gold heirloom point to a lab-grown diamond. Size, fire and price point to moissanite. If you choose a plated ring, care for it like any plated piece and it will keep its finish for longer.
Eterna Solitaire Ring
Six-prong round moissanite solitaire in 925 sterling silver with platinum or 18k gold plating, in 6.5mm, 8mm or 9.1mm. From $79, with a Lifetime Moissanite Warranty.
See sizes and pricesFrequently asked questions
Is moissanite durable enough for an everyday engagement ring?
Yes. It rates 9.25 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond at 10, so it resists scratching in everyday wear. As with any ring, a secure setting and an occasional prong check matter more than the stone.
Can people tell a moissanite engagement ring from a diamond?
Both are colourless round brilliants, so at a glance they look much the same. Up close, moissanite shows more coloured flashes, and under a 10x loupe a jeweller can see doubled facet edges, because moissanite is doubly refractive.
Is moissanite cheaper than a lab-grown diamond in 2026?
Yes. On 26 October 2026 a 1 carat lab-grown diamond of G to H colour and VS2 clarity was listed at roughly $800 to $1,500 for the stone alone, while a finished 6.5mm Mariqe moissanite solitaire ring was $79 to $99.
Does the Lifetime Moissanite Warranty cover the ring band?
No. It covers the moissanite, including changes to its clarity, colour, fire or brilliance. It does not cover the metal, the setting, worn prongs or a lost stone.