Where To Buy a Moissanite Engagement Ring in NZ
Buying a moissanite engagement ring can be a daunting task, especially with the lack of information and a strong preference for retailers to push you towards a diamond engagement ring.
But buying a cheap diamond ring means that you will compromise on size or quality, and it shows. You may end up with a smaller diamond, or a diamond that doesn’t shine.
This isn’t the case with a Moissanite. Moissanites are a lab grown gemstone that looks very similar to a diamond. It also has similar properties (they are only second to diamonds in terms of hardness according to the Mohs scale making them extremely durable). They are also significantly cheaper than diamonds (up to 70% less). You can read more about Moissanites here.
A Moissanite engagement ring allows you to demand quality and design all at a price that you can afford. And while lab diamonds offer a sustainable and more affordable option, they still may not tickle your fancy — especially if your partner is looking for something a little bit different and a lot more shine.
Read on to learn where you can buy a Moissanite engagement ring in New Zealand, and get design inspiration.
#1 Four Words
Four Words takes a lot of the stress away from you when designing a Moissanite engagement ring. They start off with a phone or video call to get an understanding of what you are looking for. You can send them images of designs that inspire you. Their team will then sketch a ring for you to then approve. The great thing about this stage is that it is very personal (you actually deal with a person based in New Zealand) and the design stage is completely free.
Four Words will also ensure to pick the best Moissanites that the eye can see, and their jewellers also cut the gemstone for maximum sparkle. One of the mistakes that other stores can make is that their jewellers cut Moissanites in the same way as diamonds. But because they have different chemical compositions and internal structures, cutting Moissanite in the same way as a diamond actually reduces its sparkle. This will make your Moissanite engagement ring look cheap.
Four Words is also proactive when it comes to sustainability. They are climate positive. This means that for every purchase, they are offsetting more carbon than it costs to make your Moissanite engagement ring.
Positives:
You can design your Moissanite engagement ring exactly the way you like.
The design process is free.
The Moissanite engagement ring is completely climate positive.
Have specialist jewellers for Moissanite and Moissanite engagement rings.
Negatives:
Because Four Words custom creates your ring after the design phase, it can take up to four weeks for your Moissanite engagement ring to arrive.
#2 Jeulia
Jeulia is actually located in Hong Kong but ships to New Zealand. They make Moissanite rings and have a wide range to choose from. Interestingly, Jeulia does not specialise in Moissanite engagement rings. They also do other event jewellery such as anniversaries, graduations and birthdays. For this reason, finding a Moissanite engagement ring that is designed accordingly may be a bit of a struggle. Jeulia also does not do bespoke design so you can only choose from what is available — quite like a typical retailer. Jeulia doesn’t provide you transparency on the quality of your gemstone so you also need to put a lot of trust in the company. The prices are also very low. This may be a great option if you are looking for necklaces or earrings in Moissanites and plan on wearing it as fashion jewellery.
Positives:
Very cheap
30-day return and exchange policy
Great for fashion-wear
Negatives:
Not based in New Zealand
Limited range
No ability to customise rings
No transparency on the quality of Moissanites.
#3 Moissanite NZ
If you are a jeweller or craftsperson yourself, you may want to buy loose Moissanites and handmake your ring for your partner. Moissanite NZ is the place to go to. They are an independently owned Moissanite distributor in New Zealand and have been around since 1999.
Positives:
Can sell you loose Moissanites.
Great avenue if you want to build your own jewellery.
Negatives:
Don’t make jewellery themselves
Don’t provide a bespoke done-for-you service.
#4 NZ Diamonds
NZ Diamonds sell Moissanite engagement rings where you can customise your ring on their site. They have hundreds of options and you can pick and choose what you want. If you know exactly what you want, this is a great way to move quickly. You also need to pick the exact stone that you want. This includes grading, colour and cut. If you don’t know about these, you may end up with something that is not what you expect. Also, if you don’t know much about cuts, colours and the designs, it can seem like a bit of a maze to find what you are looking for. And if you want something a bit more bespoke, it may be a lot more difficult to create.
Positives:
Wide range of options.
Great if you know a lot about precious stones and precious metals already.
Takes between five days (if they have the stock) to three weeks for the ring to arrive.
Negatives:
Not bespoke design.
No sustainability statement
#5 Storm Baker
Storm Baker is based in Christchurch and has Moissanite engagement rings. They can also create bespoke Moissanite engagement rings by going through a design consultation — similar to Four Words. It is worth noting that Storm Baker is a jeweller that does all types of stones so they do have a wide set of skills.
It is unclear from their website the quality of Moissanites that they use and how they are cut — if they are cut like diamonds or if they have specialist jewellers that cut in accordance to maximise brilliance.
Their standard band is 10K gold which is also not the best quality for an engagement ring. Typically, it is better to go for 18K gold but this will cost around $700 extra than what you can expect.
Working with Storm Baker may be a good option if you have somewhat of an idea on jewellery and know what to look for when making a bespoke piece.
Positives:
You can design your ring in exactly the way you like
Works with other forms of jewellery
Negatives:
Their website is hard to navigate around.
No sustainability statement.
Unknowns:
Quality of Moissanites that they use.
Their Moissanite cutting process.
Delivery times.
Design philosophy.
Where to from here?
The number of businesses that sell Moissanites in New Zealand is incredibly limited but you can expect a high level of service from the likes of Four Words. It may also be worth trying out Storm Baker or NZ Diamonds if you know what you are doing. Ensure that you know about how Moissanites are graded.
Note, lab grown diamonds are an alternative. So it may be worth asking whoever you contact about the differences to help decide what is best for you.
Common Questions
Moissanites have slightly more fire and brilliance than a diamond giving them a slightly more rainbow effect. However, it is still incredibly difficult to tell the difference between a Moissanite and a diamond at first glance, and even more so if the Moissanite is cut by an expert.
Moissanites are their own class of gemstones with their own physical, chemical and optical properties. Lab grown diamonds are identical to mined diamonds in their physical, chemical and optical properties.
There are no limitations to using Moissanites instead of diamonds. The main thing is that you work with a respected jeweller when using Moissanites because they require slightly different cutting techniques. If a diamond cutter cuts a Moissanite in the same way as a diamond, then the Moissanite will appear dull. At Four Words, we go through a series of checks and balances to ensure that you get the best diamond or Moissanite that the eye can see.
Over the last two years, Moissanites have become a popular engagement ring gemstone in New Zealand. This is because of their similar physical and optical properties and its price. It is also difficult to tell the difference between a diamond and a Moissanite at first glance.
Moissanites are the second hardest material on Earth — the first being diamonds. This means that they are stronger than every other gemstone including rubies, sapphires and emeralds. As long as you take care of your Moissanite piece, it will last for lifetimes.
Using a Moissanite as a centre stone for an engagement ring is not tacky. They are still a precious gemstone and will last over lifetimes — just like diamonds. A tacky gemstone for an engagement ring would be cubic zirconia. They are incredibly fragile and become increasingly dull over time.
Moissanites are not known to go cloudy over time. And even if they do, it is most likely that its surface is dirty. To clean it, all you need to do is give it a rinse with warm soapy water and dry it with a microfibre cloth.
Yellow gold, rose gold, white gold and platinum are all band options that you can use with a Moissanite.
If you are looking for an ice-cool finish to your band, we recommend using platinum instead of white gold. This is because white gold is plated and after a few years it can start to chip off. It needs replating. This does not happen with platinum, yellow gold or rose gold. Rose gold is an alloy (a mix of more than one metal— namely copper) so it holds its colour.
At Four Words we do recommend it where possible. The colour of gold can slightly vary and working with 3D models of the rings together does makes things easier.
But even if you can’t design the two rings together, working with a respected jeweller like Four Words can still mean you get a flush finish and matching band colours.
Ultimately it is a matter of personal choice. Moissanites look very similar to diamonds but they are not diamonds. On the other hand, Moissanites are a lot cheaper and if you work with a respected jeweller, they can design you exactly what you want.
