Black moissanite is lab-created silicon carbide with a dark body color, the same material and the same hardness (about 9.25 on the Mohs scale) as colorless moissanite. It doesn't show much rainbow fire, because little light passes through a black stone; instead it has a glossy, mirror-like shine. Compared with black diamond, it is a different material at a usually lower price; compared with black onyx, it is much harder and has a faceted sparkle that onyx lacks.

If you are drawn to dark stones for their edge, here is what you should know before buying.

What black moissanite is

All gem moissanite is lab-created, because natural moissanite, first found by Henri Moissan in 1893 in material from the Canyon Diablo meteorite site, is far too rare for jewelry. Most moissanite is grown to be colorless, but it can also be made in colors, including black.

How the color gets there varies by producer. Some colored moissanite takes its color during growth, and some sellers use a surface coating. It's a reasonable question to ask about any colored stone, because a color that is part of the stone itself won't wear away, while a coating can with time.

Black moissanite is usually opaque or close to it. That changes how it behaves visually, which is the main thing to understand about it.

How black moissanite looks

Colorless moissanite is famous for its fire: its dispersion (about 0.104) splits light into strong rainbow flashes. That effect depends on light traveling through the stone and back out. In a black stone, very little light makes that trip, so the sparkle comes almost entirely from the surface. Each polished facet acts like a small dark mirror, and as you move, the facets flash bright and dark in turn.

The result is a sleek, glossy look rather than a colorful one. Paired with white stones, black moissanite creates a sharp contrast that reads as modern and graphic.

Grading is different

The D color, VVS1 clarity grades used for colorless moissanite describe how colorless and clean a stone is, which doesn't really apply to a black stone. With black moissanite, judge it on how even and deep the color looks, whether the facets are crisp and well polished, and whether the stones in a piece match each other. Our guide to moissanite color and clarity grades explains the colorless scale if you are comparing.

Black moissanite vs black diamond

What black diamond is. Black diamond is carbon. Natural black diamonds owe their color to large numbers of dark inclusions, and many black diamonds on the market are heavily included diamonds that have been treated, for example with heat or irradiation, to make the color even and black.

Hardness. Diamond is 10 on the Mohs scale and moissanite about 9.25, so both resist scratching very well. Black diamonds are often heavily included, and stones packed with inclusions can be more prone to chipping than clean ones, so a protective setting matters for either.

Look. In jewelry, the two can look similar: dark, glossy and faceted. Heavily included black diamonds can be difficult to polish and sometimes show small surface pits. Polish quality varies with any black stone, so look closely at photos and the piece itself.

Price. Black diamonds are generally priced well below colorless diamonds, and black moissanite is usually more affordable again, though the gap depends on size, quality and treatment.

Identity. If it matters to you that the stone is diamond, only a black diamond answers that. If you mainly want the look, black moissanite delivers it in a durable material. Either way, black moissanite should be described as moissanite, never passed off as diamond. For the broader comparison, see moissanite vs diamond.

Black onyx and black spinel, briefly

Black onyx is a form of chalcedony, a quartz-family stone, and almost all black onyx on the market is dyed. It is about 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, opaque, and usually cut flat or as a smooth dome rather than faceted. It has a soft, polished gloss but no sparkle, and it scratches far more easily than moissanite. It's lovely and inexpensive for signet-style rings and inlays, less suited to tennis bracelets or pavé.

Black spinel is a natural gem, about 8 on the Mohs scale, often faceted and fairly affordable. It has a bright, glassy-metallic shine and is a solid choice, though it is softer than moissanite.

Comparison table

Styling black moissanite

Black stones are versatile in a way people don't always expect. A black tennis bracelet reads as modern and a little edgy with a T-shirt, and sharp with a dark suit or a black dress. It stacks well with colorless pieces, too: try it next to a white moissanite bracelet or a plain chain for contrast. White gold tones make black stones look cool and graphic, rose gold softens them, and a black-toned finish turns the piece into an all-dark statement.

Black moissanite also suits people who like sparkle but find bright rainbow fire a bit much, and it's a natural choice for unisex or men's jewelry. Mixed black-and-white pavé, as in a pair of huggie hoops, is an easy way to try the look without committing to a fully dark piece.

Caring for black stones

Dark stones show fingerprints, lotion and dust more than colorless ones, so they benefit from a quick wipe with a soft cloth after wearing. For a deeper clean, use warm water, a drop of mild soap and a soft brush, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Our guide to cleaning moissanite covers the details. Skip harsh chemicals and ultrasonic cleaners for plated pieces.

Because our settings are 925 sterling silver with gold plating, the plating needs care too: take your jewelry off for swimming, the gym and household cleaning, keep perfume and lotion away from it, dry it after any contact with water, and store pieces separately so they don't scratch each other.

Our black moissanite pieces

Midnight Ice Black Tennis Bracelet. A continuous row of black lab-grown moissanite in 925 sterling silver, plated in 14K gold with an AF protective film over the finish. One spec line uses the shorthand "Black Moissanite Diamond", but the stones are black moissanite, not diamond. You can choose stone sizes of 3, 4 or 5 mm, lengths from 14 to 23 cm, and a white gold, rose gold or black-toned "black gold" finish. It is from $359.99 at the time of writing. For help choosing size and length, see our moissanite tennis bracelet guide.

Noir & Ice Hoop Earrings. Huggie hoops with a dual-tone pavé of 1.2 mm white and black moissanite, in 925 sterling silver, offered in white or yellow gold tones (listed as silver or 18K gold plated). From $119.99 at the time of writing, they are a small, wearable way to try black moissanite.

Two more pieces offer black as an option: the La Fleur Ring, a four-petal floral design available with black or white moissanite, and the Quiet Wealth Set, a matched ring, pendant and studs that can be ordered in black among other colors.

Where to start

If you like the idea of dark sparkle with a modern edge, browse the bracelets collection for the Midnight Ice bracelet and our Modern Muse collection for fashion-forward pieces, including the Noir & Ice hoops. Shipping is free worldwide, and each piece is finished to order before it ships with tracking.