Yes, moissanite is a synthetic gemstone! Its scientific name is "synthetic silicon carbide" (SiC). While natural silicon carbide does exist in nature (for example, it's occasionally found in certain meteorites), it's extremely rare and the particles are so small that they can't be used in jewelry.
Thus, all moissanite jewelry you see on the market today is the product of high-tech laboratory synthesis. Its advantages are obvious:
Affordable: The cost is far lower than that of natural diamonds.
Brilliant fire: The color dispersion is higher than that of diamond, and it shimmers with rainbow-like light in sunlight.
With a hardness close to that of diamond (9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale, compared to 10 for diamond), it's very durable for everyday wear.
