Why do moissanite testers use a different method from standard diamond testers?

• A. Moissanite has very different thermal conductivity.
• B. Moissanite has a higher refractive index.
• C. Moissanite has a different hardness.
• D. Moissanite has very similar thermal conductivity to diamond.

Answer: (D)

Moissanite testers use a different method because standard diamond testers rely on how well a stone conducts heat. Moissanite has a thermal conductivity very close to that of diamond, so a heat-based test can’t reliably tell them apart. To avoid misidentifying moissanite as diamond, testers switch to measuring other properties that do differentiate them, such as electrical conductivity or optical behavior. The closeness of their thermal conduction is the reason a different testing approach is needed.