Moissanite Colour Grades: D, GH and IJ Explained

Moissanite grades on the same D-to-J scale as diamond, but the scale does not mean the same thing. Diamond colour grading measures how far a stone departs from colourless. Moissanite is grown, so it starts colourless and the grade reflects how much of a tint the grower left in — or, in the case of older or cheaper stock, how much has developed since. Here is what you are actually choosing between.

What the letters mean

D, E, F — colourless. No visible tint face-up or from the side. This is what almost every moissanite sold today is, because the growth process produces it by default. If a listing says D colour, that is the baseline, not an upgrade.

G, H, I — near colourless. A faint warmth, usually only visible against a white background or next to a D stone. In a yellow gold setting, GH often looks warmer and more natural than D, which can read slightly cold against the metal.

J and below — a noticeable tint. Rare in moissanite. When it appears, it is usually deliberate (champagne, yellow, blue, pink, green, black) rather than a quality failure.

Why moissanite "goes yellow" and diamond does not

This is the one thing worth understanding before you buy. Early moissanite — roughly pre-2015 — could develop a yellowish or greenish tint over time, and it was not reversible. The cause was boron contamination in the growth process.

Modern moissanite grown for the jewellery trade does not have that problem. The stones are graded after growth, not before, and a D grade today stays D. If you are buying secondhand or from old stock, ask when the stone was grown — a stone from 2010 is a different product from one grown this year.

What people sometimes mistake for colour shift is actually the plating wearing on a silver ring: rhodium over 925 silver turns warmer as it thins, and the stone gets blamed for it. Re-plating restores the look.

Does colour grade change the price?

Barely. Our moissanite runs D colour and VVS1 clarity across the range, from $15.73 for a single loose stone to several thousand for a large certified piece in solid gold, and the grade is not the variable — size, cut and metal are.

That is the opposite of diamond, where a jump from J to D can double the price. It is worth knowing because it means you are not paying a premium for colourless moissanite. It is simply what the material is.

Clarity, which matters more in practice

Moissanite is VVS1 or better in virtually all commercial stock — inclusions are not visible to the eye or under a loupe. Where clarity does show up is in very large stones or unusual cuts, where a growth inclusion can catch light.

The clarity grade to watch for is not VVS1 versus VS1. It is whether the stone is eye-clean in the cut you chose. An emerald cut, with its large flat table, shows inclusions that a brilliant cut would hide. If you are buying an emerald or asscher cut, ask for a loupe-clean confirmation rather than relying on the headline grade.

Colour in coloured moissanite

Beyond white, moissanite is grown in champagne, yellow, blue, green, pink, grey and black. These are not "lower grades" — they are deliberately produced, and the colour is stable.

Two practical notes. First, coloured moissanite varies between batches more than white does, so if you need two stones to match (earrings, a three-stone ring), ask for a matched pair rather than ordering two singles. Second, colour reads differently against different metals — a champagne stone in yellow gold looks warmer than the same stone in white, sometimes dramatically so.

What to ask before you buy

• Which grade, and is it stated on the certificate? GRA certificates for moissanite list colour and clarity. If a listing claims D colour and the certificate does not say it, the claim is marketing.
• When was the stone grown? Relevant if buying old stock or secondhand; not relevant for new production.
• Is the metal plated, and with what? Rhodium over silver vs unplated silver matters more to long-term appearance than the stone grade does.
• For coloured stones: can you send a photo of the actual stone? Batch variation is real and a stock photo will not show it.

The honest summary

Colour grade is the least useful number on a moissanite listing and the one most often used to imply value that is not there. D colour VVS1 is the standard, it costs nothing extra, and every reputable seller offers it. Spend your attention on cut quality, metal, and setting work — those are where the visible differences are.

Every stone we ship is graded individually and ships with a GRA certificate. Browse loose moissanite to choose the stone separately, or see finished pieces in moissanite jewelry. Loose stones start at $15.73; finished rings from $94. Made in our Wuzhou workshop, 30-day returns.