How did moissanite get its name?
Natural moissanite was discovered in 1893 by prominent French scientist Dr. Henri Moissan, who later became a Nobel Prize winner. Dr. Moissan began studying geological fragments of a meteorite taken from a meteor crater (Canyon Diablo) located in Arizona. In these fragments, he discovered minute quantities of a shimmering material. After extensive research, Dr. Moissan concluded that this material was a new mineral, silicon carbide. In 1905, well-known Tiffany & Co. gem expert and mineralogist, George Kunz suggested the jewel be named moissanite in Dr. Moissan’s honor.
