Moissanite vs Diamonds:
Diamonds and Moissanites both share the same element in their composition - carbon - and have a similar crystal structure. It is this elemental similarity that allows Moissanites to test positive for a diamond on a traditional diamond tester. There are some slight differences in their atomic arrangement, which give them different physical properties. Moissanites are made of silicon carbide, which has a different elemental structure than pure carbon. This difference in structure results in different physical properties, such as a slightly lower hardness for moissanite compared to diamond.
While diamond testers are designed to detect the thermal conductivity of diamonds, they can also detect the thermal conductivity of moissanites. This is because moissanites have a high thermal conductivity, similar to that of diamonds. Additionally, moissanites have a similar refractive index and brilliance to diamonds, making them visually very similar. It would take an expert gemologist with specialized equipment, such as a microscope or a spectrometer, to distinguish the two.
