Moissanite, the world’s highest-quality diamond alternative, is showing brilliant sales growth potential at retail. And store owners say the demand has only just begun. “We get a lot of calls about it,” says Chris Lyons, CEO of Adele Diamond in Virginia Beach, Va. Lyons has been carrying moissanite for the last five years, since Charles & Colvard’s Forever Brilliant and Forever One collections were unveiled. He says that the stones’ clarity, without a trace of color seen in previous collections, wiped out any hesitation to carry moissanite. “We put it out there front and center,” he says, adding that moissanite sits prominently alongside diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and morganites as options for engagement ring center stones. The majority of customers spend the lion’s share of their budget on the stone, not the setting, he says, and moissanite allows a bride to get the look she wants at a price the couple can afford. For New York–based jewelry designer and retailer Stephanie Maslow, working with moissanite when the Forever Brilliant gem hit the market was a turning point in her business. “It was a whiter color than what they had available previously, and it was a hit with my clients,” she says. And it also fit in well within her conflict-free, made-in-America philosophy. “It’s a beautiful stone with gorgeous sparkle and flashes of rainbow colors that make it unique, with a hardness that will withstand many generations.” Half of Maslow’s clients already come to her specifically because she works with moissanite. For others, it’s a must-have once they learn “it doesn’t come with the same baggage as diamonds.” Lyons’ sales staff is trained to educate customers on moissanite and will offer the gem when it’s a good fit. As he puts it: “It’s a niche market with a loud voice and loyalty. And it brings traffic into the store.”

JCK