Moissanite is named after the Nobel Prize winner Dr. Henri Moissan, a chemist who discovered natural silicon carbide while analysing parts of a meteorite
in 1893.
Naturally occurring silicon carbide is extremely rare and only few of the finds can be used for gemmological applications e.g. superconductor devices.

Technological advances led to the creation of synthetic moissanite so that it can be used for the fabrication of such devices. Then, in 1995, a diamond cutter discovered that there are great similarities between green moissanite crystals and diamonds. As a result scientists initiated a research project to obtain colourless crystals.

The new jewel was ready to be put on the market in 1998 and was introduced under the name of lab-created moissanite.