How To Tell If A Diamond Is Real Or Fake
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Nothing says true love like a big ol’ rock, does it? In fact, the bigger, the better. Even if you are horrified by the suggestion that the ideal of true love can be quantified in materialistic terms by measuring its worth in terms of the weight, cut, and clarity of a diamond, I am sure you too, have stolen a glance or two, at those incredibly expensive and ornate engagement rings sported by celebs.
But for laymen like us, who don’t know much about a diamond, except that it is nothing but compressed carbon, it becomes very difficult to tell a real diamond from a fake one. We have to take the advertisements and campaigns at their word when they assure us of the quality and value of the diamond we are purchasing. But that’s not what smart consumers do, right?
To make you, our dear reader, an even smarter consumer than you are, we have prepared a little cheat sheet that will help you identify a real diamond and avoid being taken for a ride by charlatans and specious marketing. Read on to know more:
1. Look At It Under A Magnifying Glass To See If It Has Any Impurities
Almost all diamonds have some or the other minor imperfections, or impurities. This shouldn’t come as a surprise since a diamond is nothing but an organic fossil, created by natural geological processes of our planet.
So if you doubt the veracity of the gemstone you have in your possession, then look at it under a magnifying glass. Look for impurities like small black spots and tiny fractures. Small air bubbles also count. However, these impurities don’t include scratches, a real diamond rarely gets scratched. If your stone is impeccable, without any imperfections, I am afraid it might be bad news.
2. See If It Fogs Up
To this test, go to a relatively cooler location in your house. Hold the stone in your hands, and blow air on it. The idea is to surround the stone with warm, moist air. A real diamond does not retain heat; therefore, it won’t fog upon you doing so. However, fake diamonds which are usually made up of substances like zirconia or moissanite will fog up, in a similar fashion as glass does.
3. Look At Its Faces
To do this test, take the gemstone in question and examine it under a magnifying lens. Only this time, pay attention to its faces or facets. Real diamonds have sharp edges, as they have been cut professionally by diamond cutters who use tools specifically designed for this purpose.
On the other hand, dupes like zirconia, or glass are often created in molds, so the sharp edges would probably be missing in this case. However, it’s possible for a dupe to have sharp edges if it is cut professionally.
4. Take The Glow Test
Though it is not a universal phenomenon, yet it is said that most real diamonds emit a blue fluorescence, when held under UV light. Therefore, find a UV light and look at the diamond in it. If It seems to emit a bluish glow, it is most probably a real diamond.
However, we would advise you to conduct other tests as well, since it is quite possible that the gemstone is real even if doesn’t emit a blue glow or if it turns a different color.
5. See If You Can Read Through It
To do this test, take the gemstone in question and place it on a newspaper or any other paper which contains a lot of lettering. Now, try to read the letters. A real diamond will refract light, making it impossible for you to read the letters. However, stones like cubic zirconia, which are often passed off as the real thing are transparent and will allow you to read comfortably.
The results of this test won’t be definitive if the stone is set in jewelry which makes it impossible to read or if the stone is very small.
6. Examine The Metal In Which It Is Set
This test will work if you are examining the stone in a jewelry piece. Look at the metal in which the stone is set. Again, this isn’t a definitive test, but it can give you a fair idea about the authenticity of the stone. Diamonds are gemstones of high value, therefore, they are often set in luxurious metals like gold or platinum.
It’s very unlikely that you will find a diamond set in a metal like silver.
These small tests will help you verify the authenticity of your precious stone, but if you still feel unsure or if you are making a big investment in the stone, we would urge you to get it verified by experts.
Do you know of any other ways by which one can verify the authenticity of a diamond? If you do, please share your tips with us in the comments section.
