BE AN EXPERT IN SPOTTING FAKE DIAMONDS
Today’s article is for those who are trying to find a way to verify the authenticity of their precious stones. We get many questions from people around asking how to check if the diamonds they are holding is real or not. A majority of the calls made seeking assistance for stones passed down by their ancestors.
Remember, all the quality stones that you get today comes with a certificate from the GIA or AGS. So, those that don’t come with any certifications, won’t be legit, and you, totally, have the right to wonder.
Finding if your diamond is of quality or not is not a difficult task. This is something I understood as I spoke to the diamond expert at Sunny Diamonds, and thought to share, with you, the same.
Our market is flooded with synthetic diamonds. So, how to spot if a diamond is real or fake, and when to take your diamond to an expert.
Check for Imperfections
Unlike in a perfect-utopian world created by us, humans, a real diamond comes with its flaws and imperfections, called inclusions. Place the stone in front of a magnifying glass (10x). Your diamond is real if you’re able to see scratches, dents, or chips. The fake diamonds will be just perfect — perfect!
Also, check for its edges, for a real diamond will have shape edges, but it will have round edges if the diamond is fake.
Rubbing sandpaper against the stone
You all have heard about the diamond being the hardest material on earth. Even though internal dents and scratches are normal for a real diamond, it can’t be scratched using a sandpaper. If your diamond develops scratches while rubbing it against the sandpaper, you can be sure that it is fake.
The fog test
Breathe hot air onto you diamond like you do to your bathroom mirror. A real diamond can’t retain heat and so the hot air can’t fog it. However, a fake diamond will remain foggy for a certain period of time. Simple, isn’t it?
Hold the stone against the light
Ever held your diamond against light to see its brilliance? If not, take-off your diamond ring now and hold it against the light in your room. You will be able to see a sparkle grey and white, known as the brilliance, inside the stone. While the outer diamond will be reflecting the VIBGYOR color spectrum, known as the fire. If you see the rainbow colors inside the diamond then the stone you are holding might be probably fake.
Check for the stone’s refractivity
The real diamonds are known for its sparky nature that happens due to its unique way they refract and bend light. Place your diamond (not mounted on a setting) on a printed paper. In case of a diamond, the light will scatter inside it, preventing any black reflection. If the diamonds are fake, the black light passes through, enabling you to read a word or two depending on the size of the stone.
So, what exactly is a fake diamond?
Fake diamonds can either be synthetic or natural. Synthetic diamonds are created out of an experiment conducted in a lab. They are not naturally occurring diamonds, but share the same chemical properties of that as a real diamond.
On the other hand, certain other naturally occurring stones will be used to fake diamond, like, white topaz, white sapphire, cubic zirconium, or moissanite. They are natural but doesn’t share the same composition has a real diamond.