How do you know if a diamond is real?

A magnificently sparkling diamond is probably every girl’s dream. And everyone will be glad to receive such a gift for any celebration. Consequently, for representatives of the stronger sex, a logical question arises: how to determine the authenticity of a diamond? When buying such a relatively expensive gift, it is important not to become the owner of a fake. As an analogue, scammers most often use: moissanite, zirconium, quartz or glass. Moissanite is the hardest to distinguish from a sparkling diamond, because it is a man-made diamond grown in a laboratory. All the methods that we introduce you to below are effective and practical if implemented in combination. But don’t forget, the most reliable method is an expert assessment by a trusted jewelry specialist!

I. Official confirmation

The first and most important confirmation of the originality of a diamond is the presence of relevant documents. They are issued by specialized gemological laboratories around the world and are perhaps the most important argument when purchasing precious stones. You can learn more about all the standards that must be indicated in the quality passport in our article “Certification of diamonds and precious stones.” If a diamond adorns a piece of jewelry made of precious metal, its sample should not contain the letters CZ. Their presence indicates that instead of a real gem, the setting contains cubic zirconia – an artificial diamond produced in a laboratory.

II. Looking into the depths

With the next method, you should be armed with attention and a magnifying glass, which you can ask for in the store where you make the purchase. Take a close look at the diamond. Even if you are not a jeweler with many years of experience, if the gem is of natural origin, you can see small inclusions or natural defects on the gem. You can also observe a slight change in the color palette of the stone. The impeccable clarity of a diamond can indicate its incredible value, at which the price is set accordingly. Therefore, if you buy the perfect stone at a relatively reasonable price, think about its authenticity – maybe it’s just a skillful fake.

III. UV method

If you have easy access and the ability to use an ultraviolet lamp, test a potential purchase with it. When an original diamond is exposed to ultraviolet light, it will shine a bright blue color. If the light is not reflected or has a yellow, blue or green color scheme, then its originality can be doubted. It is very important to know that some real diamonds do not glow under a UV lamp, so this method should not be used independently, but in combination with other methods. It is not the key, but just one of the constituent factors.

IV. Aggressive physical impact

Some jewelers, when selling natural diamonds, are so confident in the quality of their product that they offer customers to test the stone with a nail. Everyone knows that a diamond is one of the hardest materials in the world, so an ordinary nail will not do any harm to the original gem, it is simply physically impossible. With this method, the main thing is not to use diamond-coated sandpaper – the stone may simply not withstand its impact.

V. Warm breath

This is the most accessible and cost-effective method. When performing it, you just need to bring the diamond to your mouth and breathe on it. While there will be no changes on a real diamond, condensation will appear on an artificial one, and with repeated manipulation, droplets of water will appear. If even the ambient temperature conditions contribute to the formation of diffuse fog on a natural diamond, it simply disappears in a matter of seconds. Unlike natural stone, condensation will linger much longer on artificial stone.

VI. Point check

Take a piece of paper and a pen, put a noticeable, clear dot on the canvas. After this, turn it over and place the potential purchase with the platform facing down. A real stone has a large number of facets that refract the image and scatter it. When you move it around the image, it will be impossible to see the dot or anything else. Through a fake stone, it will be possible to catch the image of a point, and sometimes its clear boundaries. The low refractive index of light in artificial diamonds or similar gems will help in your choice.

VII. Reflection on the surface

Contrary to all claims that a diamond shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow, its facets have only one color – gray, and the rest are various variations of its shades. The bright flashes with which the gem sparkles are just a reflection of the sun’s rays. If, upon inspection, all the edges play with a multi-colored palette of shades, do not overpay for the purchase of a “jewel”. You should also be alarmed by the very bright shine, which is inherent in moissanite. Yes, it emits incredibly bright reflections, but it is not a diamond.

VIII. Heat

This method is sometimes used by gemstone dealers. The potential gift is heated using a torch for 30 seconds, after which it is immediately thrown into a container of cold water. Nothing will happen to diamonds of natural origin, because at the molecular level, the crystalline connection of particles is so strong that in 30 seconds it simply does not have time to expand. A fake, with a sharp change in temperature, tends to collapse from the inside. Its crystal lattice simply cannot withstand critical temperature changes. When using this method, you need to take into account that if you are not sure of the quality of the stone, then it is better not to conduct the experiment.

IX. Inside view

This verification method is possible if the diamond has already been purchased and the owner is not afraid of the influence of X-rays. If you take an X-ray of a diamond, the stone will not be visible in the image, unlike its analogues. The radiolucent or radiopaque properties of gems are provided at the molecular level.

X. Clarity and quality of edges

Diamond, as everyone knows, is distinguished by its hardness and therefore, in order to give it a special radiance and shine, jewelers very carefully and skillfully cut the stone. When viewed, all edges should be positioned symmetrically, maintaining all proportions. Chips, rounded edges and scratches are indicators of unnatural gems. Another indicator of a stone’s authenticity is found in its girdle, the thin edge separating the top and top of the gem. If it is perfectly smooth, then it is a fake. On a real diamond, the girdle differs from all other faces by an almost imperceptible roughness. Whatever type of verification you choose, the highest quality and most reliable way is to purchase diamonds and jewelry with them from a trusted seller. In our company “Uvelir Moscow” everyone can be sure of the authenticity of precious stones and metals, because we cooperate only with official representatives of the jewelry business. Poems are dedicated to them, they have collected thousands of quotes, intrigues are always woven around them, and passions rage in full swing. Diamonds have always been considered the lord of women’s thoughts and the king of precious stones. The phrase “Diamonds are forever,” meaning “diamonds are forever,” demonstrates not only the fascinating power and attractiveness of stones, but also testifies to their incredibly ancient age. Scientific methods have established that the age of diamonds ranges from 1,5 to 3,5 billion years, which means that this natural phenomenon is older than everything that surrounds us. When going shopping for diamond jewelry, it is important to know some subtleties about the quality of the stones. Let us warn you right away: after reading the article, you You will NOT be able to easily determine whether a diamond is fake or not.. Let’s tell you why!
Unsplash

Why is it impossible to determine the authenticity of diamonds yourself?

Everyone loves simple methods and recipes. But with diamonds everything is more complicated. As with jewelry in general. How many books do you need to read, how many universities do you need to complete or take courses to be called a professional in your field? For example, after how many books does a jeweler or gemologist become a specialist? Answer: zero. In these professions, practice is important. You can learn some secrets, learn to see obvious nuances. But theory does not make us practitioners. Therefore, no matter how many ways the Internet offers to recognize a fake diamond, only a doctor should make a diagnosis. In the case of diamonds – gemologist. This is a specialist with education and experience. He knows both the intricacies of theory and the pitfalls that may be hidden in practice. Theory and practice here are intertwined and inseparable from each other. You can wear hundreds of carats of diamonds, be able to distinguish by eye the cheapest cubic zirconias of poor cut from high quality diamonds, but this is not an examination at all. The Zbird company selects exclusively high-quality stones for jewelry. You can also use the services of a gemologist to verify the authenticity of the stones and the accuracy of their characteristics
onlinedegree.com

How to distinguish a fake from a real diamond: myths and reality

We will not list all the ways to find out whether a diamond is real or not. All you have to do is google it. But believe me, today there are dozens of ways fake a diamond. This is one of the most desirable stones, so scammers are finding more and more new methods of deception. Neither diving a diamond into water nor your eagle eye can cope with such a task. What is the disadvantage of traditional methods? Even if some of them lead to the truth, then: A) Many methods provide for some barbarism: scratch the glass of a display case with a stone, drip something on the diamond, dip it in various solutions, or use dangerous reagents that can harm health. B) In the case of jewelry, the check takes place complete with metal or other coatings. And if the diamond doesn’t get damaged, then you will main “body”. It is cheaper and more reliable to buy diamond jewelry from trusted sellers. There is always a risk, but it is important to interact with people who will meet you halfway in different situations and will be open to dialogue. The most important: The “diagnosis” of a stone is not made by the ring or earrings. Accurate data can only be obtained by removing the insert from the frame. If a gemologist evaluates a diamond in jewelry, the clarity and color values ​​are underestimated, since the data obtained is not absolutely accurate.
diamondexchangeusa.comWhat is the difference between a fake diamond and a real one? How to determine whether a piece of jewelry contains a diamond or not? Only through experience. By trial and error. Although the latter can be avoided if you buy jewelry from responsible companies and stores. Let’s point out a couple of points you should know: buying diamond jewelry.

• Diamonds are natural stones. Roughly speaking, they are created by nature. Therefore, during formation, they developed natural defects and formations. Therefore, perfect diamonds without bubbles, inclusions, or cracks cost tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Therefore, you should not shout about a fake if you notice “something” under a magnifying glass.
• Pay attention to the presence of a certificate for stones or a gemologist’s conclusion. Yes, such jewelry and stones are more expensive, but not so much as to risk buying fakes.
• In high-quality diamonds, when illuminated from the front, the rays are reflected from the back faces. By presenting such a stone with a crown to a lighting device, all the light in it will gather at one point, bright enough, but not in a fake.
• Diamonds are also tested using more aggressive methods, for example, a solution of hydrochloric acid. For diamonds, such an impact will not cause any consequences, but the fake will fade, and in some cases may even dissolve. But the question is: should you always keep acid on hand?
• Scientists have created many devices that can detect counterfeits when exposed to ultraviolet light. These are “Moissketeer 2000SD”, Pocket-Mate”, “Charles and Colvard” and others. There are many accurate devices, but some of them do not recognize moissanite.
• And a trivial piece of advice: buy jewelry with a tag and hallmark, not under the counter. This is not a 100% guarantee of quality, but a big statement of the responsibility and honesty of the seller.

Therefore, despite all Internet advice, it is best to resort to the services of competent specialists; in any case, this will cost less than buying a fake stone.

Jewelry with diamonds, be it a small ring or exquisite earrings, add confidence to us, sparkle in our eyes and make us irresistible. For quality and thoughtful gifts, come to the Zbird catalog!

Editor: Anya Garashchenko