How to identify a diamond in water?

Sometimes unscrupulous sellers, in an effort to earn more money, can replace real diamonds in jewelry with synthetic ones and sell them to unsophisticated buyers. But you can successfully avoid dishonest deals by knowing how to distinguish a real diamond from a similar stone. In the future, when you know the physical properties of noble stones and are faced with a choice, it will not be difficult for you to understand that this is a fake.

What stones may be tried to be passed off as diamonds?

white topaz;
quartz;
leucosapphires;
white beryls;
zirconium;
rock crystal or glass.

Often, even ordinary glass rhinestones or Swarovski stones are passed off as diamonds, which buyers with an untrained eye confuse with a cut diamond due to the high refractive indices of synthetic copies.

Characteristics and properties of real diamonds

To distinguish a diamond from its synthetic counterpart, you need to know everything about its physical properties.

hardness on the Moss scale – 10 points out of 10;
density – 3,5 g/cubic. cm;
refractive index – 2,42;
melting point – 3700-4000°C;
Heating up to 2000°C and being in a vacuum, the diamond transforms into graphite. Interestingly, artificial diamonds are obtained by heating graphite at high pressures, and hydrocarbons are also used to produce synthetic analogues;
when exposed to UV rays, a real diamond will “give off” a blue, yellow, green glow;
cathode radiation makes a diamond glow light blue, and x-ray radiation makes it appear blue;
the stone is resistant to alkalis and some acids;
the presence of small inclusions, tiny cracks and other tiny defects inside the diamond – like any natural stone, a diamond cannot do without them. For comparison, artificial analogues are almost perfect in appearance; it is impossible to create microcracks inside them.

An important point: the authenticity of a stone can be determined by eye only through personal examination – even an experienced craftsman will not be able to do this from a photo.

How to distinguish a real diamond from a fake

The first and main sign of the authenticity of a diamond, which is revealed at the first glance at it, is its cost. Both natural and artificially produced stones cannot have a low price. If the seller convinces you that the diamond is natural, but the price of the product is suspiciously “sweet”, this is a good reason to refuse the purchase.

It is important to be able to distinguish a diamond from a fake in the store, before making a transaction, and the methods must be appropriate.

If you want to be 100% sure of purchasing a genuine stone, purchase a “binocular” magnifying glass with 10x zoom – the device is inexpensive and very useful in this matter. Examination under a magnifying glass will make it possible to see marks left by nature, which are invisible to the naked eye and are a sign of the naturalness of the stone. Since any fake will be unnaturally transparent, without the slightest imperfections, this will make it possible to immediately identify a real diamond.
To distinguish a diamond from moissanite, its most spectacular copy, you need to breathe on the stone. A fake will definitely fog up, but a real diamond will remain transparent; in addition, it will not acquire the temperature of a person’s body even after holding it in the hand for a long time.
The larger its size, the easier it is to expose a synthetic analogue. Thus, it is very difficult to determine the origin of large cubic zirconia: compared to a diamond, it does not look as airy, the edges do not shine as brightly, and the quality of the play of light does not approach the luxurious luminescence of a natural diamond.
A diamond shines not only from above, but also from all sides, but inside you will not notice the entire rainbow spectrum of radiance: in a genuine diamond, the internal brilliance is a play of many gray shades.
Natural diamond has sharp, rough edges, while synthetic diamond has rounded edges.
By comparing a diamond, the authenticity of which has been previously confirmed, with a moissanite that has the same cut as the original, laying the stones on a white surface and well-lit from above, you can notice visual differences. The artificial counterpart will be whiter, with a cool blue tint, while the diamond will have a more yellowish glow. This is due to the higher refractive index of moissanite – 2,65.
The optical properties of cubic zirconia and moissanites will help you avoid confusing them with real diamonds. Synthetic stones will allow you to see through text printed on light paper, while you won’t be able to see anything through a diamond.
To distinguish a synthetic diamond from a real one, you can ask a jeweler to remove the stone from the product and carefully examine it. Sometimes, to enhance the shine of a synthetic crystal, its lower part is covered with a mirror layer: by detecting this in a timely manner, you can insure yourself against buying a fake.
If you are a fairly frequent customer of jewelry stores, you should get a special tester. The household version will be inexpensive and will help to recognize a fake if the stone size does not exceed one carat. Such devices focus on the thermal and light radiation of stones.

You should also remember that real diamonds are not framed in any metal: silver and gold-plated jewelry is not encrusted with diamonds. Only items made of gold or platinum are decorated with genuine diamonds.

How to determine the authenticity of a diamond at home

If you have diamond jewelry at home, the authenticity of which you have not yet doubted, you can check it at home yourself using one of the methods presented below.

Place the stone in a glass of water. They say that a real diamond becomes invisible in water. This is only partly true: a cut diamond will not reflect in water, but its edges themselves will be noticeable. Artificial copies of a diamond will reflect different colors in certain lighting. This method is most suitable for identifying two-layer fakes, when there is a real diamond on top of the product, and an imitation at the bottom.
Using a flashlight, water and a piece of paper. Water is poured into a plastic lid and stones are dropped into it. A sheet of paper is held over the lid, and a flashlight is shined on the stones themselves, covered with water, so that their reflection passes onto the paper. The glare of real diamonds will look like a flame from a burner on a stove, and moissanites, being an order of magnitude brighter, will produce rays with a wide range of luminescence.
To verify the authenticity of a diamond, you can use its ability to adhere to fatty solutions. Apply a drop of vegetable oil to the stone and place it on a glass surface – after a while the diamond will stick to it.
Running a stone across glass is an aggressive method, but effective. A real diamond will leave a noticeable scratch on the glass, but the softness of most synthetic fakes will not allow them to do this.
Rub the stone with sandpaper. The abrasiveness of sandpaper will not affect a real diamond, while a fake diamond will not withstand such impact. An effective verification method that they won’t let you use in a jewelry store, as it can have consequences. Sandpaper is often coated with diamond coating, which has the hardness of real diamonds, which can leave visible scratches on the stone, that is, ruin it.
The most radical way to distinguish a real diamond from an analogue is to immerse the stone in hydrochloric acid. A genuine diamond will withstand such a test, and its appearance will not be affected, while the artificial analogue will remain stained and stained.

Where can you check the authenticity of a diamond in St. Petersburg?

If you are trying to distinguish a real diamond from a fake and need an expert assessment, contact Lombard on Nevsky in St. Petersburg. The examination performed by our independent specialists provides accurate results that will allow you to evaluate the quality and authenticity of diamonds. High-quality and quick inspection of a gemstone is a guarantee of an honest transaction in which we take into account the interests of the client as much as possible. To carry out a quick assessment, bring the jewelry to our pawnshop or fill out an application online, after which the company’s managers will contact you and set an exact meeting time.

Do you have jewelry or collections? And want to know if they are real? This guide is for you. With this guide, you can perform tests at home on your own or inherited jewelry, as well as tests performed by a diamond expert or jeweler using special equipment.

The easiest and most effective way to test a stone to see if it is a diamond is to buy a relatively cheap diamond tester. Otherwise, you may need a more expensive, high-end tester that can also identify a wide range of alternative diamonds.

If you are not familiar with the structure and components of a diamond, you may think that the gemstone is a diamond when it is an entirely different stone, such as cubic zirconia or moissanite. For this reason, it is important to know how to spot a fake diamond.

This is a useful and practical guide, but no home test can be considered definitive. A diamond specialist has the necessary experience and equipment to confirm whether a diamond is real or fake.

HOW TO DETERMINE IF A DIAMOND IS REAL OR FAKE

1) Water test

Fill a normal-sized drinking glass ¾ full with water. Carefully lower the stone into the glass.

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If a gemstone sinks, it is a real diamond. If it floats underwater or on the surface, you have a fake on your hands.

Real diamond has a high density, so the water test will tell you if your stone meets this level of density.

2) Fog check

To fog test, hold the diamond or ring with two fingers and blow air on it. The moisture and heat in your breath causes a slight mist to form on the diamond.

If the fog clears immediately, the diamond is real. If the fog clears within a few seconds, it is most likely a fake diamond.

Diamonds conduct heat efficiently and therefore dissipate it quickly.

3) Check the frame and fastening

If the diamond is already set in a ring, pay attention to the type of setting and mounting used.

Due to the high price of the product, real diamond will only be set in high quality jewelry. For example, a real diamond will be set in materials such as white gold, platinum, yellow gold, pavé or stone setting and bezel rings.

To ensure the frame is as described, look in the center of the ring for markings. For example, the inscriptions 10K, 14K and 18K indicate the type of gold used. The designations PT and Plat refer to platinum. If you see numbers like 585, 770, 900 and 950, that also means it is platinum or gold.

If you see a “CZ” stamp or engraving, the gemstone is cubic zirconia and not a real diamond.

4) Heat the stone and see if it cracks

Diamonds are made from incredibly durable material and do not react to high temperatures.

To test this, take a glass and pour cold water into it. To hold the stone, use pliers or fire-resistant gloves to. Heat the stone with a lighter for about 40 seconds, then drop the stone directly into cold water.

If a stone cracks, it is made up of weaker components and is not a true diamond. A real diamond will not show any reaction.

This method tests the quality and strength of the stone. Due to the rapid expansion and contraction caused by heat, weak materials such as glass or cubic zirconia will crack and break. Think about the glass or Pyrex cookware you use for cooking. If you take a dish out of a hot oven and try to wash it right away, the sudden change in temperature may break the dish.

Since diamonds are one of the strongest materials on the planet, they will be resistant to such heat tests. The heat will dissipate quickly and the temperature change will not affect the diamond.

5) UV light test

To test a diamond another way, place it under ultraviolet light and observe the reaction. Most diamonds emit a blue glow, but not all. Some diamonds do not glow when exposed to ultraviolet light. For this reason, if a stone does not glow, the results do not necessarily indicate that it is a fake diamond.

Since this test is not conclusive, it is best to have a diamond specialist or jeweler use their state-of-the-art equipment to test the stone.

TEST YOUR DIAMOND AT HOME WITH REFRACTION

When you see a sparkling diamond, you are observing its ability to bend and refract light. When light hits the pavilions (the angled surfaces on the bottom half of the diamond), it is reflected and refracted upward through the diamond’s table (the top flat surface) to the naked eye. When a diamond does this job well and shines, it is called brilliance.

Non-diamond stones such as cubic zirconia will also not refract light. They will have less shine, if any at all.

To check the refraction of a diamond, do the following:

6) Newspaper / Read-through effect

To test a diamond’s refrangibility, carefully place the stone, flat side down, on a newspaper page in an area with a lot of letters. Make sure that the lighting is bright and that no objects or people are casting a shadow on the diamond.

If you read the letters in the newspaper – even if the letters are a little blurry – the diamond is fake. If the diamond is real, its facets will refract light in different directions rather than in a straight line. Because of this refraction of light, you will not be able to see clearly through the diamond or distinguish the letters on the paper.

The newspaper test is most effectively used for loose diamonds. If the diamond is already in a setting, have it checked with a fog or by a diamond specialist.

7) Spot test

If you don’t have newspaper, the spot test is a great alternative.

Place a white sheet of paper on a flat surface and draw a small dot with a pen. Place the stone flat side down on the point. Look at the paper through the sharp end of the diamond. If you see a circular reflection inside the gemstone, the stone is fake. If you don’t see a dot or reflection in the stone, then the diamond is real.

Because real diamond has powerful refractive properties, light will be reflected in different directions rather than in a straight line. This is why you cannot see letters or dots through a real diamond.

CHECK YOUR DIAMOND AT HOME WITH REFLECTION

In addition to refraction, you can test a stone by its reflectivity. While refraction refers to the directions in which light is reflected, reflectance refers to the quantity and quality of light that is reflected from the stone.

Reflectivity includes both brilliance (the sparkle of white light) and fire (colored light) emanating from the table of the diamond.

To check reflectivity, use the radiance test.

8) Glow test

The radiance test requires no equipment other than your eyes. Hold the diamond under a regular lamp. See how the light reflects off the stone. Do you see bright shimmers of white light reflecting off the diamond? Do you also see multi-colored reflections of light?

A real diamond reflects white light very well, producing exceptional brilliance. Diamonds are also excellent at reflecting colored light or fire.

If you compare a real diamond to a fake diamond such as cubic zirconia, you will be able to notice a dramatic difference in the white and colored glow of light that comes from the real diamond.

TECHNIQUES AN EXPERT USES TO MAKE SURE A DIAMOND IS REAL

While various tests can be used to determine if a diamond is real, it is recommended that a professional diamond expert help you determine if a diamond is genuine. A professional certified gemologist with a degree will be able to tell you for sure whether a diamond is real or not.

When you take your stone to a diamond specialist, you will have peace of mind because several proven methods and tools are used to identify a real diamond.

9) Inspecting the diamond with a magnifying glass

A diamond specialist has a loupe, a special magnifying glass that he uses for diamonds, gemstones and jewelry. Using a loupe, a professional will look for imperfections and blemishes on the diamond. Although a fake diamond may be perfectly designed, it will have small imperfections called inclusions.

10) Using a Thermal Conductivity Gauge (also known as a “Diamond Tester”)

In addition to a loupe, gemologists usually have a probe or thermal conductivity meter. They will use this tool to determine the thermal conductivity of the gemstone. Since diamonds are effective conductors of heat, once heated, the diamond will quickly dissipate heat.

If the gemstone dissipates heat more slowly, the diamond is not real. It’s worth noting that synthetic moissanite stones often have the same or equal thermal dispersion as real diamonds, making this test inconclusive for moissanite.

11) Real diamond testing using high profile weighing

Typically, jewelers and gemologists have a very fine scale to measure small differences in weight. The weight of a real diamond will be lower than that of fake stones such as cubic zirconia, but only special carat scales will be able to detect these minute differences.

To perform the test, select a fake diamond that is approximately the same shape and size. Use this stone as a comparison to the diamond you are considering.

12) Find a fake diamond using electrical conductivity

You can also detect a fake diamond using an electrical conductivity test performed by a jeweler or gemologist. Diamonds conduct electricity better than other stones, including the complex, ultra-thin synthetic moissanite.

An electricity tester will give a clear understanding of whether the stone is real or created in a laboratory. Diamond will show conductivity while other stones such as moissanite and cubic zirconia will not.

CHECKING A REAL DIAMOND VS. MOUISSANITE

With the increasing presence of synthetic moissanite on the market, it is important to use a jeweler’s tools to verify authenticity. These tools can tell whether a diamond is real or fake almost immediately.

13) Examination using a microscope

With 1200x magnification, a jeweler or gemologist can examine the stone in detail on a powerful microscope. At this level of magnification, they will be able to see inclusions and slight differences in real diamonds compared to moissanite.

14) Perform an X-ray examination

To test a stone’s internal molecular qualities, have it tested by a professional diamond laboratory. Their X-ray machines will be able to determine whether the stone has a radiopaque molecular structure. Diamonds are radiolucent, while fakes such as cubic zirconia and crystals are more radiopaque.

IS THE SCRATCH TEST RELIABLE TO MAKE SURE A DIAMOND IS REAL?

Scratching was once a widely used method to determine the mineral hardness of a gemstone. The test involved running a gemstone across a mirror to see if it would scratch the mirror or the stone.

Although diamond is formed from very durable materials, fakes such as cubic zirconia and moissanite are quite durable and scratch resistant. For these reasons, the scratch test is not accurate. You’re better off using other tests, such as a thermal conductivity test or examining the diamond with a professional loupe.

HOW TO IDENTIFY STONES THAT ARE NOT REAL DIAMONDS

With other gemstones on the rise in popularity, here are a few steps to identify a stone that may appear similar to a real diamond to the naked eye.

15) How to recognize synthetic diamonds

With synthetic diamonds becoming more common, it is important to know how to differentiate lab-created diamonds from natural diamonds. Synthetic diamonds have the same chemical and molecular components as real natural diamonds.

Due to their complex internal qualities, we recommend having your diamond examined by an expert. They can perform a conductivity test and look at the stone under a magnifying glass. Even when it is not clear to the naked eye how a synthetic diamond differs from a natural diamond, this is critical for resale and insurance purposes.

16) How to recognize cubic zirconia

Cubic zirconia is one of the easiest counterfeits to authenticate. For example, using the sparkle test, you can relatively easily determine the amount of sparkle and fire that comes from a stone.

In addition, cubic zirconia reflects orange-hued light. They also weigh more than a real diamond and are generally free of blemishes or inclusions. Real diamonds have inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye or under a diamond specialist’s microscope.

17) How to recognize white sapphire

Sapphires are typically available in blue and a wide range of colors, including white, which is easily visible to the naked eye. White sapphires are often passed off as diamonds, but they do not give them the characteristic shine and contrast of dark and light areas.

If the stone appears more diffuse in color (that is, it does not have distinct light and dark parts), it is most likely a white sapphire.

18) How to recognize moissanite

Perhaps the best actor in the world of fake diamonds is synthetic moissanite. Distinguishing between the two is usually difficult to the naked eye and requires the experience of a diamond specialist.

An electrical conductivity test will tell you whether the gemstone is moissanite or a real diamond. Please note that the thermal conductivity test is not a suitable method for identifying moissanite because they have almost the same thermal conductivity as diamonds.

19) How to recognize white topaz

Although white topaz may look like a diamond at first glance, it differs from a real diamond in several ways.

The appearance is softer than diamond and is easily scratched by other materials. You can also look closely at the white topaz with a magnifier to see if there are any scratches on the surface. Diamonds will not be scratched due to their strong structure.

Many of the tests in this guide, such as the fog test and the thermal conductivity test, can help determine if a diamond is real.

But due to the large quantity and complexity of synthetic gemstone materials, it is recommended that you consult a diamond expert or jeweler to inspect your pieces. These experts are trained to recognize a fake diamond.