When buying jewelry, it is important to recognize the fake diamonds, so as not to be the object of scams, buying imitations that do abound in the jewelry market. Therefore, below we are going to give you some practical tips to recognize them.
Learn how to do a fog test: for this only you must place the gem in front of your mouth; to blow hot air on the diamond and tarnish it; if it stays like that for a few seconds, it’s most likely fake diamonds; Because real diamonds disperse heat from your breath instantly, so they don’t tarnish easily.
But, if you have a diamond certified as real, try both gems, proceed to tarnish them, and thus compare them, if you observe that the one you test does not remain clear like the real one, it is because it accumulates condensation and remains tarnished. It is recommended to perform this procedure several times.
The setting and mount warn of counterfeits: As a rule, real diamonds are mounted on expensive metals, and that can be verified in the stamps that are inside the setting; that test whether it is real gold or platinum; such as 10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat; which could be proof that these are not fake diamonds. The “CZ” marking, which stands for cubic zirconia (synthetic diamond), indicates that the center gem is not a genuine diamond.
The jewelers loupe is a very useful tool: It is very helpful when you want to spot fake diamonds, and if you go to a jewelry store to buy real diamond jewelry, it is your right to ask the jeweler for one. The magnifying glass will help you detect inclusions, that is, the small imperfections that naturally extracted diamonds have; as well as subtle color changes or tiny mineral flecks, which could mean they are real diamonds, albeit imperfect.
Usually, synthetic cubic zirconia diamonds are manufactured in sterile environments, which makes them free of imperfections; and often a very perfect piece of jewelry ends up being a fake. But, a real diamond is likely to be flawless, so blemishes shouldn’t be considered alone when determining whether it’s fake or real, other techniques should be used.
On the other hand, synthetic diamonds can be identical to real ones, and have no imperfections, and may even be superior from the physical, optical and chemical point of view. But, this has become a headache for jewelers and mine workers, who are looking for ways to differentiate them, because, although these types of diamonds are real, they are not natural.
Observation of diamond refraction: These gems refract or bend the light that passes through them abruptly, which gives them great brilliance; but quartz or glass, for example, have a lower refractive index, which makes them shine less. So if you look closely at the refraction, you can tell if they are fake diamonds. This can be done as follows:
Using newspaper: You must turn the stone face up, then place it on newspaper and try to read through it what is printed, or see black spots with distortion. If it does, it is most likely fake diamonds, since if it is genuine, nothing could be read or seen.
Try drawing a point: With a pen, a black dot is drawn on a piece of white paper, placing the gem in the center of the dot. If you see the dot through it, they are fake diamonds.
Notice the reflections: These reflections are gray or dark tones in real diamonds, and you should look directly through them, if you can see rainbow reflections, or various colors, it is proof that they are fake diamonds or a diamond. low quality diamond Reflection is associated with the color of the light that is refracted, so there must be one very intense light, rather than multiple colors.
Care must be taken that it is not a moissanite; which is a stone very similar to diamond, and even has a greater brightness, to the point that many jewelers have had problems to differentiate it, and to achieve this, special equipment must be used. To do this, the gem must be held very closely; and with a flashlight illuminate the interior. If the colors of the rainbow are observed, it means that it is a moissanite, and not a diamond, since it has the property of having double refraction; What makes those colors appear?
The stone in the glass of water: This simple test consists of dropping the diamonds into a glass of water; if it is a real diamond, it will sink to the bottom; due to its high density. If it doesn’t sink in completely, we are sorry to tell you that it is fake diamonds.
Heat the diamonds: The stones should be heated for 30 seconds, and then dropped into a glass of cold water. If they are real diamonds nothing will happen, but if they are fake they will break, due to the sudden expansion and contraction that doubles the tensile strength of weaker materials.
Sure, all of these tests can help you identify real diamonds, but if you prefer to seek professional help, then ask for a heat test; observation under microscopes, ultraviolet (UV) light, or X-rays.