6 Brilliant Methods to Spot Fake Diamonds
Diamonds are one of the most expensive jewelry purchases that people might make in their life and so, it is really important to choose the right one. Speaking of the right diamond selection, you must ensure that the gemstone that you choose is really a diamond. Otherwise, you may end up making one of the most expensive mistakes in your life. When it comes to diamond shopping, you can do it both offline and online. In the former case, the chances of getting scammed will be less since you can actually see and touch your sparkler.
On the other hand, while dealing with online diamond retailers, make sure to choose diamonds that come with a grading certificate to crack the right diamond deal. Plus, go for the refundable option so that you will get your money back if anything went wrong. Note that most reputable online jewelers offer refund options. Even though determining whether or not a diamond is real may sound tantalizing, there are many ways to spot a fake diamond once you get it. Some of the simplest and effective tests to spot fake diamonds are listed below.
Water Test
This test is recommended if you purchase diamonds that are not set on a ring. In order to do the water test, take a normal-sized glass partially filled with water. Then, carefully drop your loose diamond into the water and if it sinks, you own a real diamond. In case your diamond floats on the surface or underneath the water, you have got scammed. Note that the density of real diamonds is way more than water and hence, it sinks.
Fog Test
Another simple method that you can consider to spot a fake diamond is the Fog test. In fact, you can do this test at any place. For this, hold your diamond right in front of your mouth and exhale a puff of air on it. Naturally, the gemstone will get foggy because of the moisture content and heat in your breath. If this foggy appeal dissipates right away, you own a real diamond. On the other hand, your diamond is likely to be fake if the fog stays as such for a few seconds. Note that diamonds are effective conductors of heat and hence, it will disperse the fogginess instantly.
Evaluate the Diamond Ring Settings and Mount
You can thoroughly evaluate the setting and mounting of your diamond ring in order to determine whether or not you have a fake diamond. Usually, real diamonds will be set using a supreme quality metal such as platinum, gold, silver, etc. Plus, the stone settings will be neat and appropriate. In order to ensure the quality of the metal employed, you may check for the markings on its inner band. Note that you are likely to see markings such as 18k, 22k, 24k, etc., on the inner band of your rings; these markings indicate the purity of the metal used. However, this is not a definitive option since some online diamond retailers may use poor-quality metal and mountings to set a real diamond and vice versa.
Heat Test
Diamonds are one of the strongest materials on the earth and good conductors of heat and so they can withstand higher degrees of heat. In fact, diamonds are formed under immense pressure and heat. Hence, one of the reliable methods to spot a fake diamond is the heat test. For this, take a glass filled with cold water and keep aside. Then, take your diamond and heat it for around 50 seconds and drop it directly into the cold water. If it is a real diamond, it will show no reaction. On the contrary, a fake diamond will break into pieces since it will be made using weaker materials when compared to their real counterparts. Note that weak materials such as cubic zirconia, moissanite, etc., will not be able to handle the sudden expansion and contraction of heat like diamonds.
UV Light Test
Even though this is not a definitive test, it will give you an idea regarding whether or not you own a fake diamond. For this, place your diamond under a UV light source and check whether or not the gemstone emits glowing blue-colored light. If yes, you have got a real diamond. Otherwise, take it to a gemologist or a credible jeweler and get it tested in order to check its authenticity. It is to be noted that all the real diamond does not necessarily emit blue glow when placed under a UV light source.
Check the Diamond Using a Loupe
Most online websites employ 40X magnification and a full-angle view of diamonds these days in order to attain the trust of the customers. Even though you have checked the quality of your diamond using this online magnifier, check it in real as well using a diamond loupe. Check whether there are any inclusions in your diamond since most real diamonds will be flawed. On the contrary, manmade diamonds will be perfect and devoid of inclusions or any other flaws. However, there are some flawless and colorless real diamonds as well, but these options will be phenomenally rare.