Real Diamonds vs Fake Diamonds
Diamonds have been a prized possession, as precious stones, since ancient times in various parts of the world. A naturally occurring diamond is made up of carbon and is formed under high temperature and pressure conditions. It is an extremely rare commodity and a true diamond takes billions of years, in order to get its present form. In the past few centuries, fake diamonds are being made by using various artificial materials. Among them, Cubic Zirconia and Mossannite are the most well-known man-made diamonds of today. With the advancement in technology, the properties of synthetic diamonds have close similarities with real diamonds. As a result, distinction between the two is not at all easy.
Real vs Fake Diamonds
There are a large varieties of real diamonds. Each of them has its own distinct qualities. Therefore, identification of distinguishable properties of a genuine and a false diamond is a real big challenge. Here are a few tests that can help in the comparison between real diamonds vs fake diamonds:
Test 1
A marked difference between a Cubic Zirconia and real diamond is the weight. The weight of a Cubic Zirconia will be much more than that of the genuine diamonds of the same size. In fact, it will be almost 55 percent more than a real diamond. So, check out the weight of the stone on a carat scale.
Test 2
One of the best ways on how to tell if a diamond is real by seeing its reflection. It is another important aspect that helps in differentiating between a true and a imitation diamond. When you observe the reflections of real diamond carefully, you will find that it consist of various shades of gray. On the other hand, a fake or low quality diamond gives rainbow colored reflections.
Test 3
Place the diamond in an upside down condition over a newsprint. If you can read the letters on the underlying newspaper, then the stone is fake and not a real one. Diamonds have a high refractive index which means that it bends the light that pass through it very sharply. This method is not completely foolproof because there are some low cut diamonds that may fail this test of authenticity.
Test 4
So, how do you know which is a fake or real diamond, without any equipment of even sufficient light. An easy way is to bring a real diamond close to your mouth and blow air on it from your mouth, the vapor must disappear instantly. If the same test is done on a fake diamond then the fog will stay for a few seconds. However, if there are dirt particles or oil on a true diamond then it would fail this test. Therefore, the surface of the stone should be cleaned first before it is subjected to the test. In case, the stone is a doublet where a diamond and Cubic Zirconia is glued together, this test is not applicable.
Test 5
When diamond is exposed to ultraviolet light, then it exhibits fluorescence of blue which can vary from medium to strong. If the blue light does not appear then it could either be a fake diamond, or it could also be a high quality diamond. However, if you observe a yellow, gray or greenish fluorescence, then it is likely to be a Moissanite.
Test 6
Observe the diamond closely under a magnifying glass. First of all, check out the facets of the stone. If the cuts on the top of the stone have sharp joints, then it is a real diamond. In case, they are fake the facets are in rolled condition. When seen through a magnifying glasses, you will find that there are so many flaws or imperfections like small cracks, pinpoints, etc. Such flaws are missing in an artificially made diamonds. Even if a fake diamond passes all the other tests mentioned above, this is one effective test that it cannot pass.
You can also use a diamond tester to select a good genuine diamond.. However, the problem with this electronic device is that it often fails to identify a Moissanite as a simulated diamond. Finally, I would like to suggest you purchase diamonds from a trustworthy jeweler only. You should also ask for a certificate of origin, that will verify the authenticity of the jewel.
