How To Tell if a Diamond Is Real
Are you thinking of purchasing diamonds? Diamonds are treasured for their brilliance and rarity. Whether inherited as a family heirloom or bought as a piece of jewelry, knowing their authenticity is a big part of the process. This includes identifying real diamonds from simulants, such as cubic zirconia, glass, white sapphire, and moissanite. This guide covers methods for jewelers to spot real diamonds, how experts confirm authenticity, and why professional evaluations are recommended.
What Are Natural Diamonds?
Natural diamonds are a unique and precious form of carbon crystallizing under extreme conditions. Here are some of their traits:
- Composition: Natural diamonds are primarily carbon atoms arranged in a cubic crystal lattice structure. This arrangement gives them their characteristic hardness, making them the hardest known natural substance.
- Formation process: Diamonds form at extreme depths beneath the Earth’s surface, where temperatures reach between 1652°F and 2372°F, and pressures exceed 45 kilobars. The formation process takes billions of years, typically one to three billion years ago.
- Rarity: Diamonds reach the surface through volcanic eruptions, which deposit them in a type of rock called kimberlite. Yet only about 1% of kimberlite pipes contain economically viable diamonds, which shows how rare they are.
Preliminary Tests To Identify a Real Diamond
Now that you know about natural diamonds, you might wonder how to tell a real diamond ring from a fake. While the surest way to determine a diamond’s authenticity is to bring it to a diamond expert, as a jeweler, you can use a few household items to check your gemstone. Here are some tests you can try at home:
- Fog test: Exhale on the diamond like you’re trying to fog a mirror. When you breathe on a diamond, a light fog may form; real diamonds quickly clear this fog due to their heat conduction. On fake diamonds it may take longer to dissipate.
- Water test: To test a loose diamond, fill a glass with water and drop the diamond in. If it sinks, it’s most likely real since diamonds have a higher density.
- UV light check: Most diamonds emit a blue glow under UV light. If your diamond doesn’t fluoresce, that won’t always mean it’s fake.
- Dot test: A real diamond is highly refractive, and if you place it over a dot on paper, you’ll likely struggle to see the dot through the stone. Note that diamond cuts may affect results.
Professional Techniques To Verify Diamonds
Here are some professional techniques to verify diamonds:
Loupe
As a diamond expert, you can use a loupe, a special magnifying glass, to verify diamonds and gemstones. Using a loupe, look for blemishes and other imperfections in the diamond. A real diamond will have imperfections known as inclusions, while a fake diamond will be devoid of them under magnification. A loupe also allows you to assess how light interacts with the diamond’s facets to determine its cut quality.
Hold the loupe about an inch away from the eye while bringing the diamond closer until it’s in focus. This technique helps in achieving a clear view of the stone.
High Profile Weighing
Use a very fine-tuned scale to measure small differences in the weight of diamonds. High-profile weighing relies on the differences in density and weight. The weight of a real diamond will be lower than simulants. You need special scales to weigh carats and identify small differences.
Choose a stone that closely matches the diamond’s size and shape, such as a cubic zirconia. Place the diamond and the comparison stone on the scale separately. The scale will provide precise readings of their weights in carats. Real diamonds typically weigh less than cubic zirconia, which has a higher density. If both stones weigh roughly the same, you may need further testing to confirm authenticity.
Microscope
With a 1200x magnification on a power microscope, you can ensure the purity of real diamonds. Place the stone under the microscope upside down and gently move it back and forth using tweezers while observing. If you see a faint orange glow on the diamond’s facets, it may indicate that the stone is cubic zirconia or has been used to mask flaws in the diamond.
X-ray Test
X-ray is a highly advanced technique to test diamond authenticity. Place the diamond in the X-ray machine while ensuring it’s not set in metal jewelry. Turn on the machine and expose the diamond to the X-rays. Observe the diamond to see if it shows up clearly on the image. If the diamond passes through the X-rays without showing up, it’s real.
The Importance of Professional Diamond Evaluation
Diamonds are an investment for life. Here’s why you need a professional evaluation:
- Accuracy and reliability: Professional diamond experts or gemologists have extensive training and experience in using advanced techniques to accurately assess diamonds.
- Avoiding misrepresentation: An expert evaluation can prevent potential fraud by providing an unbiased assessment.
- Value assessment: A professional evaluation confirms authenticity and provides an accurate appraisal of value based on current market trends and conditions. You can use this information for future resale purposes.
- Peace of mind: Knowing that an expert has evaluated your diamond provides peace of mind for personal ownership and potential resale. The assurance that comes with a certified report adds significant value to your investment.
Here at Americash Jewelry & Coin Buyers in Westmont, Illinois, our professional appraisers will help you evaluate diamonds for their authenticity, based on cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. We also specialize in buying jewelry, watches, coins, collectibles, and more. Contact us for quality service and cash offers.
a person using a touchscreen device by Dillon Wanner is licensed with Unsplash License
Tags: Real Diamonds, Testing
