How To Tell If A Mounted Or Loose Diamond Is Authentic

Introduction

When an object is so desirable, particularly when it can be sold for such a high price, there are always likely to be vendors seeking to imitate the item and sell it as an authentic piece. This means that diamond jewelry is often imitated and sold as a real diamond. If you have been sold a fake diamond it is most likely to be CZ (Cubic Zirconia), an imitation created in a lab.

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While some choose to knowingly buy and sell CZ gems, others attempt to exploit the industry and sell them as real diamonds. A genuine diamond seller understands the importance of allowing the customer to take the time to choose the perfect gem, so be aware of anyone who appears to want you to rush into purchasing a diamond from them.

Before You Buy

Before you purchase any piece of diamond jewelry, establish whether or not the pricing of the stone matches the description of the gem according to the Four C’s, ‘Cut’, ‘Carat’, ‘Clarity’ and ‘Color’. For example, on our website a 0.54 Carat Princess cut, G color, VS1 clarity loose diamond is priced at $1,173.90 while a 0.8 Carat Princess cut, E color, VS2 clarity loose diamond is priced at $3,384.

Even though one diamond has a better clarity grade, it is nonetheless a third of the price of a stone of a slightly higher color grade and carat weight. When buying diamonds online, take a look at our website and, using the Four C’s, you’ll have a good idea of what a specific diamond should cost. Our website also offers a useful information regarding clarity grade and color grade of diamonds so you can be better equipped to compare diamonds. Please have in mind that because we are the manufacturers thus eliminating a middleman, our diamonds can sell for up to 50% less than a comparable item sold jewelry stores.

What To Avoid When Testing A Diamond

Before we advise on easy ways to test whether a diamond is real, it’s important to establish certain common testing methods which are not suitable for testing the authenticity of a diamond. One popular method of testing whether a diamond is real is to scratch the diamond against a piece of glass or stone; it is thought by some that a real diamond will cause damage more easily than a synthetic stone. We discourage using this method as it may result in damaging a perfectly good diamond.

Others have recommended putting the stone in question under a flame for 30 seconds, followed by immediately dropping it into cold water. A synthetic diamond will surely shatter, exposing it as a fake diamond. However, carrying out this test on a real diamond that has undergone specific treatments, such as fracture filling or coating, may reverse the treatment due to their exposure to heat. All the methods we suggest for testing against synthetic diamonds cause no risk to either real or synthetic diamonds.

Six Ways To Test That Your Diamond Is Real

1. The Fog Test

This test can easily be done with either a mounted diamond or a loose diamond. Simply take the diamond to within one centimeter of your mouth and fog it in a similar way you would a mirror or window. If it remains fogged for more than one second, it is most probably a fake diamond. Because a real diamond disperses heat rapidly, the diamond will not fog up easily.

With a glass stone, however, the fog is likely to remain for a few seconds. If you have a diamond that you know to be real, it is advisable to try this method with both the real stone and the suspect stone and compare the results.

2. Check The Setting

Upon receiving a diamond ring, such as an engagement ring, check the setting. It is unlikely that a fake diamond would have an expensive ring setting. Take a look at the stamp on the ring. A “CZ” (Cubic Zirconia) stamp means the center stone is certainly not real. A ring setting that appears to be peeling or that doesn’t have a stamp is also an indication that the center stone is of an inferior quality.

3. Use A Jewelers Loupe

Most jewelers would be happy to lend you their loupe or examine your diamond for you. As diamonds are a product of nature, being created by chance in the earth, it is extremely rare that a diamond will be flawless in clarity, meaning it has no inclusions. Synthetic diamonds and diamonds created in laboratories are unlikely to have any inclusions, meaning that a diamond that appears perfect in the loupe is most likely to be a fake diamond.

It could be that you are fortunate enough to own a flawless diamond. In that case a diamond that appears perfect under the loupe is not necessarily a false diamond. This test is effective with both a loose diamond as well as a diamond that has already been mounted into a ring.

4. Check Refractivity

One of the beauties of diamonds is their ability to refract light, causing the light to bend and curve with every movement. A fake diamond will not have this effect due to its lack of density. The most effective way of using this method to test a diamond’s authenticity is the newspaper method. This involves placing the diamond on a newspaper, looking carefully to see whether you are able to read the letters through the stone. If you are, even if it is not clear, you are looking at a fake diamond.

If you cannot read the letters on the newspaper, the diamond is most real. Please note that if the cut of the stone is not proportionate, meaning the sides of the diamond are not all equal to each other, the print may still be discernible from a genuine diamond.

5. The Water Test

Drop the gem into a glass of water. While a fake diamond is often hollow inside, a real diamond is high in density. Therefore, if the suspect stone sinks straight to the bottom of the glass, it is a real diamond. A fake stone will float around the top or middle of the glass.

6. Visit A Trusted Jeweler

Visiting a local jeweler who you trust should help put your mind at ease. Many jewelers will appraise your stone free of charge and experts will often be able to tell immediately if your diamond is authentic or not. If your stone came with a certificate, your jeweler should be happy to take a look at it and tell you whether it is from a trustworthy source.

Your Trusted Online Diamond Store

As a company with over 60 years’ experience in manufacturing diamond jewelry, CaratsDirect2U is a reputable company and any treatments that are undergone by our diamonds are clearly stated.

If there are any aspects of purchasing diamonds online you are unsure about, our website offers extensive guidance and we can always be contacted on 1-800-557-7095 where one of our expert diamond jewelers will be happy to assist you. Alternatively, you can email us at [email protected] with any questions you may have.