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For many of us, purchasing a diamond is an emotional investment dedicated to someone special. Naturally, you want to be sure that the diamond you are buying is genuine before making such a commitment. So, how can you tell if a diamond is real or not? Today, many "fake" diamond counterparts can easily be mistaken for real diamonds. Various natural gems, such as white topaz, white sapphire, and white zircon, closely resemble diamonds. If you have a natural diamond or lab-grown diamond and are unsure of its authenticity, seeking advice from a reputable jeweller is recommended. However, if you need a quick answer, here are some simple tests you can do at home to determine if your stone is genuine or not.
Before attempting the tests below, it's important to do some research. There are many diamond substitutes on the market, some of which have value, while others do not. Also, understand the difference between mounted and loose diamonds. A loose diamond, one that isn't set in a piece of jewellery, is easier to test for authenticity and flaws. Mounted diamonds may hide potential cracks and chips, and their settings can reflect light into the diamond, complicating the assessment of the stone's colour or clarity. If you're buying a mounted diamond, ask the jeweller to remove it from its setting for inspection.
This is a simple test. Rub the gritty side of sandpaper against the stone. Since sandpaper typically has a hardness between 7 and 9 on the Mohs scale, it will not damage a real diamond, which is one of the hardest materials on earth. However, a fake diamond will get scratched.
This test involves trying to read text through the diamond. For this, you'll need a loose diamond. Place the diamond upside down on a sheet of paper with plain black text. If you can read the text through the diamond, it is likely not real. Genuine diamonds scatter light too much for text to be visible through them.
The way a diamond reflects and refracts light can indicate its authenticity. Real diamonds sparkle more than synthetic stones, reflecting light in shades of grey. In contrast, synthetic stones like cubic zirconia emit more colourful, rainbow-like sparkles. A visual inspection in good lighting can help determine this.
Expose the loose gemstone to an open flame, like from a lighter, for 30 to 45 seconds. Then, immediately place it in cool water. Real diamonds disperse heat evenly and won't be damaged by this test, while fake ones may shatter from the thermal shock.
Fill a glass three-quarters full with water and drop the loose diamond into it. Real diamonds have a high density and will sink to the bottom. If the diamond floats or remains just below the surface, it is likely a fake.
Expose the diamond to UV light and observe its reaction. Most real diamonds emit a blue glow under UV light, though not all do. If the diamond glows blue, it is probably real, but if it doesn't, further professional assessment is needed.
Hold the diamond between two fingers and breathe on it to create a light fog. Real diamonds conduct heat well, so the fog should dissipate immediately. If the fog stays for a few seconds, the diamond is likely fake.
Draw a small dot on a piece of white paper and place the diamond flat side down over the dot. If you cannot see the dot through the diamond, it is real. Fake diamonds allow the dot to be seen through them because they do not refract light as well.
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically and physically identical to natural diamonds, making it impossible to distinguish between the two with the naked eye. Lab-grown diamonds are created under controlled conditions, often resulting in higher colour and clarity compared to natural diamonds. Grading laboratories can differentiate between lab-grown and natural diamonds by examining their internal structures. Despite their identical appearance, lab-grown diamonds exhibit unique growth patterns and properties that can be identified through testing.
Lab-grown diamonds are chemically identical to natural diamonds, which means they look almost the same. Because of the controlled conditions in which they are grown, lab-grown diamonds often have higher colour and clarity grades than mined diamonds.
Diamond testers, or diamond selectors, use thermal or electrical conductivity to determine if a stone is a real diamond. These testers look like ink pens with a tiny metal tip. When placed on a diamond, the tester measures how well the stone conducts heat. Both lab-grown and natural diamonds will show identical results on these testers.
Although traditional diamond testers cannot distinguish between lab-grown and mined diamonds, some advanced tools can. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) developed DiamondView, which uses UV lighting to reveal unique fluorescence patterns. Natural diamonds typically display straight growth patterns, while lab-grown diamonds show curved patterns. Lab-grown diamonds also exhibit phosphorescence under UV light, which mined diamonds do not.
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