Diamond Guide-Real 0r Fake

Diamond - Real or Fake?
Ways to tell if your diamond is real or
fake.

1) Never look at a loose diamond on a white jewelers'
tray. Always look at it on a piece of newspaper or
printed material. If the diamond is real, you won't be
able to read the newsprint through the facets; if the
diamond is fake, it's just like looking through, well,
glass.

2) One of the best test is thermal conductivity.
Diamonds are extremely good conductors of heat and
most jewelers have a small instrument that can
measure this. No other material will match a diamond
in this test.

3) The fog test. This test I like a lot. Put the rock in
front of your mouth and fog it like you would try to
fog a mirror. If it stays fogged for two to four
seconds, it’s a fake. A real diamond disperses the
heat instantaneously so by the time you look at it, it
has already cleared up. (Sometimes oil and dirt on
the stone can effect its reliability and the test is not
accurate at all on doublets where the top of the
stone is diamond and the bottom is cubic zirconia
epoxied together.)

4) Under the loop test. If you own some sort of
magnifying lens, there are some things you can look
for on the stone that might give away its identity:

A. Look at the rock from the top and see how well the
facets (cuts on top of the diamond) are joined. They
should be sharp not rolled.

B. Look at the girdle and see if it is faceted or frosty
(a clear sign it’s a diamond) or waxy and slick (an
indication it’s a fake).

C. While you’re looking at your stone under
magnification, look into your stone to see if you
detect any flaws (carbon, pinpoints, small cracks).
These are typically clear indications it’s the real thing
since it’s very hard to put inclusions in a fake.

D. After examining the stone, focus in on the stamps
inside the setting. A stamp of "10K, 14K, 18K, 585,
750, 900, 950, PT, Plat" indicates the setting is real
gold or platinum which gives a better chance that the
stone in it is real as well. While you’are looking at the
interior of the ring, also look for any "C.Z." stamps
that would indicate the center stone is not a diamond

Most importantly,only deal with reputable jewelers,
and when you find a reputable jeweler, stick with
them. Ask to see the certificate for the stone. If no
certificate exists, walk away.