How to tell if your diamond is real or fake with DIY tests? Buying diamonds can be tricky sometimes since there are fake diamonds and if you are not an expert you can become a victim. Diamonds are pricey and it is just right to check your purchase so you will know if you indeed bought something worth your money. Apart from 7 ways to spot fake diamonds here are more ways that can help you determine whether your purchase is legit or not.
What Are Cheap Fake Diamonds Called?
There are many easy to call fake diamonds: diamond simulants, faux diamonds, or diamond imitations. Here are some common types of fake diamonds:
Cubic Zirconia
This is the most common and popular diamond simulant. It consists of zirconium dioxide and its hardness is not that sturdy as the diamond. They can easily be scratched and brilliance fades as worn.
Zircon
It is a kind of mineral that comes in a variety of colors. Colorless zircons are used as diamond imitations. They are cut and polished and resemble a diamond. The only difference is they are softer than real diamonds.
Moissanite
They can be the best substitute for diamonds because of their sparkling characteristic when exposed to light. This is a rare mineral and they are usually created in a laboratory.
Glass
Some use glass to deceive people that they are indeed diamonds. Glass has the sparkle and brilliance a diamond has. They are sold cheap, so if the price is too low. It is time to doubt the authenticity of the diamond.
Spinel
These are natural minerals that come in different colors such as green, red, brown, black, and white. White spinels are colorless which makes them the best substitute for diamonds. When it comes to hardness it is moderate.
Are There Fake Diamond Testers?
To test diamonds several ways and elements are used and you can do it by yourself.
Testing Diamond with Fog
Place your diamond in front of your mouth and fog it with your breath just like what we do to mirrors. If the fog stays for seconds then your diamond is fake. Real diamonds won’t fog because condensation on their surface doesn’t stick.
Testing Diamond with Water
Prepare a glass of water. Then drop your diamond in the water if it floats to the top or in the middle then it’s not diamond. If it sinks it is authentic. Diamonds have a high density that’s why it sinks on water.
Testing Diamond with Magnifying Glass
Inclusions of diamonds can only be seen by magnification unless their grades are low, inclusion can be seen by the naked eye. Some diamonds are flawless and they are the highest quality of diamond which means they are pricey and rare. Use a magnifying glass to check for inclusion in your diamond. If you can not see even just a small one then your diamond is a fake of maybe lab diamonds.
Testing Diamond with Black Light
Turn off all the lights and place your diamond in front of the black light. If your diamonds are real they will show a blue fluorescence under the black light but if gray, yellow, or slight green light shows it means your diamond is fake. However, this test might not be conclusive since not all diamonds reveal fluorescence when placed under a black light.
Testing Diamond with Loupe
Jewelers use a small magnification device to check on up-close details of diamonds. This device is called a loupe. You can purchase this from online stores and they come at a reasonable price. Use your loupe to check on inclusions and imperfections. Mine diamonds will always have visible inclusions when checked under magnification unless your diamond is rare.
Now that you have an idea on how to tell if your diamond is real or fake with DIY tests. You can start testing your diamonds or if you are still buying one then buy from legit stores don’t always go for the cheaper ones. You might regret it later on. Get your money’s worth by selecting an authentic diamond store and choose wisely to be familiar with the attributes of a diamond before getting one.