If you don’t understand a diamond’s components and structure, you might be led to believe that a stone is a diamond even though it’s not – such as moissanite or cubic zirconia. For this reason, it’s advisable to know how to determine a fake diamond. This guide is practical and helpful; still, no single at-home tests should be viewed as conclusive. Most pros recommend having a jeweler from palm springs jewelry help you in reviewing a diamond. They have the proper equipment and background to prove if the diamond is real or fake.
Water Tests.
Make use of this simple test to ensure a diamond is real. Find a normal sized glass and fill it up with water. Then, carefully drop the loose stone into the glass. If the gemstone sinks, it’s a real diamond. If it floats at the surface or underneath the water, you have a fake one on your hands. Real diamonds have a higher density, so the water test proves if your stone fits this level of density.
Fog Tests.
For a fog test, hold the ring or diamond between two fingers and breathe on it with a puff of air. A light fog will form on the diamond because of the heat and moisture in your breath. If the fog disappears right away, the diamond is real. If it takes a few seconds for the fog to go away, it’s most likely a fake diamond. Diamonds have the capability to effectively conduct heat and disintegrate it so easily.
Check the Setting and Mount.
If a diamond is already mounted on a ring, check the kind of mount and setting that’s been used. As the result of its costly price, a real one will only be set in high-quality jewelry. For instance, a real diamond will be mounted in materials like halo setting, side-setting, pave, yellow gold, platinum, and white gold rings. To see if the setting is authentic, look inside the ring’s center for markings. For example, the notes 18K, 14K and 10K indicate the kind of gold used. The markings Plat or PT refer to platinum. If you see numbers that include 950, 900, 770, or 585, those are markings indicating gold or platinum.
Heat the Stone to See If It Breaks.
Diamonds are composed of highly strong materials and will be unreactive to high heat. To test this, grab a drinking glass and fill it with cold water. Use a set of fireproof gloves to hold the stone. Heat the stone with a lighter for 40 minutes and then drop the stone directly into the cold water. If the stone breaks, it’s composed of weaker components and isn’t a genuine diamond. Real diamonds will have no reaction.
Stones that aren’t diamonds will not refract light. They’ll have less brilliance if any at all. To test the diamond’s refractivity, contact a skilled jeweler.
