Know Your Diamond: 5 Ways To Identify Fake And Genuine Stones

Thinking of purchasing diamonds? Diamond is a great investment. And just like other types of investments, you have to be sure you are investing your funds in 100% genuine stone. Authenticity is a major issue that most buyers have to deal with, especially if a diamond is not GIA certificated.

So, how do you determine whether a non-certified loose diamond is real or not? Here are some simple strategies to try at home:

The water experiment

Drop the diamond in a glass of water. If it sinks to the bottom of the glass, it is authentic.

On the other hand, a fake will float because it is not as dense as a genuine stone. Use mild water for this experiment.

Light refraction / transparency test

If the water experiment doesn’t work, you can try the light refraction test. Real diamonds sparkle because of their natural ability to refract light. Typical alternatives, such as quartz, may glitter, but they have lower refractive indexes.

Grab a piece of newspaper and place a loose diamond over it. If the stone is real, it will refract light. In fact, you won’t be able to see through it.

In other words, if you can read the words on the newspaper by looking into the diamond, it isn’t real.

The fog test

Blow on the stone to produce a fog around it. As diamonds can’t retain heat, it won’t get foggy. Alternatively, a fake stone will fog up for a while and then disappear.

Focus on the stone’s sparkle

Place the diamond under light to see how it sparkles. A genuine diamond will radiate gray and white. This is what is diamond’s ‘brilliance’ refers to. At the same time, the diamond will exude shades of fire on the outside.

Keep in mind, contrary to popular belief, a diamond does not reflect rainbow colors. If you have one that emits rainbow colors, chances are it is not real.

See a diamond expert

Consult a professional jewelry appraiser. This is a sure-fire way to determine a diamond’s authenticity and value. However, choose a source that has experience in the diamond industry.

At JBE Diamonds Inc., we conduct quick and accurate diamond and diamond jewelry appraisals in NYC. We also buy and sell diamond jewelry at fair prices.

Remember, diamond is a girl’s best friend. Be sure you don’t end up with a fake one; speak with our certified diamond and jewelry experts now.