Real Diamonds: Finding out the Difference
Although only certified gemologists are the only people who can actually tell if a diamond is real or not, there are some low tech ways of determining if the diamond you are considering is real or man-made. This can be especially helpful if you are at a flea market or pawn shop and can’t take the stone off the premises. These simple test can be used to compare how each refracts light, conducts heat, and looks under magnification (and save you a lot of money).
- The quickest way is to simply breathe on it (with the intent to fog it up as you would a mirror). Real diamonds disperse heat instantaneously. If after fogging it up, it stays fogged up for 3 seconds or longer, then it’s not a real diamond. In order for this test to be accurate, it must be completely clean from any oil, dirt, or any other material.
- If you have a jeweler’s loupe (or magnifying glass), examine your diamond up close. All diamonds have at least some inclusions (flaws) or blemishes. If the diamond looks completely flawless, then it’s most likely not real.
- If you can separate the diamond from the setting, place it on some newspaper (where there is some text) with the point up. If you can see the newsprint fairly clearly through the stone, then it’s not a real diamond. Real diamonds disperses light as it passes through them, making the print look a little distorted.
- Sometimes real diamonds are treated with “fracture filling”, with the same material that is used to fix repairs on windshields. With magnification these fillings can be detected fairly easily. These fillings can be emptied with heat or some household chemicals. Most states have laws against selling modified diamonds, without disclosing it on the certificate.
- Check the quality of the setting. Real diamonds are always placed in high quality settings. If the stone is poorly placed in the setting, is crooked or loose, or the metal looks like iron or silver, then it’s most likely not a real diamond.
Certification for Real Diamonds
If you are going to spend several thousand dollars on a real diamond, make sure to have it inspected by a real licensed gemologist, and have it appraised by someone not selling you the diamond. This is the only way to know for certain you are receiving the real thing, and avoid any headaches. If you plan on insuring the diamond later on, a certification will be necessary anyway.
When Their Not Real Diamonds
Depending on the couple, a fake diamond could be their preference. Some can be virtually indistinguishable from a real diamond, and are considerably more affordable. Most of the time, vendors of fake diamonds will offer a lifetime guarantee of the stone (not the setting), even if it’s destroyed in a garbage disposal or even if was just lost. With diamonds they require at least a shard of evidence, and recertification every six months, in order to have a valid warranty.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter to some women if the diamond is real or not, it only matters what it symbolizes: a lifetime commitment of love to each other.
