While buying diamond jewelry, you'll probably see some specimens being offered at unbelievable prices. There's a good chance that at least a few of them aren't real, though. There's nothing wrong with fake diamonds, and some couples like them better, but you should never pay real diamond prices for fakes.
Fake diamonds can be made or presented in many different ways, and some fakes are even nice gems on their own. However, anyone who wants a diamond shouldn't be taken in by them. Anyone who really understands the different kinds of diamond look alikes should learn how to spot them and know when they're looking at the real thing.
Moissanite - This is a very rare mineral that looks like a diamond, but it's chemically and physically quite different. This diamond fake isn't as common as some of the others, as its rarity means that moissanite sold as itself can cost more than natural diamonds.
Cubic Zirconia - a common diamond substitute, cubic zirconia are cheaper, look very similar, and are a lot heavier than the real thing.
Artificially Made Diamonds - These real diamonds are chemically and physically identical to natural stones, but shouldn't be sold as natural diamonds, since they were made in a lab. They're a lot cheaper than good natural diamonds.
Faceted Crystal "Diamonds" - Attractive cut glass stones may look good, but they're not very high quality and durability is low. These stones could even shatter in a ring.
The four characteristics that help guide you in finding out whether a diamond is real and what quality it is are called the four Cs. These are cut, color, carat and clarity, and learning about them will help you keep from being fooled by unscrupulous jewelers.
Work with jewelers you trust, and who have a good reputation. Make sure that they can answer detailed, educated questions about your diamond, and keep an eye out for the major scams.
When you're deciding if a diamond is the real deal, have a look at its setting. These extremely expensive gems won't be in a setting with insecure or inferior placement or a crude setting. If the setting doesn't look good, the diamond almost certainly isn't real.
While you're looking, see if there's damage on the stone. A diamond is a hard gem that doesn't scratch or scuff easily. It reflects light in gray or neutral tones - rainbow sparkles are for fakes.
Is the stone transparent enough? Turn loose diamonds upside down onto a piece of paper with printing on it. If you do this, you shouldn't be able to read text through the light dispersion of a real stone.
You shouldn't be afraid to take a very close look at your diamond through a magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe. A real stone will be well cut and have good definition, with fakes having asymmetry and being poorly cut. Real diamonds have faceted girdles, and may even have numbers on the girdle.
The fog test is another option. Because of their unique properties, diamonds rapidly disperse heat. That means that if you fog the diamond with your breath, it will vanish quickly, while imitation stones will remain fogged for a number of seconds. - 15359
Fake diamonds can be made or presented in many different ways, and some fakes are even nice gems on their own. However, anyone who wants a diamond shouldn't be taken in by them. Anyone who really understands the different kinds of diamond look alikes should learn how to spot them and know when they're looking at the real thing.
Moissanite - This is a very rare mineral that looks like a diamond, but it's chemically and physically quite different. This diamond fake isn't as common as some of the others, as its rarity means that moissanite sold as itself can cost more than natural diamonds.
Cubic Zirconia - a common diamond substitute, cubic zirconia are cheaper, look very similar, and are a lot heavier than the real thing.
Artificially Made Diamonds - These real diamonds are chemically and physically identical to natural stones, but shouldn't be sold as natural diamonds, since they were made in a lab. They're a lot cheaper than good natural diamonds.
Faceted Crystal "Diamonds" - Attractive cut glass stones may look good, but they're not very high quality and durability is low. These stones could even shatter in a ring.
The four characteristics that help guide you in finding out whether a diamond is real and what quality it is are called the four Cs. These are cut, color, carat and clarity, and learning about them will help you keep from being fooled by unscrupulous jewelers.
Work with jewelers you trust, and who have a good reputation. Make sure that they can answer detailed, educated questions about your diamond, and keep an eye out for the major scams.
When you're deciding if a diamond is the real deal, have a look at its setting. These extremely expensive gems won't be in a setting with insecure or inferior placement or a crude setting. If the setting doesn't look good, the diamond almost certainly isn't real.
While you're looking, see if there's damage on the stone. A diamond is a hard gem that doesn't scratch or scuff easily. It reflects light in gray or neutral tones - rainbow sparkles are for fakes.
Is the stone transparent enough? Turn loose diamonds upside down onto a piece of paper with printing on it. If you do this, you shouldn't be able to read text through the light dispersion of a real stone.
You shouldn't be afraid to take a very close look at your diamond through a magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe. A real stone will be well cut and have good definition, with fakes having asymmetry and being poorly cut. Real diamonds have faceted girdles, and may even have numbers on the girdle.
The fog test is another option. Because of their unique properties, diamonds rapidly disperse heat. That means that if you fog the diamond with your breath, it will vanish quickly, while imitation stones will remain fogged for a number of seconds. - 15359
About the Author:
Receiving a diamond pendant is great, but not as great as a diamond engagement rings. Diamond Tree have a great selection of both available.
