If you're in the market for jewelry, you're probably seeing a lot of diamonds at prices that are hard to believe. Of course, there's a good chance that some of them are fakes. There's nothing wrong with choosing an imitation stone as long as you know it's a fake, but no one should have to pay real diamond prices for them.
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 - a rare mineral that looks a lot like a diamond, but has really different chemical and physical properties. This isn't the most common diamond fake, since its rarity means that it may cost more than a natural diamond.
Cubic Zirconia - Commonly substituted for diamonds, cubic zirconia weigh more and are much heavier than the real gem.
Man Made Diamond - These are real diamonds, and are identical to natural ones both chemically and physically, but they were never in the ground and didn't form under the same unique conditions. Artificial diamonds are often much cheaper than natural ones.
Faceted Crystal - These cut glass stones are beautiful, but they're lower in quality and nowhere near as durable as a real diamond. A "stone" that's really crystal could even shatter in your ring.
The four Cs - carat, cut, color and clarity - can guide you in determining whether something is a real diamond or not, and if it's real, whether it's a good one. Knowing more about diamonds will help you avoid being fooled by false gems or buying cheap ones at a too-high price.
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 examining a diamond for quality, don't forget to look at the setting. These expensive gems won't be placed in a loose, crooked, or badly made setting, and if yours seems low quality, the stone probably isn't real, either.
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 close look at your diamond, either. Use a magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe to see if the stone is well cut and if it has a faceted girdle around the middle. Some high end specialty stones are numbered on the girdle, as well.
Use the fog test on suspected fakes, too. Diamonds disperse heat rapidly, meaning that if you fog the diamond with your breath, it vanishes fast. Imitation stones remain fogged for a while.
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 - a rare mineral that looks a lot like a diamond, but has really different chemical and physical properties. This isn't the most common diamond fake, since its rarity means that it may cost more than a natural diamond.
Cubic Zirconia - Commonly substituted for diamonds, cubic zirconia weigh more and are much heavier than the real gem.
Man Made Diamond - These are real diamonds, and are identical to natural ones both chemically and physically, but they were never in the ground and didn't form under the same unique conditions. Artificial diamonds are often much cheaper than natural ones.
Faceted Crystal - These cut glass stones are beautiful, but they're lower in quality and nowhere near as durable as a real diamond. A "stone" that's really crystal could even shatter in your ring.
The four Cs - carat, cut, color and clarity - can guide you in determining whether something is a real diamond or not, and if it's real, whether it's a good one. Knowing more about diamonds will help you avoid being fooled by false gems or buying cheap ones at a too-high price.
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 examining a diamond for quality, don't forget to look at the setting. These expensive gems won't be placed in a loose, crooked, or badly made setting, and if yours seems low quality, the stone probably isn't real, either.
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 close look at your diamond, either. Use a magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe to see if the stone is well cut and if it has a faceted girdle around the middle. Some high end specialty stones are numbered on the girdle, as well.
Use the fog test on suspected fakes, too. Diamonds disperse heat rapidly, meaning that if you fog the diamond with your breath, it vanishes fast. Imitation stones remain fogged for a while.
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