How to Tell if a Diamond is Fake

With the increasing number of fake diamonds sneaking into the jewellery market, customer is often at a risk of buying imitations thinking them to be the genuine stones. The worst part is that buying an imitation will burn a deep hole in your pocket. That is why you should know how to differentiate an authentic diamond from an imitation.

The good news is you don’t have to be a gemmologist to determine whether a diamond is real or fake. While the help of an expert is always the best way to do this, there are a few things you can do at home. Below stated are a few tests to help you determine if your diamond is real or fake.

The Fog Test or the Breath Test

As easy and quick way of verifying the authenticity of your diamond is the fog test. You can do this test on a loose diamond or with a mounted one, such as the ones mounted your diamond rings or pendants. Clean the diamond and hold it within one centimetre of your mouth. Fog it up with your breath just like you would fog a window or a mirror. Since a diamond is known to be an efficient conductor of heat, it doesn’t fog up. If your diamond stays fogged for three to four seconds, chances are it is a fake diamond.

Use the Loupe Test

A loupe is a magnifying glass using which experts inspect the colour and clarity of a diamond. You can get hold of one from a jeweller and look through it at your diamond in good light. If you can see naturally occurring flaws or inclusions in the stone, it signifies that the diamond is a real one. However, the absence of imperfections not necessarily means a fake diamond. Remember that lab-grown diamonds are without imperfections but they are real. So, be sure to also use other tests before ruling out the diamond as fake.

The Water Test or the Floating Test

There is an easy way to determine the genuineness of loose diamonds. It is called the Water Test or the Floating Test. All you need to do is to drop your diamond in a glass of water and observe if it sinks to the bottom or remains floating. The high density of a real diamond will ensure that it sinks to the bottom of the glass. If your diamond floats on the surface, you have a fake diamond. Since there are some fake diamonds that do not float on water, this test is not a conclusive one.

Of Ice and Fire: Carry Out the Fire Test

No, this test is not as terrifying as it sounds. Putting your loose diamond through the fire test is another way of verifying its authenticity. Use a candle flame or a lighter to heat up the diamond for 20 - 30 seconds. Then immediately drop it straight into a glass of cold water. Since diamonds are very strong, this test won’t harm a genuine one. While the rapid expansion and contraction will crack or shatter a fake diamond.

The Refractivity Test

Diamonds have an inherent quality of refracting or sharply bending the light passing through them. A fake diamond lacks this effect. It is possible to judge whether your loose diamond is genuine or fake by applying the two methods mentioned below:

The newspaper method: Put your diamond upside down on a piece of newspaper. If you are able to read the print or see black smudges, then the stone is probably a fake one. But it might be possible to see the print through a real diamond if its cut is disproportionate.

The dot method: Take a sheet of white paper and draw a dot on it with a pen. Place the diamond exactly over the dot and look down at it. If the diamond is genuine, you won’t be able to see the dot. If you notice a reflection in the diamond, be sure that it is a fake one.

Check the Mount or the Setting

This test is applicable for the mounted diamond. It is very unlikely that a genuine diamond will be set in an inexpensive metal. Look for the stamp inside the setting or mount of your diamond. If the stamp indicates that the setting is made up of precious metals like platinum or gold, chances are that the diamond is real. But if the stamp indicates that the setting is made of an inexpensive metal, it can mean that the diamond is not genuine. You can take your jewellery to an expert for a more conclusive result.

What to Do If  Your Diamond Fails One Or More Tests?

It is best to go one by one when conducting these tests. If your diamond fails one of the tests, do the next one to double-check the results. If your diamond fails all the tests mentioned above, there is a high probability that the stone is a fake one. But if it is able to pass even one of the tests, there is still a possibility of it being a genuine diamond. Get the stone tested professionally at a gemmologist to find out its authenticity.

How to Procure Authentic Diamonds?

In order to be sure regarding the authenticity of your diamonds, follow two important measures while buying them. First, do not indulge in buying uncertified diamonds. Second, always buy your diamonds from trusted & the certified jewellers, who are well-known for selling only high-quality diamonds and diamond jewellery. They say prevention is better than cure. A little care you exercise at the time of purchase will save you from many sleepless nights.