Buying a diamond is special that we all cherish for our entire lives. Gifting designer diamond jewellery is extra special, and connected to our emotions. Whether buying or gifting, it will not make sense if we are unsure if it is a real stone. There are many fake diamonds these days which are mistaken for real ones. A few natural gems resemble diamonds like white sapphire, zircon and topaz. This article is for you if you are wondering how to find out whether a diamond is real. Keep reading to know more.
Ways to Check the Authenticity of a Designer Diamond Jewellery
When questioning the authenticity of any designer diamond jewellery, getting help from a reputed jeweller is always recommended. However, there are a few simple tests which you can do at home to find out if the diamond is real or fake. Before trying any of the suggested methods, do your groundwork properly. There are a lot of diamond substitutes in places like Chennai, which are priced in a lower range than the original ones.
You must also learn the difference between loose and mounted diamonds. It is easy to test a loose diamond as it is not mounted in any setting. Mounted diamonds can hide chipped or cracked portions. They will reflect light and make it difficult for experts to assess their clarity and colour. But if you want to determine the authenticity of a mounted diamond, get help from reputed diamond jewellers to remove the stone and do the inspection.
Primary Tests Used by Reputed Diamond Jewellers- An Overview
A few tests are of primary importance to determine whether a diamond is real or fake. They are:
Fog Test
This is an easy and quick method to determine whether a designer diamond jewellery is real or fake. You must fog up the diamond stone with breath by placing it in front of the mouth. If the fog clears up immediately, then the diamond stone is real. But if the stone remains fogged for over three seconds, it is a fake diamond. The science behind this concept is that diamonds disperse the heat immediately, preventing fog. Before attempting this method, ensure that the diamonds are clean without any oil content on their surface.
Water Test
The water test is another easy way to find the authenticity of diamonds by the most reputed diamond jewellers in Chennai. You have to drop the diamond stone into a glass of water. If the diamond is original, it will sink to the bottom due to its high density. But if the stone floats, then it must be fake. Not all diamonds that float are fake, so you should perform another test when the water test fails.
Magnifying Glass Test
Using a magnifying glass, reputed diamond jewellers find out whether a diamond is real. They look for imperfections within the stone, and if the diamond looks completely flawless, there are high chances for it to be fake. Most of the diamonds will have minor flaws, which are called inclusions. However, flawless diamonds are also available that are either highly-priced or created in labs.
Black Light Test
You will need a black light to determine whether your designer diamond jewellery is real or fake. Turn off all the lights and place the stone near a UV light. Be patient to observe the reaction. Pure diamonds will emit a glowing blue colour when placed under UV light. If the stone is not real, you see a yellow, grey or mild green fluorescence. A black-light test is not conclusive as not all diamonds will emit a blue colour.
Fire Test
Just as its name suggests, fire the stone for about 30 seconds and then drop it in cold water. If the diamond is fake, it will shatter into pieces as weaker materials cannot handle immediate expansion and contraction. But if it is real, there won’t be any reaction as they are developed under increased heat and pressure under the earth’s surface for several years. This is a precise way to test any designer diamond jewellery but is dangerous as we use fire. It is essential to take safety measures while using this method, like wearing heat-resistant gloves.
Read Also: Diamond Guide: What to Know Before You Buy
Other Methods to Determine Whether the Diamonds Are Real or Fake
The other methods that reputed diamond jewellers in Chennai follow are:
Scratch Test
The scratch test is done by scraping the stone on a mirror to check whether it develops any scratch. Real diamonds are strong and do not develop any scratch. However, the most commonly used fakes for diamonds like cubic zirconia, black spinel and moissanite are also durable and scratch-resistant. Therefore, this test is inaccurate, and it is always recommended to follow up with a loupe inspection procedure.
Transparency Test
Perform this test by first cleaning the diamond and then placing it on a newspaper. It is probably a fake diamond if you can read the newspaper letters. As real diamonds refract light in various directions, you will not be able to read the letters on the paper through a pure stone. This test is done to check the diamond’s refractivity by many reputed diamond jewellers in Chennai and other popular cities of India.
Sparkle Test
Hold the diamond under a lamp and observe the light reflections. A real diamond stone will sparkle well as it reflects the light in various directions. But if it is a fake stone, it can reflect the light in only one direction and will not sparkle. Cubic zirconia, a popular fake diamond stone, creates a rainbow of light similar to real diamonds when placed under a white lamp. Therefore, this method is not trustworthy enough to check the authenticity of any designer diamond jewellery and has to be re-checked with primary tests.
The Takeaway
Although all the above methods test whether a diamond is real or fake, you should consider combining two or more tests before confirming its authenticity. When unsure, reach out to diamond experts in places like Chennai for guidance and gain a GIA or AGS certificate. Browse our latest designer diamond jewellery on the Khwaahish website and see how unique our patterns are made with authentic diamond stones.
