Not sure if the diamonds you possess are real? It can be a task to distinguish between real and fake diamonds, as they appear to be almost alike. However, a few simple tests carried out at home can help you see the difference. This article talks about 5 tips that you can use to check the authenticity of your diamonds.
In today’s world, it’s okay to get a little suspicious over the genuineness of the jewellery you own. If your jewellery comes with a certificate of authentication, then you can be rest assured that it is real. But, if the piece is a gift, or inherited from your ancestors, you cannot be certain as it is tough to distinguish between real and fake diamonds.
Here are a few simple tests you can conduct at home and find out if the gems in your necklace are real diamonds, or not.
Testing Mounted Diamonds-
The Fog Test
To conduct this test to check if the stone you have is a real diamond or a fake one, all you have to do is fog it up, like you would fog up a mirror. If the stone stays fogged up for a few seconds, then it is mostly a fake one. But, if the stone clears up and disperses the fog almost immediately, then it is a real diamond.
To be doubly sure, hold a stone in your other hand, that you know is fake, and fog up both the stones together. If both the stones disperse fog in the same amount of time, then you will understand both your gems are unreal.
Check The Setting And Mount
Another simple way to determine the authenticity of a diamond is by checking the metal it is set in. As diamonds are precious and expensive, they are usually placed in high-quality metals like yellow gold, white gold, platinum, etc.
Your diamond jewellery is most likely to have a stamp like this- 10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat on them, and that indicates that the metal is either gold or platinum.
However, if you come across a “C.Z.” stamp, the stone is Cubic Zirconia and not a diamond.
Testing Unmounted Diamonds
The Water Test
Diamonds have a high density compared to other stones and this can be used to check if they are real or not.
To carry out this test, all you need is a glass of water and the gem you have. Carefully drop the gem in the glass of water and watch what happens. If the gem sinks to the bottom of the glass, then the gem is a real diamond. If it surfaces the water and remains on the top of the glass, the gem is fake.
The Dot Test
Diamonds have a high refractive index, and that is what gives them the brilliant reflection. On the other hand, other stones like quartz, glass, C.Z. do not refract light like a diamond.
This property is used in testing for their authenticity. Place a white paper on a plain surface and draw a small dot. Now, place the gem over the dot, with the flat surface facing downwards. Next, look directly down on the gem, and try to see the dot. You should not be able to see the dot through a real diamond, while a little reflection of the dot will be visible from the fake stone.
The Heat Test
Diamonds are incredibly hard and unresponsive to high and low temperatures.
To check the realness of stone with this property, all you have to do is hold the stone over a lighter or burner and heat it up for approximately 30 to 40 seconds. Immediately after that, drop the stone in a glass of cold water. The sudden change in temperatures will cause a weaker stone to shatter, and break. On the other hand, diamonds will remain unresponsive to the hot and cold temperatures.
These tests are most likely to give you conclusive results, and you will know for sure if the diamond necklace you possess if real or fake. However, if there is any doubt left, you can always get it tested by a professional and find out what the reality of your diamonds is.