Diamonds are one of the most expensive gems that have become a part of our fashion and choice. Though people are ready to pay a high price for a real product, every year thousands of people are scammed around the world with fake ones. Then how will you know if the diamond you are buying is real or not? Here are 7 ways to tell if your ring’s diamond is real or fake-
1. Scratch test
A very common fact we know about diamonds is- ‘they scratch glass’. But what most of us don’t know is, a lot other stones show the same principle. So, a lot of the gems, including diamonds can put scratches on a glass surface but, a diamond piece is not that easy to be scratched as they are one of the hardest materials on Earth. So, to test a stone, if it is a real diamond or not, you’ll have to take a magnifying glass or a jeweler’s loupe to look at the stone’s surface very carefully, suggests novitadiamonds. Now, while you are looking at the stone look for scratches. If there are scratches on the surface of the stone, that is definitely not a diamond.
If your stone passes the test, there is a chance that your stone can be a real diamond. But it is not fixed yet. So, move on to the next test to be more certain.
2. Water jar test
For this one, take a transparent jar or a mug and fill it with water. Now take the stone in question and drop it in the jar. If the stone is a real diamond it would fall straight to the bottom of the jar without almost any resistance. As diamonds are really high-density material, the substitutes or the fake diamonds would usually take longer than a diamond to sink in the bottom of the jar. Usually, a fake diamond would take a pause either on the top or at the mid-point of the jar while falling down.
3. Reading test
All the objects in our surroundings reflect light. In fact, that is how we actually see the world. But the clear objects around us usually refract some of the light passing through them. And that refraction is different for different objects. We can also use that science to test a diamond. Take the stone and put it on top of any writings. If you can figure out the letters underneath the stone even though a bit distorted, that stone is definitely not a diamond. If you do the same with a real diamond you are not supposed to understand any letters under the diamond. This test has proven to be very effective from time to time.
4. Breath test
This test is a very simple one and you don’t need anything else as long as you can breathe. You should perform this test in a surrounding place like a closed room as airflow can affect the test’s result. Now, take the stone and take it close to your mouth. All you have to do is breathe on the stone for a few seconds so that the stone is fogged up. Count time it takes the haziness to go away. If it is from 1 to 2 seconds your stone is a real diamond. But if it takes any longer than that the stone is definitely not diamond.
5. Sandpaper test
This test can be harmful to a fake diamond. But if a real diamond is in question, the diamond would pass the test with the same sparkle as before.
Take sandpaper and lay it with the abrasive side up on top of a table or any stable place. Now take the gem you are testing and rub it on the sandpaper. Be careful and don’t hurt your fingers. Now, if the diamond is a real one, it would have survived because of its hardness. But a fake diamond is going to have a rough time on the sandpaper test as rubbing it on the sandpaper would harm the surface of the stone and put a lot of scratches on the fake one. So, the sandpaper test would have no effect on a real diamond.
6. Heat test
For this test, you are going to need a source of fire and a jar filled with water. You must remember that this test is actually totally destructive for a fake diamond. But, if there are any kinds of impurities in your diamond, this test can harm those impurities also. So, be careful before performing this test.
Take the diamond in question and hold it on top of the source of fire for about 30 seconds. After that drop the diamond inside the jar of water. While you take the diamond out notice carefully for the changes. Some say in this test if your diamond is a fake one it can shatter into pieces. But most often a false diamond would have been cracked from inside and would lose all the similarities with a real diamond. As you can guess already, a real diamond would have no effect in this test also!
7. Machine test
To be absolutely sure about a diamond you can test it with a diamond tester as the last option. There are different machines out there with different price ranges. Depending on some factors, the machine would be able to tell if the diamond is real or fake. There are some machines that promise to provide 100% accurate results. Read the instructions properly before using the machine.
Always remember to be cautious before buying anything and be sure of what you are paying for. It is best to buy diamonds from a trusted source such as AustralianDiamondBrokers and to go to the shops which are certified and carry a good record.
**Please note that a lab made diamond can pass all these tests as they are chemically and structurally real diamonds.
