How to Tell if Diamonds are Fake

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By bostontech
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Diamonds are forever ... so long as they aren't imitations

Whether you're ready to pop the question, or just curious if all of your diamonds are the real thing, there are several easy ways to spot an imitation diamond.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Precision Scale

Step 1

Real diamonds won't give off a rainbow reflection

No do-it-yourself method will be as 100% as bringing it to your local jeweler for appraisal, but there are several tests you can do yourself for free, or cheap, if you have the equipment.

Your first step involves no equipment. Simply look at the reflections of light caused by the diamond. The color of light reflected off a real diamond should be gray; if it appears to be rainbow colored at all, it's a fake.
Step 2

Having an authentic certificate for your diamond is another easy way to make sure it's the real thing

If you're in the market for a diamond, but haven't bought yet, make sure the dealer you buy from provides you with an authentic impartial diamond grading authority (see list in resources at the bottom of this article).
Step 3

If you have another diamond, that has been confirmed to be authentic, you should weigh it in comparison to the one in question. A cubic zirconia weighs approximately 55% more than real diamonds of the same size. If you don't already have one, consider buying a precision gram scale. This will still be a cheaper alternative than bringing it to a jeweler.

Comments

cynthiantristan said

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on 6/9/2009 Thank you for sharing this extremely helpful information with us. I never knew that the light beig reflected from the diamond should be grey and that cubic zirconia weights 55% more than a diamond. There are many companies whom use cubic zirconia in place of real diamonds to save money, but at the same time making us believe it is real. Thank you for the advice and tips. Great article!