How to Tell if a Diamond Engagement Ring is Real or Fake

Test the authenticity of your diamond ring at home.

Unless the box is blue with Tiffany written on it, you may want to check to determine if you have a cubic zirconium hiding in plain sight ... within a fancy engagement ring setting. You can tell if a diamond is real or fake with a few at-home tests.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• loupe
• diamond ring appraiser
• carats and weight of your diamond ring

1. Apply the scratch test. A fake diamond engagement ring will be made of a substance more pliable than a real diamond. Although the diamond mirror scratch test is an urban legend, the results ring true: if the diamond engagement ring doesn't scratch glass, it is a fabulous fake.

2. Look for signs of perfection in the diamond ring. A too-perfect diamond ring, without any inclusions or imperfections, is a dead giveaway to a laboratory created sparkler. Use a jeweler's loupe or a magnifying lens to check for hints of perfection that will reveal the authenticity of the stone.

3. Fog the diamond engagement ring to determine if it is real or fake. To administer the fog test, position the diamond ring in front of your mouth and blow hot air until the diamond is cloudy. The authentic diamond ring will release the foggy air immediately. The fake diamond will remain foggy for at least 10 to 15 seconds.

4. Take the transparency test. Hold the diamond over a newspaper. Turn it over and see if you can read the paper through the diamond. If not, you've got a diamond; if so, yours is fake.

Tips & Warnings

• While the tests in this article are simple methods to determine the authenticity of a diamond, the best method is to have a jeweler appraise the diamond.

References

• Diamond Cutters International; Is It the Real Thing?; Fred Cuellar