How to Distinguish Real From Fake Gems

It can be challenging to tell real gemstones from quality imitations.

It can be challenging to tell a real gemstone from a fake. Counterfeit stones can be manufactured with excellent quality and made to look almost identical to the real thing. By paying careful attention to the gemstones you are considering purchasing, you should be able to tell all but the highest quality fakes from the real thing.

Instructions

1. Consider where you found the gem and its price tag. If you are in an upscale jewelry store and the price tag for a gem is relatively high, the stone is probably a genuine gem. If you are at a kiosk in the mall or on the side of the road and the gemstone is very low priced, it is probably not real. People do not typically sell gems for less than they paid for them, and real stones command a fairly high price even wholesale.

2. Consider the size of the gem. It is unusual to find very large gemstones in nature. Any gemstone that is unusually large should be examined closely for authenticity.

3. Examine the color of the stone. Real gemstones naturally have some flaws and color variations. Fake stones are often uniform in color and perfectly even with no bubbles or cracks. Also, naturally occurring gemstones only occur in so many colors. If the stone is a bizarre or trendy color, such as lime green or hot pink, there is a high possibility it not a naturally occurring stone.

4. Look at the bottom of the stone. Fake stones sometimes have aluminum foil on the bottom or have been painted with any kind of reflective paint to improve the way they refract light. Real gems are shiny enough on their own and will not be augmented this way.

5. Look at the setting the gemstone is in. Valuable stones are not typically set in cheap, poor quality settings. If you notice that the setting is changing colors, chipped, bent or seems cheaply made, there is a good chance the stone is fake.

6. Take the gemstone to an expert and pay to have it professionally examined and authenticated. Sometimes this is the only way to be certain of a gem's authenticity, especially if you suspect you are dealing with very high quality fakes.

Tips & Warnings

• Always have real gems verified for authenticity before you pay for them, especially if you are not buying them through a reputable jewelry store. Some fake stones are very high quality and require an expert to identify them.

References

• Gemological Insititute of America