How Can You Tell That A Diamond Is Real?

A real diamond can be pretty hard to come by these days.

Much like other valuables such as sterling silver and gold, there are many fakes out there, and you want to ensure that you don’t end up paying the price of a real diamond ring, for example, on a cheap knock-off.

You need to understand how best to tell that what you’re getting is a real diamond stone before you make a purchase.

There are many ways in which you can do this, which we’ll be discussing in this post.

The Price Is Usually a Dead Giveaway

It goes without saying, but you know you’re getting a fake diamond when the price is just too good to be true. A real diamond price doesn’t usually go below $500.

So, if someone advertises “real diamonds for sale” and you see prices of $200, you know it will most likely not be the real thing.

The price of a real diamond is usually much higher than what your regular budget can handle.

If you’re looking for the real deal, you should be ready to spend on it. A real diamond stone costs money, and you shouldn’t cheap out.

Professional Tools

You could also get in touch with an expert and have them test your diamond with their tools.

One of the most important is the loupe — a magnifying glass used for jewelry, gemstones, and diamonds.

With a loupe, professionals can examine imperfections in the diamond. Most real diamonds have certain flaws that show they’re natural.

With a loupe, experts can see these.
There’s also the diamond tester, which gemologists use to determine a diamond’s thermal conductivity.

Since diamonds conduct heat, they immediately disperse heat when they’re warmed. Testers provide the perfect conduction to examine this.

How Can You Tell if a Diamond Is Real With Your Eyes?

In some cases, you can check for authenticity with your very own eyes. To do this, consider the mount and setting for a diamond ring.

If you have a diamond ring, you can examine its setting and mount to know if it’s a real diamond or not.

As explained earlier, a real diamond’s price is usually pretty high. So, you can expect that a real diamond will be set in some high-quality jewelry.

It could be put in silver, white gold, sapphire, yellow gold, or halo setting rings.

To find out if the ring is what was described, look into it and check for markings.

For instance, when you see notes like 18K and 14K, they represent the type of gold used in setting the diamond stone. “Plat” and “PT” are often used to denote platinum.

Then, if you see numbers such as “950” and “900,” they usually represent gold or platinum too.

How Can I Test If a Diamond Is Real at Home?

For those who might not want to pay for a real diamond tester or any other sophisticated tool, there are some simple, home-made solutions available as well:

The Water Test

If you’re at home, you can use the water test to see if you’ve got a real diamond or a fake one.

All you have to do is get a regular drinking glass and fill it with ¾ water. Drop the diamond, pearl, or stone into the glass gently.

If the diamond sinks, then you’ve likely got a real diamond stone on your hands. If it floats at the surface or just underneath, then it’s a fake. Real diamonds come with high density, and water is perhaps the best way to test this weight.

The Fog Test

To conduct the fog test, simply hold the diamond ring or stone between two of your fingers and breathe on it. This requires no more than a puff of air. Since the human breath creates a great deal of heat and moisture, you’ll see some fog forming on the diamond.

Keep an eye on that fog. If it dissipates immediately, you have a real diamond. If the fog stays on for a few seconds, then it’s most likely fake.

Real diamonds have optimal thermal conductivity, so they disperse heat fast.

Heating and Strength Test

A real diamond will be unresponsive when heat is applied to it. So, when you get a diamond, get a drinking glass and put some cold water into it.

Hold the stone and heat it with fire for almost a minute, then drop it into the cold water.

If the stone shatters, it’s not a real diamond stone.

The Light Test

You could also place the diamond under UV light and see the reaction. Diamond gemstones usually emit a blue glow.

Keep in mind that not every real diamond glows, so, if you don’t see anything, don’t conclude that it’s not real.

Since this isn’t a definitive test, you want to have a jeweler or diamond expert examine it with their diamond testers and other equipment.

How Can You Tell the Difference Between Diamonds and Cubic Zirconia?

Cubic zirconia is essentially a knock-off of real diamonds.

It has the same look and feel, but it’s not a real diamond.

You can tell the difference using any of the test scenarios outlined above.

Alternatively, you can use the electrical conductivity test.

Real diamonds conduct electricity, while fakes like cubic zirconia and moissanite won’t.

You can also use the sparkle test, which involves holding your diamond under a lamp. If the diamond reflects white light, then it’s the real deal.

Cubic zirconia, moissanite, and other fakes will not.

Do Real Diamonds Shine in the Dark?

Diamonds don’t shine in the dark. They’re cut in a way that helps them to maximize light and its qualities, but they don’t actually shine or glow without a primary light source.

To know more about diamonds, contact or visit us at Shira Diamonds.