How to recognize a diamond at home. How to tell a real diamond from a fake
1. Certificate
Availability of an appropriate certificate confirming the authenticity of the goods. Any valuable thing is accompanied by a document that allows its owner to sleep peacefully after spending a large amount of money. So, if a diamond was purchased from a well-known firm, somewhere in Antwerp, for example, this should be enough for you to be sure of the authenticity of the purchase. 2. Bright shine
Look through the stone. Since the diamond has a high degree of refraction, this allows it to sparkle strongly. Accordingly, no degree of cut will allow glass or quartz to sparkle as brightly due to the significantly lower refractive index. 
3. Transparency
If your diamond is rimless, place the flat side of it on a magazine or newspaper. If you can see through it or even read something, then it is most likely not a diamond. 4. Invisible cut
If the diamond is set, you shouldn't see the top and cut angles through it. 5. Double refraction
The absence of traces of double refraction may indicate that this is not a diamond, but moissanite. double refraction - when a ray of light falls perpendicular to the surface of a diamond, then on this surface it is split into two rays. The first ray propagates straight, and the second deflects to the side. 6. Reflections of shades of gray and only grays
Real diamonds sparkle in different shades of gray, so take a close look at the sparkle of the stone. Sparkling with all the colors of the rainbow is a sign of a poor quality diamond or a fake diamond. 
7. Perfect from all sides
Take the time to inspect the diamond from all sides. As a rule, a fake only looks good from above, so it makes sense to look at the stone from the side. 8. Does not fog up
Breathe on the diamond. If the stone becomes cloudy for a couple of seconds, then it is a fake diamond. A real diamond will stay clean. 9. Not visible in water
Place the diamond in water. There is a type of counterfeit when the top of the stone is real and the bottom is made of a fake. In the water, you can see if the stone is solid. And if not, then the docking places. Real solid diamonds are not visible in water. 
10. Weight
Zirconium is 55% heavier than diamond, so weigh the stone and compare its weight on the stone size matching table to gram or carat weight. 11. Brand
Cheap frames may indicate a fake. Check the presence of a stamp on the frame and its compliance with quality metal (10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat). If there is no mark or it is a “CZ” type mark, then it is a fake. 12. Ultraviolet test
Put the diamond under UV light. Most of the diamonds will glow blue. Green, yellow, or gray glow indicates moissanite is in front of you. 
13. Cuts glass
A diamond can cut glass or at least leave a scratch on it. In addition, the diamond will leave a scratch on the polished surface of other stones. 14. Doesn't heat up quickly
Hold the diamond in your hand. It shouldn't heat up quickly, so for a while you will feel a cool stone in your hand. 15. Not afraid of sandpaper
Run over the diamond with sandpaper. If there are traces on the diamond, then it is definitely a fake. However, the absence of traces does not give a 100% guarantee that this is a real stone. Additional checks are required. Precious stones, like metals, have amazing qualities, not only physical, but also aesthetic. This contributes to the constant growth of their value, which means that it arouses the interest of attackers to make a fake that could be sold, for example, at the price of a diamond. Moreover, modern technologies make it possible to do this quite plausibly. Therefore, one must try very hard to distinguish between genuine and fake stones.
Determine the parameters of the assessment
It's no secret that the cost of diamonds is very high. In order not to fall into the trap, it is worth figuring out how you can distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia, from moissanite or glass, since their visual similarity is obvious.
Of course, only a specialist with the necessary knowledge, experience and equipment can reliably distinguish a natural diamond from an artificial one. However, let's try to figure out how you can carry out the procedure at home.
Cut
As is customary for trade rules, diamonds are diamonds with strictly 57 facets. And this amount is caused not by the desire to protect the stone from counterfeiting: so many facets provide excellent reflectivity of light falling on the mineral.
Given the type of cut, there are and correspond to the names: "pear", "princess".
Decoding the label
It is also worth focusing on what information the label hides. For this, we will give an example:
2 Cr 57 - 0.10 4/2,
where 2 - the product contains two stones, Kr - speaks of a round cut; 57 - the number of faces; 0.10 - weight of two stones, carat; 4 - the color of the diamond according to the following gradation: "1" - colorless stones, "9" - yellowish; 2 - parameter of defectiveness. A total of 12 divisions were invented. The first three indicate no inclusions; 4-6 - inconspicuous inclusions; 7-10 - slightly noticeable inclusions; 12- explicit inclusions in the structure.
Explore at home
- as you know, a real diamond has a high hardness, so it is not easy to machine; therefore, an easy way to determine the authenticity of a stone at home is to use sandpaper - no damage will remain on the surface of a natural material after such an impact;
- if you have a sapphire or emerald that you don’t mind spoiling, it will help in determining the truth: a diamond is scratched with a stone, only a diamond can leave a mark on it;
- you can breathe on the stone: diamonds conduct heat well, therefore such an effect should not cause fogging, while glass or cubic zirconia will be covered with small drops;
- hence another way to check: the stone must be held in the hand, even after heat exposure, the diamond should still remain cool; if the stone has warmed up - a reason to think about authenticity;
- you can use hydrochloric acid: it will not have a negative effect on a diamond, while characteristic traces will definitely remain on artificial stones;
- If you put any oil on a real diamond stone, and then press this surface against the glass, the product will stick.
Such simple and straightforward experiments will make it possible to distinguish a real diamond from a fake with a high probability of accuracy. Next, let's figure out how to find the differences, comparing with glass and cubic zirconia.
Glass
- a simple option to look through a diamond at a book or newspaper: the letters should not be readable; of course, you need to make one amendment - if the stone is cut with high quality;
- a powerful loupe can help you distinguish the difference if the diamond is not of very high quality, which requires a powerful loupe; 20x magnification is enough to detect inclusions, the synthetic material will not allow you to find any defects;
- Earlier, another testing method was cited that did not find widespread use: it was believed that a real diamond becomes invisible when immersed in water, but this belief is true only for a small number of stones that have very high clarity and transparency.
Cubic zirconia
Now let's look at how to distinguish a diamond from a cubic zirconia with and without a ring. It should be noted that the already described test methods can be used: acid, heat, fat, and others.
There is also an opinion that if you look at the light through a diamond, only a point will be visible, and cubic zirconia will transmit light.
In addition, this stone will not leave a mark on the glass when pressed against the surface. A diamond will leave a scratch.
Zirconium
In fact, we are talking about determining the difference between a diamond not from zirconium, but from zircon. When viewed, its edges are slightly blurred, rounded. A diamond has sharp edges. And if you use a magnifying glass, you can see the bifurcation of the back edges - this is zircon.
In this case, hydrochloric acid is also suitable for testing, observing light through a stone. If the stone is pressed into the ring, then it will be impossible to see the finger through it, if it is a diamond. And zircon will allow it, since it has a different refractive index.
Drawing conclusions
As you can see, without the appropriate knowledge, experience and equipment, there are all possibilities to determine the authenticity of a stone, even in a product. You just need to choose the best options for yourself, and then conduct experiments.
If you still have doubts, you can contact a specialist who is guaranteed to deliver the correct verdict on this issue.
After purchasing jewelry with precious stones, many people turn to specialists to establish the authenticity of the product. If you wish, you can do this on your own; over the years, many methods have been formed that will help you check a diamond at home. Such approaches do not guarantee an accurate result, but they allow you to determine what kind of stone in the setting is a high-quality cut diamond, ordinary quartz, cheap zircon or glass.
The easiest way to evaluate a diamond is rimless; you don't even need special tools for this. To check a diamond, the quality of which was in question, a professional just needs to inspect a specimen:
- We take a stone and bring it to a source of bright light. While the glass reflects the rays of the entire surface, the diamond seems to transmit the ray inside itself. In this case, the light is either collected in the form of a small point, or evenly distributed around the perimeter, highlighting the edges.
- The diamond is capable of distorting the rays passing through it, and this property can be used to establish the authenticity of the product. We take a sheet of paper with printed text, place it on a perfectly flat surface and put a diamond on top. If the letters can be read through it without problems, then this glass has nothing to do with precious stones. Some glasses also enlarge the image, but this is also not an indicator of quality.
- If possible, it is recommended to compare the quality of the edges of the test piece with a real stone and ordinary glass. You need to take a magnifying glass and determine the texture of which of the test items the prototype looks like. Quartz is characterized by ideal surface smoothness, purity and sharpness of edges. If the borders are blurred and covered with small scratches, this is glass.
The listed techniques will become a good help only after practicing these actions in practice. If there is no time or opportunity to study, you can resort to simpler, but no less informative methods.
Simple folk methods for checking diamonds
There are several dozen options for checking diamonds for authenticity - from logical and quite effective to the most incredible. At home, you can limit yourself to the following:
- We lower the stone into the water. A perfect piece will become invisible, but if there are scratches on it, they will be visible even if the item is real. But this technique allows you to check the stone for collection. This is when one product consists of real and counterfeit parts, which is often used to increase its weight and volume.
- We take a prototype and scratch its surface with corundum. A real diamond will not react in any way to such an impact and will not be covered with even the smallest traces.
- Contrary to popular belief, a diamond does not shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow and does not shine with all facets. The pure product shimmers in different shades of gray. True, in some cases it is not the authenticity of the product that is questioned, but its quality.
- By analogy with corundum, it is allowed to use sandpaper. With its help, we are trying to scratch the surface of the stone. It is important not to confuse the tool and not take a professional sandpaper, which will erase a real diamond.
- The easiest way is to breathe on a stone. A real jewel will not fog up, unlike glass. The method is convenient in that it can be used to check the quality of the product not only at home, but also in a jewelry store.
Tip: The diamond really has increased strength and resistance to external influences, but it is strictly forbidden to check its authenticity with a hammer. Even the strongest and purest diamond will crack from such a harsh impact.
- Another safe and fast method. Lubricate the stone with vegetable oil and apply it to the glass. A real diamond will absorb grease and adhere easily to the surface.
- The authenticity of the product will help to establish an ultraviolet lamp. Under its beam, a real stone will turn bright blue and sparkle much stronger than under the sun. The fake will begin to cast a yellow-green light, reflecting only single reflections.
- On a good stone, there can be no dusting from the metal from which its frame is made. For this reason, diamonds are often taken out of their places for an overall appraisal of the items.
Applying the listed methods, it is worth remembering that artificially grown diamonds are actively used today. But they repeat the texture of the original with such accuracy that even experienced jewelers cannot always determine where the stone was taken from the ground, and where is the professional “fake”.
A diamond is a diamond cut using a special technique. The most expensive of natural and artificial stones, the cost of a diamond exceeds the cost of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, noble opals and alexandrites.
For this reason, this crystal is the record holder for the number of counterfeits.
Under the guise of natural cut diamonds they sell:
- synthesized diamonds;
- cubic zirconia;
- moissanites;
- leucosapphires;
- white topaz;
- transparent spinel;
- white beryls;
- zircons;
- yttrium aluminum garnets;
- rhinestone;
- rhinestones (glass fakes);
- combinations of the listed materials.
Let's figure out how you can tell a real diamond from a fake?
The main properties of the stone
To identify a real diamond, you need to know its properties.
It is the hardest substance in the world, its hardness is 10 Mohs units. Only a diamond can cut through the surface of a sapphire or ruby.
Hardness does not mean strength. A diamond can be shattered with a strong hammer blow - it will crumble like glass.
Although the hammer will leave a dent after that.
This stone is the only monomer among all precious minerals, that is, it consists of only one substance - carbon. But it may include impurities of substances that were in nature in the vicinity of it.
It is a transparent mineral, devoid of the properties of pleochroism - that is, it does not change color under any circumstances. Has a high refractive index. The diamond refracts light very strongly, and this property is used for self-testing.
A genuine stone has a pronounced dispersion, that is, it "decomposes" the light beam into components along the spectrum.
This explains the play of light on the surface of the stone. At the same time, due to strong refraction, there are no bright colors in the game. This stone does not glow with all the colors of the rainbow, it gives a soft silvery glow.
It has no birefringence.
It is characterized by luminescence - glow in ultraviolet, X-ray and cathode rays, to a lesser extent - in sunlight. This property is also used to determine the authenticity of a diamond.
Diamond has high thermal conductivity, it heats up quickly.
If you try to set it on fire in the air, it burns, turning into carbon dioxide.
Insoluble in acids, except for hydrofluoric acid.
The standard number of diamond facets is 57.
How to check a diamond?
It is difficult to reliably determine at home whether a diamond is in front of you or an imitation.
A guarantee of the result will be given only by a qualified specialist who has the appropriate equipment - a heat-conducting probe, an ultraviolet lamp, etc., as well as specialized education and experience.
All methods of verifying the authenticity of a diamond at home are designed to suspect a fake. If in doubt, hand over the stone for examination.
Primary verification methods
A cut diamond is set in silver only in one case - if it is of low grade (Fair or Bad according to the international GIA classification).
Only gold or platinum serves as a frame for high-quality ones.
The originality of the diamond is confirmed by the corresponding quality certificate.
Check how the diamond is set in the setting. A quick way to recognize a fake is to make sure that the bottom - in the language of jewelers “pavilion” - is not visible in the jewelry. This means that it is glued or covered with a metallized film. Diamonds are never fastened in this way, because in this case the stamp cannot be read.
You can distinguish a diamond from a fake with a magnifying glass. Take a closer look at the pavilion under a magnifying glass - there is the manufacturer's laser mark.
Brands such as "CZ", "LG" or "Gemesis created" should be alarming.
The first means cubic zirconia - a substitute, zirconium oxide, and the second and third - markers of artificially grown diamonds. In terms of chemical composition and properties, they do not differ from natural ones, but they are estimated much lower.
Glass or rock crystal is defined under a magnifying glass - they are softer or therefore have soft, "smoothed" corners of the edges. In a cut diamond, they are sharply outlined.
Appreciate the sparkle and play of light of the stone. In this area, no zircon, rhinestone or glass can be compared to a diamond. But cubic zirconia has a similar light play, and moissanite even surpasses diamond in this indicator.
Pay attention: this crystal does not have a "rainbow" game, it shines with an even silvery light.
If the stone is at least 1 carat in size, then look through it at the text in a book or newspaper. You will not see anything through a real stone - the refraction is too high. If you can see the letters, you have a fake in front of you.
Diamonds are easily distinguished from cubic zirconia by the latter's birefringence. If a ray of light passed through the crystal bifurcates - cubic zirconia, moissanite or some of the other crystals, but not a cut diamond, are in front of you.
other methods
If you are not satisfied with checking diamonds using the methods described above, you can use other methods.
- Fogging. Moisture does not condense on the diamond, so it does not fog up. Breathe on it - there will be no traces on the diamond, but the product made of glass, crystal and similar materials will fog up.
- Invisibility test... The refractive indices of a diamond are the same as those of water, so it is practically invisible in water. Place the item in a glass of water. If it is clearly distinguishable, it is an imitation. And the pronounced "border" between the two layers is a sign of fake diamonds made of composite: glass was glued to a small real stone.
- Weight test. Weigh the stone and check the correspondence of the mass to the volume according to the table. Cubic zirconia is twice as heavy as diamond.
- "Fire" test. Heat the stone in a spoon to 70 degrees Celsius. If it is moissanite, it will gradually turn green and remain so forever.
- Strength test... A natural mineral cuts glass and leaves scratches on sapphire, ruby, spinel, rock crystal and so on. The test is used to find out if one of the less valuable transparent stones is hiding under the mask of a diamond. Will not work with moissanite - it has the same hardness.
- Fat content test. A small amount of oil is dripped onto the suspicious specimen. On imitation, it "scatters" in small droplets, on a diamond it retains the original shape of a large drop.
- Laser pointer method. Aim the laser beam at the stone - if the jewel is real, the beam will not pass through it, but the stone will emit a soft glow in the same shade as the laser. The bifurcation of the beam will immediately indicate cubic zirconia or moissanite.
- Interaction with acid. If you have a little hydrochloric or sulfuric acid (electrolyte from a car accumulator is suitable), then drop the acid from a pipette onto the stone. Nothing will happen to the diamond, but the imitation will be ruined.
- Heat test. Dip the stone in boiling water for a few seconds and then quickly in cold water. Glass or crystal (possibly cubic zirconia) is cracked, a diamond is not. But this method, like many others, will not detect moissanite.
Professional jewelers use a heat-conducting probe and an ultraviolet lamp for testing.
If you have such a lamp at home (a medical one or for checking banknotes), you can also resort to this method.
A real diamond in ultraviolet light glows blue or ultramarine.
Brilliant under the light of an ultraviolet lamp Moissanite is orange. Other types of imitations are yellow, gray or green.
Methods that cannot be used
It is impossible to heat it with open fire - it will burn.
This method of destructive control is guaranteed to determine the authenticity of the diamond, but the owner will not be happy with this fact.
Emery or other abrasives are now made from artificially grown diamonds or other substances that are not inferior to them in hardness - borazon, elbor and the like. They will scratch the jewel and ruin it.
Defects - cracks, foreign inclusions, and the like are also an unreliable way of confirming the authenticity. A high-quality cut diamond does not have them, just like a fake.
These tips will help you distinguish between explicit copy and. Get ready to carefully examine the diamond, from all sides, carefully, given its unique ability to refract light.
1) A stone that is not framed can be put on a sheet of a newspaper or magazine, it does not matter, the main thing is that there is a text there. If letters are visible through, and even more so they increase in size, this is a fake. A true diamond will not allow you to see either numbers or letters, and even more so it will not work as a magnifying glass.
2) By shining a flashlight on the stone, you can also check its authenticity. A real diamond does not transmit light through itself, but only a light areola around it will tell about the genuineness of the diamond.
3) you can check a diamond by breathing on it, if it remains clean and transparent, then this is a genuine stone, since diamonds are excellent conductors of heat. But glass, quartz and others will instantly be covered with fog. But it should be borne in mind that there is a stone called musanite, which, most likely, will withstand such a test.
4) Having examined a true diamond closer, you can find on its surface various inclusions, very scanty, of other minerals that were formed as a result of its formation. However, bubbles do not belong to this, they can only be on fake stones.
5) In a real diamond there can be no worn edges or rounded edges.
6) When buying a "diamond" know for sure - this is a pure fake, because a real diamond costs a lot of money.
7) If you purchase a product from, pay attention to the fact that the back side of it should be open in order to be able to view the stone from all sides, moreover, it should not be mirrored.
8) Despite the super-strength of a diamond, it can be easily scratched with a piece of metal or glass, so it is better not to resort to this method of checking.
9) There is a misconception that a diamond should sparkle differently. All shades of gray are indicative of the authenticity of a diamond.
10) By placing the diamond in water, you will be able to see if your stone is made from a combination of true and fake material, which is also practiced. The joint will be visible in the water, if this is the case.
Sources:
- diamond in water
Diamond Is a precious stone, the most expensive of all. It occurs naturally as a mineral, the distinguishing feature of which is its exceptional hardness. Diamond jewelry has been and remains the most coveted. Only a gemologist or jewelry expert can verify the authenticity of this stone. However, if you need to purchase a diamond without the involvement of specialists, apply several tests to verify its authenticity.
Instructions
Gently rub the diamond with sandpaper. If in the process there are scratches, then this is a fake. However, such paper should not contain diamond chips, otherwise the stone can be damaged.
Weigh the stone. Zirconium, which is often passed off as a diamond, is much heavier than a gemstone. You can use this verification method if you have a chart that shows the correspondence between size and weight in grams or carats.
If the stone is in the setting, then check how it corresponds to the status of the stone. A genuine diamond does not fit into a cheap setting. It must have a stamp indicating the quality of the metal.