Buying a real diamond can be a difficult task. It’s easy to fall for fakes that look just like real ones, but if you want the real thing, there are some steps you can take to make sure you get it right.
Fake diamonds
Unlike real diamonds, fake diamonds are not created from natural materials. These artificial stones are produced by using a variety of synthetic materials, including zircon, rutile, aluminum garnet, and yttrium titanate.
These synthetic stones are cut to look like real diamonds and may be sold online. Although fake diamonds are not bad, they do not compare to real diamonds in terms of brilliance, durability, and optical properties. They are considered diamond simulants, and the demand for them has increased due to high prices of natural diamonds.
To ensure that you are buying a genuine diamond, it is important to understand what makes a diamond unique and how to distinguish between fake and real diamonds. A certified jeweler should be able to help you with this.
A genuine diamond will have internal and external flaws. If you are unsure whether a diamond is real or not, the best way to find out is to shoot a laser through it and cool it with liquid nitrogen.
Lab-grown diamonds
Buying Lab Grown Diamonds is a great way to get your jewelry sparkle without sacrificing a budget. Unlike natural diamonds, which take millions of years to form, lab-grown diamonds are created in a controlled environment.
In addition to being a less expensive option, lab grown diamonds are environmentally friendly. They use significantly less water per carat than natural diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds can be produced through different methods, including High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). The chemical properties of lab-grown diamonds are also similar to those of natural diamonds.
Lab-grown diamonds are also sometimes called cultured, artisan, or man-made. They look and feel like natural diamonds, and are cut and polished in the same way.
While natural diamonds hold their value for decades, the resale value of lab-grown diamonds is unknown. With a flooded market, resale prices may depreciate.
Reflect in shades of gray
Getting a diamond of the same quality as the one pictured above is a tough ask. Fortunately, there are many ways to go about the task. A good place to start is with a loose diamond test. A reputable jeweler should be able to tell you how to get started. A simple water test can be used to determine if a stone is actually diamond-like. If the stone does not sink in the water, you have a problem on your hands.
A true-to-life diamond reflects light in many directions. The most common effect is known as the ray tracing effect. A top-notch cut will yield a more refined version of this effect. This is the reason that diamonds of higher caliber cost more than their less perfect counterparts.
Resistant to heat tests
Besides being a tough material, real diamonds are also resistant to heat tests. You can test the stone’s hardness and thermal conductivity using a simple diamond tester.
Another way to test the stone’s strength is by scratching it against a glass. If the stone dents the glass, it is likely to be a fake.
The best way to find out whether a diamond is real is to take it to a jeweler. They will be able to tell you whether the stone is really a diamond, or if it’s just another cubic zirconia. They’ll also be able to examine the shape and form of the stone, including its inclusions.
If you want to find out if your diamond is worth its weight in gold, you can try a small scale that measures the weight of a carat. This type of scale is fine-tuned to detect minute differences in the weight of diamonds.
Glow under UV light
During the day, sunlight contains UV rays that glow in various colors. Diamonds contain minerals that make them glow under ultraviolet light.
The most common diamond color is blue, but there are other color variations. The rarer colors include green, red, and magenta. This effect is created through small breaks in the lattice structure.
Fluorescence is also caused by impurities that can affect the structure of the stone. During heat treatment, these impurities cause the carbon to move. They then absorb the colour differently. This can affect the clarity of the diamond.
If you are shopping for a diamond, ask to see the stone under different lighting conditions. If the stone does not glow under UV light, it may be fake.
Diamonds with strong fluorescence will have a blue glow under UV light. This is a color used by gemologists to grade the quality of diamonds.
