Synthetic Diamonds

Being able to differentiate between real and fake diamonds can prevent ripoffs. There are several methods, available to ordinary people, which will tell you if a diamond is fake or real. Some of these tests require everyday items, or special equipment while others can be done with nothing but your own senses. Certain tests shouldn't be done at all since they are unreliable at best and possibly damaging at worst. This article will go over several ways to accurately determine real diamonds from fake diamonds as well as some assessments that aren't worth your time.

Simple Tests - No Equipment Needed

There are a few tests you can do that don't need anything but eyes and a mouth. First thing you can try is looking closely at the setting the stone is placed in. High quality settings are sometimes used for realistic looking fake diamonds but no one would set a genuine diamond in a plated metal setting. Another test for diamond authenticity is called the "fog" test. Don't worry, you don't need a real fog machine, just your own breath. Gently blow upon the surface of the stone and if the breath shows for a few seconds after, you have a fake. Genuine diamonds clear up breath almost immediately. Be careful though as any oil or dirt on the surface of a real diamond can affect the outcome negatively. Now if you don't feel you can trust your own eyes it is possible to conduct further tests with some easily attainable equipment.

Some Equipment Required

If you are interested in tests that give a little more concrete proof, consider performing the black line test, also known as the transparency test. Draw a black line across a piece of paper and place the diamond on top of the line. If the line is visible through the stone, you know you have a fake diamond. Occasionally fake diamonds with exceptionally fine cuts won't show lines so it's always best to use this method paired with another more accurate method. One such test can be done with a small gram scale. Cubic zirconium is the most common material used for fake diamonds and it happens to weigh about 55% more than natural diamonds. By weighing a stone, you should be able to tell the difference between the real and fake diamonds with a good measure of accuracy. Any of the above methods will lead you in the right direction without damaging your diamonds like some tests can.

Tests To Avoid

Certain commonplace testing methods should be avoided due to inconsistent or harmful results. The old standby "scratch test" is one such examination. Running your diamonds along a piece of glass in order to test the hardness of the material may be helpful in separating the real from the fake diamonds since true diamonds are hard enough to scratch glass while most imitation stones are not. The reason I urge against this test is that it can damage your stone, even if it's real, and ruin a perfectly pretty piece of jewelry. Another frequently suggested test is the light test. When a stone is held under a black light, owners look to see if a blue light shines through. The presence of the blue light is said to prove that a diamond is real, however very high quality diamonds do not reflect blue light through them so this test would show them to be fake. This inconsistency seems to me to make the test virtually useless.

If you are looking for a real diamond, we use a diamond buying guide

Lab Created Diamonds

The term lab created diamonds has only one definition but it can have many different meanings to different people. Simply put, a lab-created diamond is exactly what it sounds like, a diamond made by man in a laboratory instead of miles under the earth by nature. These imitations can range from cut glass to the highly popular cubic zirconium and moissanite. All types of lab created diamonds offer consumers a less expensive alternative to natural diamonds, most without losing anything but the status associated with owning an actual diamond. This article will outline the different types of lab created diamonds in order to help our readers choose the right synthetic stones for whatever situation.

Cut Glass or Crystal

Most people have heard of and seen cut glass costume jewelry. This obviously phony diamond alternative is amazing cheap and worth every penny. Cut glass isn't seen as often today as it once was but is occasionally offered in costume jewelry settings. The rings, bracelets and earrings made with cut glass are normally very large and extremely tacky. However certain popular costume jewelry designers from the 20s and 30s produced some interesting pieces that are of value to collectors of costume jewelry. The use of cut glass has widely been replaced by the most popular diamond alternative, cubic zirconium.

Cubic Zirconium (CZ)

Cubic zirconium is most likely the first name people think when the topic of lab-created diamonds is mentioned. By far the most popular imitation diamond substance, some CZs are indistinguishable to most ordinary people. Jewelers and experts in the gem industry can usually tell the difference between a real diamond and a cubic zirconium. If you hear the term Russian Diamond mentioned, don't be fooled. Russian diamonds are just high quality CZs that even professionals have a hard time detecting without the use of special equipment. 14 KT gold CZ engagement rings have become quite popular as they are affordable and look great. Cubic zirconium and moissanites are often paired together as the same type of lab created diamond, but in fact they are different.

Moissanite

Moissanite is a naturally occurring mineral that has similar properties to genuine diamonds but are slightly softer, having only a rating of 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale. In nature moissanite is called silicon carbide and is extremely rare. Around the middle 1990s, someone discovered how to recreate the moissanite mineral quickly in a laboratory setting. A gem cutter observed the material and realized that cut properly could be used to produce beautiful diamond-like jewelry, at a much lower cost to the consumer. Since that time, Moissanite has become the preferred alternative to genuine diamonds. Despite the fact that moissanite jewelry is more expensive than cubic zirconium, about 200 dollars a carat, they are nearly undetectable as fakes expect with the use of highly specialized equipment.

Other Gemstones

Other stones people sometimes use are: white sapphire, white topaz or zircon. Though none of these sparkle as much as diamonds, they are transparent white sapphire. These stones are all generally much less expensive than diamonds.

Sometimes skilled jewelers will need to examine synthetic diamonds to determine their authenticity. Real diamonds that appear naturally in certain parts of the world, and these jewels are extracted from nature before they are cut by experts. Synthetic diamonds are made through a process by manufacturers in factories. A synthetic diamond is made of carbon crystal like the natural diamonds. Synthetic diamonds are often used for special products including electronic devices. Synthetic diamonds are also used in medical technology. The use of these manufactured diamonds has helped to reduce costs in some other manufacturing tasks.

Synthetic Diamonds Have Many Uses

Synthetic diamonds have many of the same properties that make natural diamonds valuable. These synthetic diamonds are very hard substances which make them valuable for use in electronics and medicine. These diamonds are manufactured so they are pure unlike the many of the diamonds that are extracted from diamond mines. There are several successful companies that manufacture these artificial diamonds using two different methods. These companies produce billions of dollars of these diamonds that are so valuable to other manufacturers.

Inexpensive Alternative

Some synthetic diamonds are used in jewelry, but they are not as valuable as natural diamonds. The manufactured diamonds can be produced in some of the same colors that appear in natural diamonds. Many people have purchased the synthetic gems made into rings, bracelets and other jewelry because these are less expensive than the same pieces made with natural diamonds. Lab created diamond earrings are gaining in popularity as they are less costly.

Recently, one company made these synthetic gems from the ashes of recently deceased people for relatives who want to keep the remains of their beloved people close at hand. These companies process the remains of an individual into a beautiful ring or necklace that the buyer can wear constantly.

Diamonds have a mystique about them; they are stunning to look at, they are cut beautifully to enhance any piece of jewelry, and when the sun catches them, they flash like miniature suns. However, if you are planning a diamond purchase, you need to know the truth about diamonds. All the television ads that portray diamonds as the ultimate gift of love, the romantic magazine ads that tell us that a diamond is the only gem that is the perfect gift can mislead us. The truth about diamonds is a little more complicated than this image of the perfect expression of perfect love.

Learning the Truth about Diamonds

There is nothing sinister here; just some basic truths and information about diamonds before you take out your credit card. First, make sure that the stone you are purchasing is not a fake diamond. This is especially true of diamonds sold on eBay and estate auctions. Before you buy, insist that a certified gemologist examine the gemstone. This is certification will tell you the stone's carat weight, its color and clarity, and its flaws, if any. A seller who will not do this for you may not be telling the truth about the diamond you are hoping to purchase.

Crystal Engagement Rings

What looks like a diamond is not always a diamond. In the Depression era, many people were too poor to buy a diamond. Instead, rings made of fine crystal served as engagement rings. If you happen across one of these rings, the seller should inform you of its true composition. Crystal jewelry from the Depression years is quite beautiful; simply make sure you know the truth about this diamond "substitute."

CZ Rings

Similar to the crystal jewelry of the past, cubic zirconium is quite lovely; only a gemologist can tell the difference between a diamond created by nature and a diamond created in a laboratory. The truth is that they are both diamonds; one is natural and one is artificial. Again, just make sure you know what you are buying.

Colored Diamonds

Another myth to keep in mind is that many diamonds are not clear stones. The gem's physical and chemical make up is what determines a diamond, not the color. Created by untold years by nature from carbon molecules, diamonds can be any color in the rainbow. The truth about these diamonds is not that they are "trash" diamonds as some believe, but are stunning in color and clarity. One of the most beautiful diamonds in the world is a large violet diamond bought by the late Richard Burton for the love of his life, Elizabeth Taylor, to match her eyes.

Black diamond stud earrings are extremely popular and relatively affordable.

Carbon Flecks

You may come across a rare diamond that has a tiny carbon fleck embedded in its center. The truth about these diamonds is that they are not "junk stones." On the contrary, many diamond collectors find this black carbon fleck fascinating and valuable. It serves as a reminder that diamond gems were once embedded in the earth, made from ancient carbon. They are treasures of the earth to be appreciated for their history as well as their beauty.