Methods of finding out whether your diamond is fake or not
Before you can be really proud of owning a precious and sparkling diamond, you should try to find out if it is really genuine or a good imitation. Since the imitations are so similar in size, shape and color it is not easy to determine its authenticity until certain tests are conducted.
One of the most common tests is the traditional Scratch Test. Though it is widely used, it has been found to fall short and not as reliable and accurate. This is because even though it is a known fact that a real diamond can scratch glass, and a fake one cannot, modern technology has revealed that some cubic zirconium of very high quality can also scratch glass. Moreover, conducting a scratch test on a real diamond may cause you to damage it and thus lower the value.
Testing diamonds by the Transparency Test is another way of determining whether it is an imitation or real. Diamonds if real are not really transparent and you will not be able to read the print on a newspaper if you place the stone on it. On the other hand a cubic zirconia is very transparent and allows you to read the print clearly. However, this test also has its limitations because to get more accurate results the diamond must be loose and not set in jewelry. Furthermore, if a real diamond has a cut that is too shallow it may allow you to read the print better. Thus it is imperative that you should conduct some tests to get more accurate and reliable results.
The Heat Test or the Fog Test needs you to breathe on the stone. The idea is to try and make it foggy. A genuine diamond will definitely not hold the heat and will disperse the heat instantaneously in a second leaving the stone clear. A fake stone on the other hand will remain foggy for some time when you breathe on it. The best way to conduct the heat test is to make sure that the stone being tested is absolutely clean and free from any dirt or oil.
One of the easiest ways to test if the stone is real or not is the Weight Test. It is a known fact that a cubic zirconia weighs almost 50% more than a diamond. Once you have the necessary equipment (which is a gram scale or a carat scale) you have to get both stones that are of similar dimensions and shape and weigh them. The diamond is much lighter.
The Dot Test is one of the easiest and simplest of tests. Cubic zirconias are transparent and therefore reflect light in a different manner. Diamonds reflect light through the table or its top surface. All you have to do is draw a dot on a white piece of paper and place the stone with its face down on the small dot. If the stone is genuine then you will be able to see only a distorted version of the dot and it will not be clear. The cubic zirconia will show the dot clearly.
The U.V. Test to determine authenticity of a diamond is conducted because nearly 99% of fake stones or imitations do not show fluorescent blue when placed under black light or UV light. While this test does make a positive identification it also proves that the diamond is not very valuable if they show around 20% of blue fluorescence.
The Loop Test is one where you have to look at the stone through a magnifying glass. There are different characteristics that can be examined through the lens that can give its identity away. The stone should be examined from above to see how the facets join. If they are rolled and not sharp then it is a fake. The appearance of the girdle – whether it is frosty and faceted (a clear indication that it is genuine) or slick and waxy (a sign that it is a fake) will tell you the truth. Other flaws like pinpoints, tiny cracks, and carbon can be seen when the stone is placed under a magnifying lens. These flaws are sure signs that it is a diamond as it would be near impossible to place these flaws in a fake stone.