How to Tell if A Diamond is Real

No one ever wants to think they would be cheated out of having a natural diamond, but I’m sure you would want to know that the stones you bought or were gifted are genuine diamonds. Here are 10 accurate tips on how to tell if a diamond is real so you will know for sure. Whether you are buying your diamonds online or in-store, use these easy tips to identify your stones, test them yourself and contact a professional to verify.

Tips on How to Tell if A Diamond is Real at Home

As crazy as it may sound, you can test your diamond to find its quality. The best thing about testing your diamond is that the only materials you would need are things you can find lying around the average household. Avoid the high professional appraisal fees and follow these D.I.Y tips.

1. Sink Test

Real diamonds tend to have a high density compared to other stones. The best way to test your diamond's density is to grab an 8oz or larger cup and fill it with water halfway to ¾ full. You will drop your diamond in the cup of water, and if the diamond sinks, you have an actual diamond! If your stone floats or stays close to the waterline, then you know that your stone is a fake diamond.

2. Fog Test

Diamonds have a high heat conductivity, and fog or vapor will not last long on a diamond. How to tell if a diamond is real is to test your stone’s conductivity by blowing your breath on the top of the facet. If the fog disappears quickly, then you have a for-sure diamond. If the fog stays on the facet of the diamond and does not disappear almost instantly, then you really don’t have a true diamond.

3. Mount Test

Most diamond jewelers, try to keep a real diamond on mounts that are high-quality gold or platinum. The ring's band will tell you the type of jewelry it is by different letters or numbers. Gold mounts will say 10k or 15k, or they can have a number that is 585, 770, 900, and 950. Platinum mounts have a PT or PLAT on them. If you have a diamond-like stone, the mounting band will say Cubic Zirconia or the type of stone it is.

4. Sparkle Test

Diamonds have a colorful hue when they sparkle, so it can be effortless to see if you have a real diamond. Find a place that emits lots of natural light and hold your stone to it so you can see the sparkles. How to tell if a diamond is real is by the white and colorful hues that will sparkle from it. Fake diamonds have hues of orange that will sparkle through and the stone will have too much of a rainbow shimmer.

5. Heat Test

What's cool about real diamonds is that they are heat resistant. Testing your stone using the heat test can be risky, so only use this method if you don't mind your stone possibly being destroyed. You would test your stone by taking a lighter or any choice of a direct heat source and heat the stone for about 10 - 15 seconds. After you heat the stone, you will drop it directly in a bowl or cup of cold water at least half full. How to tell if a diamond is real is if your stone cracks or breaks, you know your stone is not a diamond, but if it stays whole and just sinks, you have a real diamond!

6. Read Test

Real diamonds refract light when you look through them, so you can’t see anything through them. How you know your diamond is real is by testing the readability of your stone. You can use a newspaper or anything that may have words on them, or you can take a blank piece of paper and draw a couple of black dots. Now you can place your stone facet down onto whatever you're using to test it and try to read through your stone. If you can see any part of your reading through the diamond, you don't have a diamond.

Accurate Tips on How to Tell if A Diamond is Real with A Professional

If you are a person that wants a professional to authenticate your diamond, there are a few things appraisers will do to make sure the stone is a real diamond. Skip the process of testing the diamond yourself and pay a jeweler, and they will do all the hard work with their commercial tools and their skilled knowledge. They know the answer to all types of questions you may have about your stone, and with these tips, you will go to your appraisal with some knowledge about your authentication.

7. Impurities

As much as people cherish diamonds, they are stones of imperfection. Most pure diamonds have factures or impurities within each stone. When your jeweler says they are checking for impurities, they are looking to make sure your stone has them. Typically they will use a loupe, a diamond magnifying glass that allows professionals to see microscopic things on a small stone to look for impurities or factures. Impurities look like tiny air bubbles or small black spots under the magnifying glass.

8. The Facet

Jewelers have to cut diamonds to fit whatever piece of jewelry they are making. Appraisers will look at your stone's facet to see if it has sharp edges because of it being cut. Many fake diamonds have been molded, so the edges will be more rounded because they have been pressed in a mold. You want to leave this to the pros because now many more fake stones are being cut, too, so a professional will know what else to look for to confirm your stone is a true diamond.

9. Certificate of Authentication

After your stone has been declared a true diamond from your appraiser, you will a certificate of authentication that will tell you what the jeweler found in or on your stone, the carat size, and the ultimate guarantee that you have a legitimate diamond. Once you get your certificate, your jeweler will explain his grading of your diamond, and you will have all you need to know about it.

10. Legit Diamond Stores

Diamonds are expensive, and we know the pride people take when they have real diamonds. To avoid the hassle of figuring out if your stone is a true diamond, make sure to buy from a reputable diamond store or source. You will receive the certificate of authentication when you buy from a legit source. Start planning ahead with ring and wedding ideas that your partner will love.

How to Tell if a Diamond is Real: Conclusion

Following these helpful tips will give you knowledge on how to tell if a diamond is real by testing it with your household materials or finding a jeweler to authenticate it. Now that you have the basic knowledge to see if your diamond is genuine, it will be easy to identify these cherished stones. Before planning to purchase your very first diamond for that special someone, make sure the budget can support the rock.

Written by Talia Womack; Contributor: A'Rya Pratt