| The safest practise when buying diamond jewelry | | | | noticeably faster than other gemstones, whereas |
| is to go to a reputable jeweler, who will always | | | | fake diamonds do not. |
| advise exactly what you are buying. And | | | | The Wear and Tear Test |
| whenever you buy a diamond over half a carat | | | | Diamonds are the hardest known natural |
| (50 points), you should always ask for an | | | | substance on Earth. So the flat facets and sharp |
| independent certificate from a reputable gem | | | | facet edges of a genuine diamond will not smooth |
| laboratory like the GIA or a reputable valuer. That | | | | off over time. In contrast, fake diamonds such as |
| way you can always be confident that when you | | | | cubic zirconia will show signs of wear or even |
| buy a diamond, it will be a genuine one. | | | | damage along the facet edges. |
| But what if you buy smaller diamonds, or find | | | | The Flaw Test |
| loose stones from an heirloom piece, how do you | | | | Unless it is a very rare flawless gemstone, |
| tell if they are real diamonds or not without going | | | | genuine diamonds contain flaws. These can be |
| to a lot of expense? Here are five rough and | | | | colored specks of carbon, wispy feathers or |
| ready ways to help you tell if your diamond is a | | | | white curled lines, or included crystals. Flaws are a |
| fake or the genuine article. | | | | sign of a genuine diamond. Imitations invariably |
| The Print Test | | | | have perfect clarity. |
| Place your loose gemstone, top side down | | | | The Refraction Test |
| (pointed side up) onto a piece of newspaper so | | | | Genuine diamonds and moissanites are the only |
| that it covers some of the print. You will not be | | | | two gemstones which can pass a thermal probe |
| able to see the print of newspaper through a | | | | test. However, you can still tell a genuine diamond |
| genuine diamond. However, you will be able to | | | | easily from a moissanite with this test. The |
| read the newspaper through fake diamonds, such | | | | internal facets of a diamond refract light entering |
| as cubic zirconia. | | | | the gemstone better than almost any other |
| The Breath Test | | | | gemstone. However, moissanites refract light |
| This test needs another gemstone for | | | | twice over. This means that when you look into a |
| comparison to work. Breathe on the gemstone | | | | moissanite gemstone, the number of back facets |
| and note how long it takes for your breath to | | | | seems to be doubled, giving a blurred double vision |
| evaporate. Genuine diamonds repel water vapour | | | | effect. This effect is absent in genuine diamonds. |