When you're buying jewelry, you'll see a lot of diamonds at incredible prices. However, there's a good chance that some of them aren't the real thing. While there's nothing wrong with a fake diamond (some couples prefer them), you shouldn't pay real diamond prices for one!
There are plenty of ways to create a fake diamond. Some imitations are even great gems on they're own, but they're not for someone who's got their heart set on a real diamond. Understanding the different kinds of look alikes will help you learn to spot them and pick out the real thing.
Moissanite - This is a very rare mineral that looks like a diamond, but it's chemically and physically quite different. This diamond fake isn't as common as some of the others, as its rarity means that moissanite sold as itself can cost more than natural diamonds.
Cubic Zirconia - a common diamond substitute, cubic zirconia are cheaper, look very similar, and are a lot heavier than the real thing.
Man Made Diamond - These are real diamonds, and are identical to natural ones both chemically and physically, but they were never in the ground and didn't form under the same unique conditions. Artificial diamonds are often much cheaper than natural ones.
Faceted Crystal - These cut glass stones are beautiful, but they're lower in quality and nowhere near as durable as a real diamond. A "stone" that's really crystal could even shatter in your ring.
The four Cs - carat, cut, color and clarity - can guide you in determining whether something is a real diamond or not, and if it's real, whether it's a good one. Knowing more about diamonds will help you avoid being fooled by false gems or buying cheap ones at a too-high price.
You should only work with jewelers you trust, and whose reputation is good. They should be able to tell you in detail about your diamond and answer detailed questions.
When you're deciding if a diamond is the real deal, have a look at its setting. These extremely expensive gems won't be in a setting with insecure or inferior placement or a crude setting. If the setting doesn't look good, the diamond almost certainly isn't real.
Look at the stone to see if it's damaged, too. Diamonds should never be scratched, nicked, or scuffed - they're just too hard for this to happen. They should also reflect and sparkle in neutral tones, with rainbow sparkles indicating a fake.
Check out transparency, and look at loose diamonds upside down on a printed piece of paper. If it's a real diamond, it'll disperse too much light for the text to be readable.
Don't be afraid to look at your diamond closely, through a jeweler's loupe or magnifying glass. Real stones are well defined and cut, with fake stones often being asymmetrical or otherwise badly made. The thin girdles of real diamonds are faceted, too, with some designed types bearing numbers in this area to identify them.
Use the fog test on suspected fakes, too. Diamonds disperse heat rapidly, meaning that if you fog the diamond with your breath, it vanishes fast. Imitation stones remain fogged for a while. - 16069
There are plenty of ways to create a fake diamond. Some imitations are even great gems on they're own, but they're not for someone who's got their heart set on a real diamond. Understanding the different kinds of look alikes will help you learn to spot them and pick out the real thing.
Moissanite - This is a very rare mineral that looks like a diamond, but it's chemically and physically quite different. This diamond fake isn't as common as some of the others, as its rarity means that moissanite sold as itself can cost more than natural diamonds.
Cubic Zirconia - a common diamond substitute, cubic zirconia are cheaper, look very similar, and are a lot heavier than the real thing.
Man Made Diamond - These are real diamonds, and are identical to natural ones both chemically and physically, but they were never in the ground and didn't form under the same unique conditions. Artificial diamonds are often much cheaper than natural ones.
Faceted Crystal - These cut glass stones are beautiful, but they're lower in quality and nowhere near as durable as a real diamond. A "stone" that's really crystal could even shatter in your ring.
The four Cs - carat, cut, color and clarity - can guide you in determining whether something is a real diamond or not, and if it's real, whether it's a good one. Knowing more about diamonds will help you avoid being fooled by false gems or buying cheap ones at a too-high price.
You should only work with jewelers you trust, and whose reputation is good. They should be able to tell you in detail about your diamond and answer detailed questions.
When you're deciding if a diamond is the real deal, have a look at its setting. These extremely expensive gems won't be in a setting with insecure or inferior placement or a crude setting. If the setting doesn't look good, the diamond almost certainly isn't real.
Look at the stone to see if it's damaged, too. Diamonds should never be scratched, nicked, or scuffed - they're just too hard for this to happen. They should also reflect and sparkle in neutral tones, with rainbow sparkles indicating a fake.
Check out transparency, and look at loose diamonds upside down on a printed piece of paper. If it's a real diamond, it'll disperse too much light for the text to be readable.
Don't be afraid to look at your diamond closely, through a jeweler's loupe or magnifying glass. Real stones are well defined and cut, with fake stones often being asymmetrical or otherwise badly made. The thin girdles of real diamonds are faceted, too, with some designed types bearing numbers in this area to identify them.
Use the fog test on suspected fakes, too. Diamonds disperse heat rapidly, meaning that if you fog the diamond with your breath, it vanishes fast. Imitation stones remain fogged for a while. - 16069
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