How to recognize fake diamonds

Here are some quick and easy ways to determine if a diamond is real:

1. Use an electronic device called a diamond tester. This should be the focus point to testing is a dimaond is real or not.

2. The transparency test. This is a simple test but the diamond needs to be loose. The way to use this test is to flip the diamond upside down and keep it over the print in a newspaper. If when you look through the diamond you can read the newspaper, it is a fake diamond.

3. Cubic zirconium is the great fake! It is about 50% more in weight, shape and size then a real diamond. Use a gram or carat scale to determine if the stone is fake or not comparing size and weight.

4. Look at the stone from above and if you can see all the way to the bottom, it could be a real diamond also.

5. Put the stone in front of your mouth blow on it the way you would onto a mirror to fog a mirror. More than 4 seconds, if any fog: fake. A real diamond will not hold fog but a couple of seconds.

6. A diamond that does not reflect various shades of grey, but only colors of the rainbow, can be a low quality stone and or fake one.

7. Fake diamonds tend to sparkle at the top while real diamonds reflect from all sides. You may see signs of dullness on the sides or when viewed from the side.

8. Check the metal that the diamond(s) are mounted on. This is a good way to determine if a diamond is real. Don't expect to find diamonds on copper or sterling silver. Gold and platinum is the choice for real diamonds.

9. An interesting and simple test is to hold the stone under a UV light or black light. If the stone reflects blue fluorescence, you could have a real diamond. Just be aware that medium to strong blue color in a diamond means the diamond has fluorescence and that’s not considered a good thing.

10. Use a jeweler's loupe to inspect the diamond. Real diamonds usually have small imperfections or inclusions that can be seen this way. Cubic zirconium does not have these imperfections. For that matter, lab-grown diamonds (which should pass all of the other tests) usually don't have imperfections either.