Published on: October 08, 2020

How to tell if a diamond is real

 

Trying to decide whether a diamond is real or fake? Your first port of call should be a trusted jeweller – such as Aspire Diamonds. At our Jewellery Quarter store, we will professionally assess whether your stone is real, or whether it is a fake. Only take your diamonds to be assessed to professionally accredited jewellers that you can trust. 

 

Professional jewellers use a variety of ways to tell if your diamond is real or if it’s a fake – these include:

 

  • Electric conductivity
  • A loupe
  • High profile weighting
  • Microscope
  • X-ray examination

 

However, it’s unlikely you’ll have access to these items in your own home. Instead, there are multiple home tests you can conduct to see whether your diamond is real.

 

How to tell if a diamond is real at home

 

  • Water – trusty H20 is one of the best ways to decipher whether a diamond is real or not. Fill up a glass around ¾ of the way with water, and simply drop in the loose stone. If the diamond is real, it will sink – as diamonds have high density. If the loose stone floats underneath the surface of the water, it’s a fake. 
  • Mirror – the mirror test assesses the durability of the stone. Scrape your loose stone along the side of the mirror and see whether it scratches the glass. If it does leave a scratch, the diamond is real. However, some fakes can also be built extremely durable – so it’s important to do another test alongside the mirror test for confirmation.
  • Magnifying glass – if you have a magnifying glass, you can use this to inspect the stone closely. If you can see any imperfections (inclusions), it’s likely your stone is real. Fake diamonds are often designed with no imperfections. 
  • Fog/breath – breath on the stone until it fogs up – if the diamond is real, it will not fog up easily. However, if it fogs up after a few seconds, it’s probably a fake.
  • Newspaper – place the stone flat side down on a newspaper, preferably with lots of wording. Can you read the letters through the diamond? Even if they’re blurry? If so, the diamond is fake. Real diamonds reflect the light in different directions, meaning you won’t be able to clearly see through a stone.
  • UV light – turn off all the lights, and switch on your UV light on in front of the diamond. On a real diamond, the UV light will normally show a strong shade of fluorescent blue – however, a fake diamond will likely show up a light green, grey or yellow. It’s important to note that not all diamonds will glow under the UV light, so it’s important to also conduct another home test.

 

However, as easy as some of these home tests are, it’s equally as important to still have your stones assessed by a professional. Here at Aspire Diamonds, our diamond experts will advise you as to whether your stone is real or not – and can offer you a variety of real diamond rings, real diamond earrings and more from our extensive diamond jewellery collection. 

 

Get in touch with a member of our friendly team here at Aspire Diamonds for more information on whether your diamond is fake or real.