What is the easiest way to tell a fake diamond from a real one?

Answer 1

Hardness..

Diamonds are the hardest natural material on Earth (Mohs scale = 10), so if you think someone might be trying to pull the wool over your eyes, just whip out your trusty hardness kit, and do what first years all over the world have to do.

Scratch.. :P (nothing bar another diamond should be able to scratch a real one)

Answer 2

Simulated diamonds or "fake" diamonds may be shiny and bright, but they are nothing like the real thing. A simulated diamond is something that looks similar to a diamond but does not have the same properties (weight, specific gravity, refractive index, hardness, etc.).

Nature's diamonds are made of only one element--carbon. Billions of years ago, suffocating heat and extreme pressure deep with in Earth forced atoms of carbon into diamond crystals. The resulting gemstone is the hardest natural material ever discovered.

The only guaranteed way to be certain that a diamond is real is to take it to an expert who is trained and certified in the science of gemology. A gemologist can look at the stone under magnification and perform tests to know for sure. The easiest way to ensure you are purchasing a real, natural diamond is to buy one that has a certification from the AGS, GIA or EGL grading laboratories.

Simulated diamonds are made of glass, minerals or synthetic and in recent years there has been an increase in the number of simulated diamonds marketed under a variety of different names.

Answer 3

Don't scratch glass with it.

Diamond is hard, yes, but the layers may allow the tip to break off anyway; especially if there is a weak point in the (natural) diamond already.
Hardest material does not mean strongest material.

Easiest way to see it is to look at the stone and look at the price.
If it looks like a piece of glass, it doesn't blingbling, it's a piece of glass.
If it looks mega-bling-bling, it's the size of a pea and it costs $23, it's Zirconia.
If it's smaller than half a grain of rice and it costs $500, it's a diamond.

If your question is about one you already have: If it's small and well (securely) set in a fancy ring of gold, possibly white gold, and the ring is well-made (handwork, or original design): likely diamond.
If it's large, like larger than a matchhead, and it's set in a mass-produced piece of jewelry like an ordinary ring or earring, possibly made of silver, then it might well be zirconia.

To be sure: take it to a jewel shop. They can see what it is.

Answer 4

The only 100% positive way, is to use a thermal conductivity meter. That's how the jewlers, pawn shop owners, and diamond salespeople check. Diamonds have the highest thermal conductivity of any known substance, so they "suck" the heat out of the conductivity probe tip faster than any other substance (and that registers on the meter).

The glass-scratch method isn't foolproof, because even glass scratches glass.

Even if you "know" diamonds, and are trained to "see" a certain level of refraction, some CZs approach that level, so that can even fool a trained gemologist or jewler.

.

Answer 5

Take the diamond to a jeweler and have it inspected, manipulation is so good these days that the untrained eye really can't tell a real diamond from a fake diamond.

Answer 6

That depends on the kind of fake. Glass is easy, cubic zirconia is easy, there are new fakes that are almost impossible to tell (even by a jeweler/gemologist).

All the more reason to avoid diamonds altogether, aside from the facts that they are actually not rare and not valuable and are mined and marketed in ways that would be subject to racketeering laws in the businesses existed in the US.

Answer 7

If you can't tell the difference, does it really matter if it's fake or not?

Seems to me that cheaper, 'fake' diamonds that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing, but don't exploit unfair, even slave labour in their procurement are actually superior to the 'real' ones, and should be supported as much as possible.

Answer 8

Search "real diamond test" and several sites will come up with different methods. A couple are: http://www.diamondcuttersintl.com/diamond_education/articles/buying_diamonds/realthing.html & http://www.imagesontheweb.net/education/is-my-diamond-real.html ...Good Luck...

Answer 9

Try to break the diamond by hands,
if it breaks, then it is a fake diamond.
This is because diamond is the hardest
natural thing on earth.
Or you can take it to a jeweler,
they can tell you.

Answer 10

Find a piece of glass you don't mind 'scarring' - then run the diamond over the glass....diamonds cut glass, fakes don't..don't worry, it will not harm the diamond