How to tell the difference between real and fake diamond jewellery

When is a diamond not a diamond? When it’s a moissanite, a cubic zirconium or any other clear coloured intruder masquerading as the real deal. Unfortunately, the colourless transparency of diamonds is easy enough to replicate, and many different stones are used to do exactly that. But fortunately, there are more than a few ways to figure out if a stone is an actual diamond or a fraud.

Let’s take a look at a few simple tests you can conduct next time you’re shopping for custom diamond engagement rings in Sydney.

The fog test: Breathe heavily onto the diamond. A real diamond will disperse the heat almost instantaneously, so if the stone stays foggy for a second or two, it’s most likely a fake.

Check the mount: Let’s face it – a cheap knock-off won’t have been mounted in a particularly precious metal. Check the stamps on the setting and mount. If you see a stamp that denotes a high-quality metal (10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat) it’s likely that you’ve got a diamond on your hands.

The newspaper test: If your stone is unmounted, place it on a newspaper over some text. A diamond’s incredible shimmer comes from the fact that it bends light so sharply, and this trait will also mean that you will be unable to see any of the newspaper’s text through it.

With a jeweller’s loupe: Test one – ask to borrow a jeweller’s loupe (looking glass) from the jeweller. If they’re hesitant to hand one over, then it’s likely that they’re selling low-quality gems. Once you’ve got a loupe in your hands, check for flaws. Natural diamonds are almost never flawless, as they’ve been created by the earth. Imperfections are a good sign, as cubic zirconium usually won’t have any.

Perhaps the best way to guarantee that you purchase a genuine diamond, however, is to buy through a reputable jeweller. Then you can forget about checking for authenticity, and simply enjoy the stones for what they are - beautiful!