How to Spot a Fake Diamond

There are several ways couples can examine gemstones to determine whether or not they are real diamonds. It should be noted, however, that the only way to guarantee a stone authenticity is to submit it for an independent, professional appraisal, but these tricks can keep couples from making most poor decisions.

* Understand Diamond Quality: Couples who know how to judge diamond quality by the four Cs ( color, cut, carat, and clarity) are less likely to be fooled by false gems because they can immediately discern poor quality imitations.
* Work with Reputable Jewelers: A well-respected jeweler who can answer detailed questions is less likely to be involved with fake diamonds and shady deals.
* Check Setting Quality: Diamonds are expensive gems, and true diamonds are rarely set into inferior metals with poor security or placement. If an engagement ring setting is crooked, loose, or poorly crafted, the stone may be less valuable than advertised.
* Check for Damage: Diamonds are very durable gems, and while they are not impervious to surface damage, a stone that shows a lot of nicks, scuffs, scratches, or other damage is less likely to be a real diamond.
* Reflection Color: Because of the refraction index of diamond, the reflection and sparkles within the stone should be in shades of gray. Stones that have rainbow sparkles are most likely fakes.
* Transparency Test: If possible, couples should turn loose diamonds upside down over a newspaper or typed piece of paper; if the printing can be read through the stone, it does not have the proper light dispersion properties a real diamond possesses.
* Fog Test: Diamonds disperse heat rapidly and a light huff of breath on the stone should fog it up but that fog will vanish almost instantly. Fake diamonds may stay fogged for several seconds.
* Loupe Examinations: Use a jewelerâ€™s loupe to examine the diamond closely. A real stone should have sharply defined facets with precise geometry, while fake stones may be less well crafted. On a real diamond, the stoneâ€™s thin girdle will also be faceted, and some designer diamond shapes such as the Hearts on Fire diamond will have identification numbers inscribed along the girdle.