How to Spot Fake Diamonds [Updated for 2018]

Let’s face it- diamonds are expensive. While a diamond is an expense that is well worth it, unfortunately there are times when you don’t receive exactly what you pay for. It’s a terrible feeling when you pay thousands of dollars for a diamond and later find out it’s not the real deal. Sadly, incidences like this do occur with diamond imitations, like moissanite and cubic zirconia, falsely advertised as diamonds. Because of this, we want to make sure you know how to avoid accidentally purchasing fake diamonds. So how do you prevent getting duped when purchasing a diamond? Know how to spot fake diamonds!

How can I tell if my diamond is real?

First things first, the most reliable way to assess the authenticity of your diamond is to have it evaluated by a trained gemologist or gemological laboratory, like the Gemological Institute of America. Once your diamond has a credible grading report, like a GIA Diamond Grading Report, there is no questioning its authenticity. But be sure your diamond report is not an in-house jeweler’s certificate; it must come from a respected gemological institute in order to assuage any doubts. The report will clearly state the diamond’s quality according to the 4Cs and disclose any treatments the diamond has undergone.

This may look like a diamond, but it’s actually cubic zirconia. Notice how flawless and clean it is.

You’re probably thinking:

“My diamond doesn’t have a credible grading report, so it must not be real.” The good news is that’s not always true.

If you are suspicious of diamonds you currently own there are a few ways to test a diamond at home. While these tests can help differentiate fake diamonds from real ones, it’s important to note they won’t always yield 100% accurate results. That’s why we recommend having your diamonds tested by a certified Graduate Gemologist. If you do feel like doing some investigating at home, let’s take a look at some tests that you can try out.

Diamond Test #1 – Magnification Examination

Closely inspecting a diamond can give you some clues about its authenticity. However, you do need to have some familiarity with the structure of authentic diamonds. The best way to magnify a diamond is by using a 10X jeweler’s loupe. This will allow you to enhance your view of the diamond to see its structure and facets. While you might not have a jeweler’s loupe on hand, you can use a magnifying glass or even your cell phone or camera to take a close-up photo. Then, zoom into the diamond as close as possible.

Diamonds are the result of extreme pressure so, naturally, they’re not perfect. Even the most beautiful of natural diamonds will have slight inclusions and/or blemishes. Fake diamonds, like cubic zirconia and moissanite, will look almost too perfect. These imitation diamonds are usually flawless and will look much different from a natural diamond when viewed under high magnification. Keep in mind- bubbles and inclusions are not the same thing. If you see bubbles in the gemstone, it’s not a real diamond.

Although it’s ideal to examine a loose diamond, an expert jeweler can examine your mounted diamond in an engagement ring or in diamond jewelry as well. The expert jewelers at Leo Hamel’s can positively identify whether your diamond is fake or not.

#2 – UV Light Test for Diamonds

Fake diamonds do not exhibit the same fluorescence as real diamonds. What exactly does this mean? Diamond fluorescence is visible light emitted from a diamond when exposed to ultraviolet radiation, often blue in color. Natural diamonds should glow blue under UV light with a grading scale from least to most fluorescent. If you have a UV light you can certainly perform this test at home. If not, stop by your local jeweler; jewelry stores are always equipped with UV lights. This will allow you to test your diamond’s fluorescence and compare it to other real diamonds. And you can always ask your jeweler for assistance and advice.

Courtesy of GIA©

#3 – Fog Test Your Diamond

The fog test, also referred to as the breath test, is not the most reliable diamond test, but it’s still useful. A rather simple method, the fog test involves blowing on the stone to create a film of moisture on the surface. Real diamonds do not retain heat. Therefore, if you blow hot air on it the fog on a real diamond will disappear immediately. On the other hand, diamond imitations, like a moissanite engagement ring, will fog over and stay fogged up for much longer. Just like a bathroom mirror after a hot shower, the fog will eventually fade away. But this is a helpful clue as to whether or not you have real or fake diamonds. Repeatedly blowing on a fake diamond with hot breath will build up more and more fog, whereas the real diamond’s fog will clear off almost instantly.

#4 – Drop the Diamond into Water to Test It

This test only works for loose diamonds. Take a glass of water and drop your loose diamond in. Loose diamonds are very dense so it should sink straight to the bottom. If it’s a fake diamond, it will float or sink to the bottom very slowly. However, some cubic zirconias and moissanites are fairly heavy, so they can possibly deceive this test. Don’t rely solely on the water test; perform other at-home diamond tests as well for better accuracy.

#5 – Testing the Transparency of Your Diamond

The most popular DIY method of testing whether your diamond is real or not is testing its transparency. This is another test that should be performed on loose diamonds. Natural diamonds refract light so brilliantly you should not be able to see through them. A cubic zirconia doesn’t refract light the same way a diamond does, so it doesn’t sparkle as much. To perform this test, place a loose diamond face-down on top of a piece of newspaper or other item with text written on it. Then, simply peer through the diamond. If you have a fake diamond, you will be able to see the text through it. But the facets of a real diamond will break up the image so that it can’t be seen.

#6 – Heat Testing (Have Caution with this At-Home Diamond Test)

Caution: fake diamonds will most likely crack or shatter when using the heat test.

This test is the most dangerous since there is the potential of ruining your stone if it’s not a real diamond. If you’re not particularly fond of the stone in question, have at it. First, you will need to heat up the stone for approximately 30 seconds. Use a lighter or other source of direct flame. Then, immediately drop the stone into a cold glass of water. It’s imperative the water is cold, not room temperature or warm. Extreme temperature changes like this have no effect on a real diamond. However, fake diamonds will more than likely crack or shatter. But be aware that if your genuine diamond has been treated to enhance its appearance, heating it can cause its appearance to be altered. It’s best to avoid this method altogether if you fear damaging the stone in question.

#7 – Conductivity Test

This test is not one that can be easily performed at home, so you will most likely need the assistance of your local jeweler. A little-known fact is that diamonds are great electrical conductors. This test is extremely useful when testing real diamonds compared to moissanite pretenders, as these particular impostors can be highly resistant to other testing methods. Therefore, testing the conductivity is a useful method for distinguishing diamonds from moissanite. Real diamonds will conduct electricity with much greater strength than moissanite.

Does the scratch test really work?

You’re probably aware that diamonds are the hardest minerals on Earth. Ranking 10 out of 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, no other gemstone is as durable as a diamond. The theory behind this test is that since diamonds are so durable they should be able to scratch a glass mirror. Diamonds rank 10 while glass ranks 5.5, so this makes sense. But when you think about it, this test isn’t entirely foolproof. Yes, a real diamond will scratch a mirror; however, there are other durable gemstones that will too! For instance, quartz, moissanite, and cubic zirconia all rank around 7 or 8 so these gemstones will scratch glass, too. This method was proven outdated and inaccurate since other durable gemstones will past this test. If you solely rely on the scratch test, you might still be in possession of a fake diamond. We’d recommend trying the other tests mentioned above for better accuracy, and to prevent any damage to your gemstone.

Still not sure if you have real or fake diamonds?

When considering purchasing diamonds from a private party, you are bound to run into scammers looking to make easy money. Even if you try to learn how to recognize real diamonds from fake ones, you could be fooled, leading to a lot of financial trouble and emotional distress. Imitation diamonds are becoming more and more difficult to detect through most home-based tests, which is why it’s important to purchase diamonds from a reputable and trustworthy jeweler.

If you’ve tried all of the above at home diamond tests, but are still not sure if you have a real diamond, stop by Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers. Our expert gemologists will quickly be able to evaluate your diamond and determine its authenticity. We’re also more than happy to explain and show you the differences between real and fake diamonds. Per your request, we can also have your diamond shipped to the GIA for testing. If your diamond is real, you’ll always have the certificate to prove it.

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