If you're in the market for jewelry, you're probably seeing a lot of diamonds at prices that are hard to believe. Of course, there's a good chance that some of them are fakes. There's nothing wrong with choosing an imitation stone as long as you know it's a fake, but no one should have to pay real diamond prices for them.
Fake diamonds can be made or presented in many different ways, and some fakes are even nice gems on their own. However, anyone who wants a diamond shouldn't be taken in by them. Anyone who really understands the different kinds of diamond look alikes should learn how to spot them and know when they're looking at the real thing.
Moissanite - a rare mineral that looks a lot like a diamond, but has really different chemical and physical properties. This isn't the most common diamond fake, since its rarity means that it may cost more than a natural diamond.
Cubic Zirconia - This common substitute for natural diamonds looks similar but is heavier and less costly.
Man Made Diamond - These are real diamonds, and are identical to natural ones both chemically and physically, but they were never in the ground and didn't form under the same unique conditions. Artificial diamonds are often much cheaper than natural ones.
Faceted Crystals - Cut glass is sparkly and attractive, but lower in quality and much more fragile than the real thing. These crystal stones could crack or shatter in a ring.
The four characteristics that help guide you in finding out whether a diamond is real and what quality it is are called the four Cs. These are cut, color, carat and clarity, and learning about them will help you keep from being fooled by unscrupulous jewelers.
Never work with a jeweler who has a bad reputation or one you don't trust. Always make sure your jeweler is knowledgeable about your diamond. Keep your eyes peeled for the standard scams.
Take a look at the setting when you're determining whether a diamond is real. These are very expensive gems, and they'll never be set in a cheap setting. If the placement is inferior or insecure, crooked, loose, or otherwise badly made, you're probably not looking at a real diamond.
While you're looking, see if there's damage on the stone. A diamond is a hard gem that doesn't scratch or scuff easily. It reflects light in gray or neutral tones - rainbow sparkles are for fakes.
Ask yourself how transparent the stone is, too. If you can turn a loose diamond upside down on a piece of paper with words on it, you should not be able to read the text. Real diamonds disperse light too much for this to happen.
Don't be afraid to look at your diamond closely, through a jeweler's loupe or magnifying glass. Real stones are well defined and cut, with fake stones often being asymmetrical or otherwise badly made. The thin girdles of real diamonds are faceted, too, with some designed types bearing numbers in this area to identify them.
Use the fog test on suspected fakes as well. Diamonds naturally disperse heat at a quick rate, so if you fog the diamond with your breath, the fog will go away quickly. Fakes will stay fogged for a few seconds. - 16492
Fake diamonds can be made or presented in many different ways, and some fakes are even nice gems on their own. However, anyone who wants a diamond shouldn't be taken in by them. Anyone who really understands the different kinds of diamond look alikes should learn how to spot them and know when they're looking at the real thing.
Moissanite - a rare mineral that looks a lot like a diamond, but has really different chemical and physical properties. This isn't the most common diamond fake, since its rarity means that it may cost more than a natural diamond.
Cubic Zirconia - This common substitute for natural diamonds looks similar but is heavier and less costly.
Man Made Diamond - These are real diamonds, and are identical to natural ones both chemically and physically, but they were never in the ground and didn't form under the same unique conditions. Artificial diamonds are often much cheaper than natural ones.
Faceted Crystals - Cut glass is sparkly and attractive, but lower in quality and much more fragile than the real thing. These crystal stones could crack or shatter in a ring.
The four characteristics that help guide you in finding out whether a diamond is real and what quality it is are called the four Cs. These are cut, color, carat and clarity, and learning about them will help you keep from being fooled by unscrupulous jewelers.
Never work with a jeweler who has a bad reputation or one you don't trust. Always make sure your jeweler is knowledgeable about your diamond. Keep your eyes peeled for the standard scams.
Take a look at the setting when you're determining whether a diamond is real. These are very expensive gems, and they'll never be set in a cheap setting. If the placement is inferior or insecure, crooked, loose, or otherwise badly made, you're probably not looking at a real diamond.
While you're looking, see if there's damage on the stone. A diamond is a hard gem that doesn't scratch or scuff easily. It reflects light in gray or neutral tones - rainbow sparkles are for fakes.
Ask yourself how transparent the stone is, too. If you can turn a loose diamond upside down on a piece of paper with words on it, you should not be able to read the text. Real diamonds disperse light too much for this to happen.
Don't be afraid to look at your diamond closely, through a jeweler's loupe or magnifying glass. Real stones are well defined and cut, with fake stones often being asymmetrical or otherwise badly made. The thin girdles of real diamonds are faceted, too, with some designed types bearing numbers in this area to identify them.
Use the fog test on suspected fakes as well. Diamonds naturally disperse heat at a quick rate, so if you fog the diamond with your breath, the fog will go away quickly. Fakes will stay fogged for a few seconds. - 16492
About the Author:
Great value bridal jewellery can be hard to find. Diamond Tree have an excellent rang available online as well as mens jewellery.
