How to ID a real diamond?

[kroche22]

Is there a way for a beginner with no jewelry experience to ID a real diamond? Or at least narrow it down. I don't want to bother my local jeweler everytime I find something I think is a real diamond.

[stoney56]

You can purchase a diamond tester for a ballpark range of about $100 or a bit more (for a moissanite tester--a man made diamond simulant) from a # of sources. Here's a few testers to choose from.
http://www.gemworld.com/DiamondTesters.asp

[rcawdor57]

Check out Amazon. Type in Diamond Tester in the search window.

[kroche22]

Thanks all. I had found a piece of a silver tennis bracelet with six "diamonds". Brought it to my local jeweler that I have purchased from in the past. They checked the diamonds.... Not Real Oh well maybe next time. I don't think I want to invest in a diamond tester at this time. I don't find enough to justify it.

[harpp]

this seems to work well- just get an ice cube & press a real diamond against it. now try it with a fake one. you will see the real one will melt into the ice like a hot knife through butter & the fake barely dents it. let me know what you think.

- Harpp

[fiatboy]

There are some extremely good fakes out there. Some of the cheapo diamond detectors can't even tell the difference. Specific gravity and refraction are crucial, but I've only tested a few, so I'm certainly no expert. The easiest way to tell is to simply take it to a jeweler. He should be able to tell you in about half a second. And if you ever do sell your diamond, be prepared for a shock. Diamonds simply aren't that rare anymore, now that DeBeers no longer controls the market. Prices have fallen a great deal over the years.

I know this probably doesn't help you too much. :P
But good luck!

[Treasure_Hunter]

Send any you suspect are real to me, if they are real, I will send them back to you, if not I will just toss them for you......

Always glad to help.

[ericwt]

Get yourself a jeweler's loop (or 10x magnifying glass). All most all diamonds have inclusions in them. The fakes do not.

Do a web search for inclusions in diamonds to see what I am talking about.

[Sixxgun]

Another easy way is to use a old piece of Glass and use the diamond to scratch the glass if it's fake it won't scratch it.

[fiatboy]

The suggestions posted here only work for average fakes. High-quality fakes can be VERY difficult to detect. Just a warning.

[CRACKBADGER]

Hey brother,
These guys are right about the testers, some cant tell, but most are ok. This is my method, I have a loupe and I simply check out the diamond, if the diamond is cut very sharp i mean little slices everywhere its about 90% chance of being real, CZs are cut at a rpunder angle and not many cuts. This method works because I asked my buddy which is a professional diamond guy! He showed me alot of fakes then real diamonds and thats the only difference u can really tell with the naked eye and a loupe! GOOD LUCK!

Crackbadger

[UnEarthed72]

if it scratches glass then its real..mirrors work good too..atleast in the movies it does

[Treasure_Hunter]

"There are a few different scales that measure "hardness", but the Mohs Scale (devised in 1812 by the German mineralogist, Friedrich Mohs) is as good as any. It has 10 levels, ranging from 1 (talc, which is very soft) to 10 (diamond, which is as hard as it gets). And yes, diamond will scratch glass. But crystal quartz (Mohs Hardness of 7) will also scratch glass easily. Topaz (Mohs Hardness of 8) will scratch very easily, while Corundum (rubies and sapphires, Mohs Hardness of 9) will actually cut glass. So all these other natural gems will scratch glass.

A very common "diamond simulant" (fancy talk for "fake diamond") is cubic zirconia - made not from carbon, but from zirconium oxide. It has a Mohs Hardness of 8.5-9, and it can very easily scratch and sometimes cut glass. Another common diamond simulant, moissanite (silicon carbide) has a Mohs Hardness of 8.5-9.25. So yes, here are two synthetic gems that look like diamonds (OK, you can call them "fake diamonds) that can very easily scratch glass."

[rockyredbaron]

Go to ebay..do a search on diamond tester ...u can get one for near to nothing ...may have to do a bit of a search on ebay but the deals are there..i got mine there..it works great...

Rick

[shanegalang]

Put the "diamond" under a black light. A real diamond will appear baby blue. A fake will look like glass. Also as someone here stated , a real one will have flaws........a fake will appear flawless. shane

[EDDE]

lots of great and crappy advice in this thread
you be the judge 8)