Diamond Stone tester question

[2Minnesota]

I purchased a pair of earrings with dark blue stones set in 14k gold. They also have a tiny clear stone which I tested and it is not a diamond. The blue stone however had a fast high positive for diamond. I'm fairly sure it is not a diamond because the smaller stone would be to..right? What kind of stone could it be? Does Tanzanite or sapphire test like a diamond? Sorry if this is confusing. My tester is only for diamonds not other stones... Paid $2 for the pair.

 

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[Omega]

A diamond tester tests the density of the stone. I use mine to test diamonds sapphires and ruby's. All of which buz like crazy.

 

[randazzo1]

Hi Minnesota - cool find! sapphire ( any corundum even synthetic) will test very close to diamond on an electric tester. What brand and model are you using? I would be very suprised if the small stones were not diamonds. Clean them very well with a dry cloth to remove all oils and moisture. Also - you can lightly clean the tip of your tester by brushing it very gently on a piece of plain white paper.

 

[2Minnesota]

Thank you! They were very dirty when I tested them. I thought I had cleaned them but I looked through loupe and was grossed out! I cleaned with dawn dish soap and it took the crud off. Maybe the tip was dirty. I will test again to make sure. So odds are they are sapphires? I use a diamond tester I bought off eBay for like $25 or so. It works accurately for diamonds. Would like to get a $400 one that tests for all stones but can't quite justify that now. I don't think it has a brand name.

 

[2Minnesota]

I re-tested and still not diAmonds. My diamond tester is "Diamond selector II".

 

[cyberdan]

that is what I bought a year or so ago. It would not work on anything so I sent it back. The seller was in a town close by not China like a lot of sellers.

 

[Omega]

Portable Diamond Tester Selector V2 with Case Gemstone Platform Jeweler Tool | eBay

 

[2Minnesota]

Yes, that is just like it. It works on stones that I know for sure are diamonds. I know it's a cheap piece of made in China crap which I hate to buy/support but.....

 

[insontis]

While on the subject of diamond testers - which is the industry standard for the aspiring treasure hunter? I'd only want to invest around $100 or less. I only would need one to verify diamonds, other stones are not necessary for now.

If the cheap ones don't work properly I'd much rather save myself the few dollars/hassle of purchasing one.

 

[diggummup]

While on the subject of diamond testers - which is the industry standard for the aspiring treasure hunter? I'd only want to invest around $100 or less. I only would need one to verify diamonds, other stones are not necessary for now.

If the cheap ones don't work properly I'd much rather save myself the few dollars/hassle of purchasing one.

I was going to but one of those cheap Chinese ones but I figured it would be a waste of time and money. So I bought a Presidium Duo Tester, it arrived last week. I played with it for a minute or two with some sapphires and diamonds. All the diamonds tested out okay but the sapphires all tested lower in the Topaz range. Don't know what that means yet, I haven't done any optical tests with it yet. If you want a tool for around $100 you can get the Presidium Diamondmate or a Mizar diamond tester.

 

[2Minnesota]

These are the two I've been watching and hoping to buy one some day... I like the idea of gold/gem testing in one. They are much more than $100 though. I'm sure there are other good ones out there for less. My cheapie does work for diamonds but diamonds only...








I just took pictures of the posts because I can't copy/paste the links.

 

[randazzo1]

2 cents because I can't resist! Diamond testers have a place in every jewelers life. I use a ceres dual xl to rule our moissanite. General gem testers that test all gems are a waste of time and money. Even the most expensive are rarely reliable. Buy a regular angle refractometer, a good microscope with dark field and a polariscope. The cost is minimal if you buy second hand ($300-$500). You can get a great education on how to use these tools for free on the internet and you can be confident in your ID's. If you use the electronic tester you will be wrong most of the time and end up misrepresenting items.