It’s been going on for a long time!
Hundreds of years ago, fake diamonds were made out of glass, and commonly referred to as “paste”, this is the Italian term given to it because the molten glass had to have the consistency of pasta before it was pressed into the molds that formed the shape. There have been many other “fake diamonds” over the years but recently they have gotten really, really good.
A good gemstone gone bad….
According to the dictionary, fake has the same meaning as counterfeit. What changes a diamond simulant to go to the “dark side of the force” and become a fake diamond is the addition of the human emotion of greed. The diamond simulants by themselves are fine, actually I’ve seen some terrific pieces of jewelry made with Synthetic Cubic Zirconia or Synthetic Moissanite. The greed comes in when one person convinces another person that what they are looking at is a real diamond and that the diamond could be bought at a very good price…. and the seller will say that these inexpensive diamonds are only available now…. “this great deal is going away and you need to act right now!“. You can get them right now because the seller is in real need of cash… or because the seller is so well connected into the jewelry business that they know how and where to buy diamonds, and in the process they “cut out the middle man” in order to get the best deals!
Many times the main reason that a diamond simulant can be passed off as a real diamond is because the buyer already has the belief that diamonds are overpriced, are a waste of money, are a rip off, and maybe the buyer really doesn’t want to buy a diamond but needs to buy a diamond… so this leaves the buyer open to a seller who comes along and tells the buyer that a whole bunch of money can be saved by buying what “looks just like the real thing“.
Diamond simulants have their place in the jewelry business. They are a good inexpensive choice for earrings, a pendant, or a pin. However, a clarity-enhanced diamond should also be something that you should consider for these types of jewelry. A diamond will always outshine any simulant I’ve ever seen!
Yeah, yeah… but how can you tell? Come on give me the magic test!
On the Internet, I have seen a lot of articles and videos on how to test if you have real or fake diamonds…. the same 6 lame “tests” have been regurgitated over and over again! And all of this fantasy about testing a diamond started with an overly self-promoting bonehead that published a book full of misinformation about diamonds! Only a very few people would be able to tell if a stone was a real diamond or a fake diamond by using these tests! And some of the tests could be destructive. The gemstones that look like diamonds that have been developed in the past 30 years are certainly impressive!
I remember when CZ (synthetic cubic zirconia) was first put on the market in the mid 70s, there were some jewelers who were running around crying that the end of the world was upon us. CZs are really not that difficult to separate from diamonds and Synthetic Moissanite is even easier. The best test is to look at the stone using 10X magnification, but you do need to know what you are looking at! In most jewelry stores, they have “easy to use” electronic testing devices developed to help in separating the simulants from the real thing. Sometimes it is difficult to know for sure when it comes to very small stones by just looking at them.
I love inclusions!
Diamond inclusions, the fun little things that are included inside of your diamond, are always nice to see. Not only does it give your diamond some character!… it will immediately help identify the stone as being a real diamond. Inclusions can be like a fingerprint and if you remember what your inclusions look like; you will be able to recognize your diamond just like you’d be able to recognize an old friend.
Maybe the only test that could be of any use is when you place the stone over some fine print and if you can see the text through the stone it may or may not be a diamond. So if you need to know if it is a diamond, go get a phone book, (plenty of fine print in there!) turn to the yellow pages, now look up a good local jewelry store, go visit them and if you ask nicely, they might be able to give you a “real or fake diamond” answer.
Bud Boland has been in the jewelry business for 40 years and has done everything from watchmaking, diamond setting, jewelry making, and has been a Gemologist for nearly 35 years. He is a Graduate Gemologist from GIA, which is also the place where he was an Instructor. He has taught about diamonds to hundreds of students from all around the world.
He is currently committed to producing the only diamond buying guide anyone would ever need… unbiased advice from inside of the jewelry business… Some additional important tips on “fake diamonds” or about diamond simulants can be found on his website Diamond-Buying-Made-Easier.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bud_Boland
Distinguishing Fake Diamonds From Genuine Diamonds
Just like any other expensive products, the “fake” problem is rampant. Even in diamonds or engagement rings and wedding rings the “fake” issue is there. Don’t give your loved one a fake diamond during your engagement or wedding. Know what the fake diamonds are to avoid buying one. Learn how to distinguish a fake diamond from a genuine one.
Here are some pointers to help you identify the fake diamonds:
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Some jewellers use zirconia instead of a genuine diamond. A zirconia is a white crystal. A type called cubic zirconia is the mostly used as a diamond simulant because it looks like a real diamond. To distinguish a zirconia from a genuine diamond, look through the stone. If you try to use a coloured paper, you will notice that the colour can be seen through a zirconia but not on a genuine diamond.To hide the fake diamonds in engagement rings and wedding rings, jewellers normally close the setting of the diamond so as not to expose its bottom. But real diamonds are oftentimes have their bottoms exposed.
- There are jewellers who use glass instead of genuine diamonds in making engagement rings and wedding rings. To distinguish the glass from a diamond, use a magnifying glass. If the stone in the engagement ring has a large number of air bubbles, definitely it is a glass and not a diamond.
- The diamond ring must have an authentic certificate from a certified gemmologist. If the certificate is fake, definitely the stone is fake as well.
- A genuine diamond is reflective. If the reflection is rainbow colour, the diamond is most likely fake. A genuine diamond will have grey and other greyish shade reflections.
- A fake diamond takes a few seconds to clear out fog while a genuine diamond clears instantly. So try breathing on the stone and see if the fog disappears immediately. If it does, then you are dealing with a genuine diamond but if it takes 2-4 seconds to clear, doubt it.
- When the diamond is set on a cheap metal, it is most likely fake. Genuine diamonds are usually set on pure gold or platinum.
Maliere is a master jeweller in Ireland. He specializes in creating artistic engagement rings, wedding rings and other occasion rings made of gold and platinum with diamonds. Known for his exquisite designs and styles, Maliere also uses only genuine diamonds for his ring collection. See Engagement Rings for the list of Maliere’s expertly crafted engagement rings and wedding rings.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/distinguishing-fake-diamonds-from-genuine-diamonds-414730.html
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