How to Tell If A Diamond is Real

Purchasing your first diamond is sure a major moment in your life. And one of the big question you might ask yourself is "Is my diamond real?". Today, we are going to share some methods that you can even do at home to tell whether your diamond is real or not. However, any of these tests should be done with the greatest care for the diamond. And it’s important to note that while these tests can give you useful and practical information, only a diamond expert using specialized equipment can provide definitive answers about a diamond being real or fake.

Water Test

If you have a loose diamond to test, fill a regular glass about ¾ of the way full with water. Gently drop the diamond into the glass. If the diamond sinks to the bottom, it’s real. If it floats at the surface or just underneath, it’s likely a fake. This has to do with a diamond’s high density. For this test, you must use a loose diamond. Anything that is set in metal won’t be an accurate assessment since the metal will cause it to sink.

Look For Metal Markings

If the diamond is set in a ring, look at the type of setting and mount, and inspect the metal for markings that indicate the type of gold or platinum used. A real diamond is going to be set in high quality metals for its protection and durability. To find the markings, look on the inside of the ring – the part that would sit against your finger. Seeing markings like 10K, 14K and 18K are indicators of the gold used. PT and Plat refer to platinum, and numbers such as 585, 770, 900, and 950 could refer to gold or platinum.

Fog Test

To perform this test, you’ll start by holding the diamond between two fingers and then breathe on it with a puff of air. A light fog will appear on the diamond because of the heat and moisture from your breath. Diamonds conduct heat, so if the stone is real, the fog will dissipate immediately. If it takes several seconds for the fog to dissipate, the diamond is likely fake.

UV Light Test

Placing a diamond under UV light and watching the reaction can sometimes be a good indicator of whether a diamond is real or not. Most diamonds emit a blue-colored glow under UV light, but not all of them. So if your diamond does, you can feel pretty confident that it is a real diamond. However, if your diamond doesn’t, that won’t necessarily mean it’s not a diamond, and you should still get it professionally assessed.

The Dot Test Using Refractivity

When diamonds sparkle, they are exhibiting their ability to bend and refract light. As light strikes the pavilions (the angled surfaces on the lower part of the diamond) it bounces and is refracted through the diamond’s table (the top, flat surface) back to the naked eye. When a diamond does this well and has a radiant sparkle, this is referred to as brilliance. Simulated diamonds do not refract light well.

To test this, place a piece of white paper on a table and draw a small dot on it with a pen. Lay the stone onto the dot with the flat surface facing down. Looking through the pointed end of the diamond, see if you can notice the dot or a reflection of the dot. In real diamonds, the light will bounce in many different directions and not a straight line, so you wouldn’t be able to see the dot through a real diamond.

Sparkle Test Using Reflectivity

The reflectivity of a diamond refers to the amount and quality of the light reflecting off of the stone. This encompasses both the brilliance (white light sparkle) and fire (colored light) that shines off of a diamond’s table. When holding the diamond in question under a normal lamp, watch how light reflects off the stone. Do you see both bright white shimmers and colorful pops of light? With a real diamond, there should be exceptional brilliance and fire when compared with the relatively dull reflectivity of fake diamonds like a Cubic Zirconia.