Real Diamond Vs American Diamond Learn How to Test What's Real
Diamonds are every woman's best friend. It's a timeless piece of magic that cherishes her entire life, and when the time comes, it's passed on to the next generation. Diamonds are an inevitable part of heirlooms. However, with the development of technology in the new era, people have developed diamonds in laboratories, also known as lab-grown diamonds or American diamonds.
The alternative popular name for American diamonds is cubic zirconia.
Even experienced jewellers can hardly distinguish real diamonds from American diamonds. Many lab-generated gems can pass through natural diamonds with the naked eye. Some of these include glass, quartz, cubic zirconium (CZ) and moissanite.
Here are some ways to test whether you are buying a real or fake diamond.
Scratch Test
Check the surface for scratches. Since diamond is the hardest natural material known, they don’t scratch easily. Ideally, there should be no scratches on the surface of a real diamond. This will be the first inspection to test a real diamond. However, if the diamond is made in a laboratory, it is easily scratched and less durable. Compared with real diamonds, American diamonds are less durable.
Real diamonds can survive for hundreds of years without any major wear and tear.
Fog Test
Real diamonds do not retain heat, so if you breathe, they should be cleared almost immediately. American diamonds retain heat and therefore remain cloudy for a long time.
Weigh the stones
Cubic zirconia is about 50% heavier than real diamonds. These methods should help you quickly distinguish between the two gems yourself, but given the huge difference in prices, it is always best to check with your local jeweller.
Examine Facets
Every real diamond needs to be cut and polished in some way to enhance its beauty. Due to its outstanding durability and hardness, real diamonds are timeless and have sharp edges. On the other hand, American diamonds are relatively soft and fragile. The edges of American diamonds are not as sharp as those of real diamonds. Due to wear and tear they lose their sharpness.
Newspaper Test
Put the diamond in the newspaper. A real diamond will refract a lot of light and it is almost impossible to read letters through it. If you can read the letter in the newspaper through the diamond, it may be an American diamond.
Clarity Test
American diamonds are imposters, and because of their synthetic origin, it is possible to achieve a certain degree of clarity. However, real diamonds have a unique internal structure, and some of them may have flaws. The clarity of American diamonds and real diamonds are almost similar. They are colourless and flawless.
Price
There is no doubt that real diamonds are much more expensive than man-made diamonds. Diamonds are rare due to their limited resources on the earth, so they are expensive. Compared with real diamonds, American diamonds are cheaper. The price of real diamonds is affected by many factors, such as carat weight, clarity and colour.
Consult a jeweller
If you are still unsure, then further tests (such as UV tests, X-rays, and thermal and conductivity tests) may help. These complex equipment may not be easily available to you. Utilizing the expertise and resources of local jewellers may help.
When it comes to one-time jewellery use, American diamonds are a good choice. However, if you wish to build your heirloom and pass it on as a legacy, then real diamonds are your best investment.