Fake diamonds in and of themselves aren’t such a bad thing. Finding something extremely cheap that can sit on a ring and from afar look fairly realistic can’t hurt those who want a classy look, but are on a budget. However, for those who want the real deal, the sort of rare beauty that one can only get with real diamond jewellery, then fakes can be a real problem. In certain lights, fakes might be able to give a pretty good impression of a diamond, but ultimately these fakes will lack the lustre, intensity or brilliance of the real thing. For those who have not bought real diamond jewellery before, it might not be instantly obvious whether a certain stone is real or fake, and yet the difference between the two is usually vast.
So when you are looking for the perfect diamond, ensure you carry out some tests beforehand. Buying such jewellery from reputable online retailers is probably the easiest way to avoid getting lumbered with a fake. These retailers will offer certificates of authenticity with their jewellery and you will usually find that the pieces you buy will be cheaper than something similar on the high street.
However, on the high street when you do find low prices, there is always the worry that this may be because the diamond in the jewellery is fake. Always ask for a certificate from an official grading authority. Diamonds will bend light, so ensure you look to see that light isn’t simply travelling through the stone. Putting the stone in water will also help establish if it is fake – a real one will sink, whilst a fake one will most likely float.
Finally, a diamond is tough. Take something like sandpaper along with you if you know you are buying from a high street vendor. If it can’t cut the sandpaper, the chances are it is a fake.