Are you planning to buy diamond jewellery? If you are buying it for the first time, you are likely to be confused about how to identify a real diamond. Reputed jewellers will sell only genuine products and give you the right information about the same. If you are buying from them, you really need not worry. But, to be on the safer side, irrespective of whether you are buying diamond rings or diamond bangles, here are the best ways to identify real diamond:
- Check the Setting for Inscriptions of the Mounting
Diamonds will not be mounted on cheap metals. They are usually set in gold or platinum. Inscriptions on the inside of the jewellery are an indicator of the type of setting. Stampings such as 10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT and Plat show the setting to be platinum and gold of different purity levels. These are based on certifications by reputed agencies. A stamp stating C.Z., which stands for Cubic Zirconium, is a dead giveaway for a fake diamond.
- Check Certification
Most jewellers would provide you with a certificate giving all the details of the gold and the stones embedded in the jewellery. If the jewellery you are buying comes with a certification, it is safe to go ahead and buy it. If you do not get one, steer clear from it. Keep the certification safe with you for future reference. Some authorized certifiers are IGI (International Gemological Institute), SGL (Solitaire Gemmological Laboratories Ltd) and HKD Diamond Laboratories, Canada
- What Is on Offer?
If the jeweller can offer a guarantee in the form of full-refund or exchange on dissatisfaction, it is a promise, which can be given only if the product is genuine. You can trust the product and buy it without any kind of hesitation arising from doubt about the quality. In spite of that, if you have a doubt, perform a few checks on your own.
- Breathe Heavily on the Diamond
Diamonds are a good conductor of heat. If you breathe heavily on a diamond, a thin layer of fog will form on it but will dissipate quickly. If it is fake, it will take a few seconds for it to disappear. If you have a stone, which you know for sure is a diamond, try the test on both and compare.
- Inspect with a Jewellers’ Loupe
Borrow a jeweller’s loupe from the store and look at the diamonds through it. If you can detect small flecks in the stone, it is probably real. If you cannot see any imperfection, it is either fake or a very expensive diamond with high clarity levels. A mined diamond would generally have some imperfections, while cubic zirconium won’t have any. Also, remember that lab-manufactured diamonds are not likely to have imperfections. For this reason, this test cannot be a deciding factor for determining the authenticity of the diamond.
Diamond is a purchase for life. Before you put your money in it, make sure that you are fully satisfied with what you are buying. A sure-shot way of worry-free diamond purchase is a reputed ecommerce portal or jewellery store chain.