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How to tell if a diamond is real? You may have just received an heirloom you’re curious about, or one of the diamonds you’ve received seems a bit fishy. Of course, consulting an expert is best, but if you want to satiate your curiosity quickly and without leaving your home, here are a couple of tests you can to tell a real diamond from a fake one:
One of the simplest tests you can do to see if you have a real diamond on your hands is the water test. Fill up ¾ of a glass of water (it doesn’t matter which water you use) and gently drop the diamond into the glass.
Because a real diamond has high density, it will sink in the water. If, however, it floats either underneath or at the surface, its density is not at the right level for a diamond, and you, unfortunately, have a fake on your hands.
For this test, all you need is your breath! Hold the diamond (it doesn’t have to be loose!) close to your mouth and breathe onto it, like you would if you wanted to fog up a mirror. A light fog should appear on the surface of the stone.
Since diamonds conduct heat effectively, the fog should disperse fairly quickly. If it takes several seconds for the fog to disappear completely, the diamond is likely fake.
If you don’t mind potentially shattering your stone, you can test the diamond by heating it. To do this test, first, fill a drinking glass with cold water. Heat the diamond under a flame (a lighter will do) for about 40 seconds, then drop it into the chilly water. If the stone shatters, it’s not a diamond.
Remember that all of these at home tests are good if you want to satiate your curiosity, but for a more definitive answer, you’ll want an expert.
Do you have an heirloom stone you want to test safely? Bring it over to one of our stores, and we’ll help you!
