Diamond buyer's guide: real vs fake

Real diamonds are a popular accent to many rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. They are an especially popular addition to engagement rings and men's and women's wedding bands. In fact, more than one hundred million diamonds are sold in the United States every year.

Real diamonds are expensive to purchase because they are beautiful and they are very rare. They are made of carbon that has been compressed for centuries. Because of this fact, "fake" diamonds are becoming more and more popular. You can buy them at most department, discount and jewelry stores mounted on rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces.

One of the most popular types of fake diamonds is known as Cubic Zirconia. They are usually made of glass, but they can sparkle and shine almost as much as a real diamond can. What they can't do, however, is scratch glass. One of the most important keys to distinguishing between a real diamond and a fake one is to perform the "Scratch Test". A real diamond will scratch glass, ruby, sapphire, and even Cubic Zirconia. This is because, on the Moh's Scale, real diamonds have a hardness rating of "ten". They give them the distinction of being the hardest natural mineral known to man. Cubic Zirconia only has a rating of "eight and a half" on the Moh's Scale. It can also be scratched by a ruby or a sapphire.

Here is another thing to look for on any piece of "diamond" jewelry: Look inside the band, if the piece is a ring. Make sure the letters "CZ" are not stamped on it. On a necklace, bracelet, or on a pair of earrings, check the backs for any suspicious lettering.

Another way you can tell if a diamond you want to buy is real or a fake is to give it a "Fog Test". Hold the diamond up to your mouth and breathe on it as if you were going to clean it. Then, immediately look at it and see if the fog has quickly dissipated or not. If it did, then chances are the stone is real. If the fog stays on the stone longer than a few seconds, it may well be a Cubic Zirconia.

If you hold a real diamond under a black light, it will give off a blue look. Since most of the Cubic Zirconia look - alikes don't, this could be yet another way to tell if it's real or not. Or, if you look at a diamond under a high - powered magnifying glass, you should look for tiny, thin cracks or other flaws. If the stone has them, it could well be the "real McCoy"because it's impossible to implant these typed of imperfections in a fake diamond.

Finally, when you are choosing a diamond, only visit reputable jewelry stores that have certified jewelers on staff. Only a certified, honest jeweler will tell you for sure whether the diamond you are considering buying is real. Many unscrupulous discount jewelry stores will attempt to sell you a piece of jewelry just to make the sale.

And, ask the jeweler for a certificate that proves that the diamond is authentic, and is not a Cubic Zirconia or another type of fake. Again, if the jeweler is on the "up and up", he or she shouldn't mind your request.