Telling a real diamond from a fake?

[Monkeyleg]

I happened to notice something shiny on the ground today as I left the gym. I looked closer, and it appeared to be a diamond, fake or real. If real, it's 1 carat or a bit bigger.

Anyway, I looked online to find out how to tell if it's real or fake. It passed the "breath fogging" test. It seems to pass the "not being able to read through it" test. It scratches glass.

It doesn't have rainbow patterns in the reflections, but some of the glints off the facets sometimes show a little color.

I'd feel like a fool taking a fake to a jewelry store, so I'm wondering if you have any other ideas or suggestions on telling real from fake.

Thanks for any replies.

[Regolith]

Was it set in jewelry or just lying around? Is it cut?

If not cut and just laying around, it's probably quartz. A picture would be helpful.

[Tallpine]

Obviously, it's a gym stone 

[cambeul41]

Assuming you mean a piece of jewelry and not a natural stone, are you playing "finders keepers," or are you going to try to find the owner?

A somewhat vague "found" notice -- "Found, a woman's ring near xyz" -- might be a start.

[Regolith]

Obviously, it's a gym stone  

   


You could also heat it to 1750 degrees. If it melts it's not a diamond.  

Strike that. A diamond won't melt at that temperature, but it WILL start transforming into graphite...:(

[Monkeyleg]

It's cut. The underside is faceted, but comes to a point at the bottom for being set in a ring or whatever.

If it's real, I'll put up a vague notice ("found: piece of jewelry") at the gym.

Looking at it now I can see some glints of color off of a coupe of facets. Most of the glints are white or gray.

[cambeul41]

"found: piece of jewelry"

Better than my suggestion!

Some jewelers, especially if you explain the situation -- that you want to know if it is worth making the effort to find the original owner -- might tell you whether it is a real diamond for free.  Asking for an appraisal is another matter.

[Gowen]

Without equipment it is hard to tell.  If you know anyone who works at a jewelry store, you could ask them to test it, but wait till after the Christmas returns are over with.

[Bubbles]

You'll definitely need a jeweler, as they can tell pretty quickly if it's glass, cubic zirconia, a man-made diamond, or a mined diamond.

[zxcvbob]

If it's a cubic zirconia, they look more like a diamond than a real diamond does.  I've even tricked a jeweler with one by having it in a nicer setting than you'd use for a zircon.

I would post a "found" notice at the gym, and maybe notify the sheriff's dept. I don't trust the police dept.  Don't give to many details; make the claimant provide the details.  (especially don't post that it's a loose stone)  If some woman really lost the diamond out of her engagement ring, you'll get more karma points out of returning it than the thing is worth.  (otoh, finding and legally claiming a 2 CD diamond would be pretty sweet)

[Scout26]

Yep take it and ask a jeweler.  They'll have no problem telling you whether it's real or fake.  If real, it might have a serial# laser-etched into it, which will enable you to find the rightful owner.

[RoadKingLarry]

Most pawn shops will also have a diamond tester.

[Monkeyleg]

I tried comparing it to my wife's wedding ring diamond, but that stone is so small that I can't make out any detail in it for comparison. I was in college when we were married, so it's a beautiful ring, but not much in the way of a stone.

[BobR]

It looks like you have done most of the things you are able to do. There may be one or two here you didn't try and can still do.

http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-a-Diamond-is-Real

Weighing it, if you have a scale may be an option. If it weighs out at 1/2 a carat or so it is probably fake.

Even if it is fake, some one may be looking for it because now that have a bare setting. I would still put up a sign without being too specific. You may want to have whoever shows up bring the setting it came out of with them. At least you will know they have a setting that needs a stone, if nothing else. 

bob

[Monkeyleg]

I'm a bit more inclined now to think it may be real. I looked at it with a magnifier and I can see some black flecks in it. Not on the surface, but in the material. From what I've read cubic zirconia doesn't have flaws.

1. It scratches glass easily
2. It doesn't fog if I breathe on it
3. It doesn't have rainbow colors in it, although some glints do show a color cast
4. It has flaws in it

[KD5NRH]

Most pawn shops will also have a diamond tester.

This.  They can tell you in less time than it takes to ask the question.

[coppertales]

Just give it to a woman.  She will let you know.................chris3

[Monkeyleg]

Not all women. My wife has never cared much about diamonds and can't tell the difference between real and fake, even when it's a bad fake.

I looked at a size chart for diamonds, and this is a 1 carat size. (.252" diameter). I also looked on Ebay to see roughly how much a 1 carat diamond sells for, and was seeing prices in the $2500 range. If that's correct, that's nuts. That's a ton of money for something with artificially inflated prices.

[wmenorr67]

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod2090674&pid=CSE_Froogle&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku2017714

Here is one listed for $13K+

[erictank]

Not all women. My wife has never cared much about diamonds and can't tell the difference between real and fake, even when it's a bad fake.

I looked at a size chart for diamonds, and this is a 1 carat size. (.252" diameter). I also looked on Ebay to see roughly how much a 1 carat diamond sells for, and was seeing prices in the $2500 range. If that's correct, that's nuts. That's a ton of money for something with artificially inflated prices.

Depends greatly on the quality, AFAIK.  The Jewelry Exchange (national diamond wholesaler) advertises locally a 1C loose diamond (certified, but I don't recall what grade) for something like $1500-1800, IIRC. When I was buying wedding rings for self and wife a few years ago, the little jewelry shop had some stones that size for over $3K, graded well above the point where it was possible to see any flaws (that it, several steps beyond where they were detectable by the naked eye - one wonders what's the point in buying something that far past the point where you can't see the flaws since they're so tiny?).

IMO you'll have to take it in somewhere to get them to tell you whether it's real or fake - you've probably done all you can yourself on that front.

[birdman]

Real vs fake (eg zircon)
Or real vs artificial?

The latter is much more difficult

[Monkeyleg]

What's the difference between real and artificial?

[wmenorr67]

Synthetic diamonds (also known as cultured diamonds or cultivated diamonds) are diamonds produced in a technological process; as opposed to natural diamonds, which are created by natural geological processes. Synthetic diamond is also widely known as HPHT diamond or CVD diamond, denoting the production method, High-Pressure High-Temperature synthesis and Chemical Vapor Deposition, respectively.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond

[Blakenzy]

What's the difference between real and artificial?

If someone doesn't tell you which is which... none.

The price is about ten times lower for a cultured vs natural diamond.

[seeker_two]

Yep take it and ask a jeweler.  They'll have no problem telling you whether it's real or fake. 

When you do, make sure you use a South African accent.....jewelers love that....



:D