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The surest method to determine  if a diamond is real or not is to go to a professional for an evaluation. It takes more than a jewelers’ loupe for clever amateurs to assess a stone. Even trained professionals are finding it difficult to determine a “real” diamond.

These are some hard rules to follow. Always examine the stamp inside of the band which will tell you how many karats it is and this will increase your chances of making a legitimate deal.

If you have access to a jeweler’s loupe or maybe a nice magnification glass, you should check out the edges as well as the girdle band of the cut stone. If the edges are soft and rolled, it is an indication of a fake one. So does a clear, waxy-smooth girdle at the place of meeting and changing direction of facets around the stone’s belly.

Use a jeweler’s loupe to check the stone for minute fractures, little flecks, and inclusions. These were created naturally and are difficult to copy. Natural diamonds are worth the most when they are flawless and diamonds with minor flaws are not easily seen by most consumers.

Generally, weight may be utilized as a normal indicator for those types of things. Substitutions for real diamonds use many materials that are heavier or lighter and the most common substitute, cubic zirconium, is actually a bit heavier than the real gem. In order to compare diamonds, you require a precision scale and samples of real diamonds.

Keep glass away from your diamond to avoid scratching. Any metals present could be affected by any testing that utilizes acids. You should not try to smash a diamond, it will crush just like another crystalline substance and a lot better than some of them.  Just fog the stone. A pure diamond shifts the heat very fast to clear the stone before you can see it. Thats a small hint, no more, and its far from fail proof. In terms of true worth, and proving comparatively valueless, composition stones that have the base of one material and a table of diamond, will “pass” the test.

A jeweler can tell you whether or not you got ripped off when you bought your “diamond”. That is why extra caution should be used when choosing a new jeweler, and each new gem or stone should have come with a certificate of authenticity. (stones are individual and documentation goes a long way in establishing its nature). When you put your trust in a reputable, professional jeweler, who works with reliable sources, you will find a person who can be relied upon for a quality grade of appraisal, help in making a selection and reliability. 

Not making any negative generalizations, but be quite cautious when having a stone appraised at a chain jewelry store.  Mass produced manufacture of broad distribution shows both strength and weakness. These stores are usually well run and honest, but what they lack is training and expertise.

In order to find these you must check the yellow pages or on the computer for internet advertisements offering appraisal services, also take the time to learn about the history,licensing, and the experience of the assessor. The good indications of skill are a Licensed jeweler, a good journeyman in a traditional program  and a dealer who has been dealing with stones previously.

Whenever you bring in a stone you are well within your rights to ask that it be tested under your supervision. This is to escape swapping from dishonest jewelers.. If you are turned down, turn around and just walk out. Ask for full documentation if you are purchasing a stone. Identifying real diamonds is difficult enough to make even pros think twice and look three times.

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