| We began our search by entering "diamond | | | | uses a small light, such as the one that comes |
| ratings" into the search box. The results led us to | | | | with your key ring. If you shine the light through |
| online gift retailers, where we quickly found a | | | | the stone and cannot see it on the other side, but |
| useful page on on the "4 C's" of diamond | | | | only a bright halo around the rim, it is more likely |
| evaluation: color, clarity, cut, and carat. | | | | to be a true diamond. |
| From that document, we got the sense that the | | | | Diamonds are also very good at conducting heat. |
| most reputable ratings are performed by | | | | Breathe on the surface of the stone and |
| independent laboratories such as the Gemological | | | | immediately check to see if it has fogged up. |
| Institute of America (GIA) and the European | | | | Again, quartz, glass, and cubic zirconium will stay |
| Gemological Laboratory (EGL). We returned to | | | | hazy for a moment before the condensation |
| search engines and searched on the names of | | | | dissipates, but you shouldn't be able to see any |
| these groups. We found both listed under the | | | | moisture on a true diamond. However, one rock, |
| Gemology - Organizations category. | | | | called moissanite, will also pass this test, so the |
| A visit to the Gemological Institute of America | | | | best way is to get a complete thermal |
| site left us a little disappointed. They seemed to | | | | conductivity evaluation performed by a jeweler. |
| offer a great deal of information on their course | | | | Looking closely at the specks, ridges, and facets |
| offerings, but little in the way of reference | | | | can also give you a clue into the identity of your |
| material. | | | | gem. Diamonds do have inclusions, tiny bits of |
| The EGL site was also underwhelming. Still, if you | | | | other minerals that got crushed into the diamond |
| find yourself coming across EGL or GIA reports in | | | | while it formed deep under the earth. However, if |
| the course of your diamond hunting, it's probably | | | | the facets have worn or rounded edges, bubbles, |
| a good idea to familiarize yourself with these | | | | or if the gem looks rippled or pitted, it is probably |
| organizations. | | | | glass. Those gems that are perfectly clear, with |
| Ultimately unsatisfied with the results of our | | | | absolutely no inclusions, are probably quartz. |
| search, we decided to browse more. Happily, | | | | Finally, some common sense measures can |
| before long we found a nice site that offers | | | | prevent you from getting pressured to purchase |
| information on the 5 C's (they added "cost"), | | | | a gem that turns out to be something other than |
| diamond shapes, "How to Buy a Diamond," and | | | | a diamond. It shouldn't be ridiculously inexpensive, |
| "How to Read a Diamond Certificate." | | | | or you'll get what you pay for. It also will usually |
| The only people who can authenticate a real | | | | be mounted in an "open back" setting, which |
| diamond are certified gemologists specializing in | | | | means that you can see around the rear of the |
| jewelry. However, if you are browsing rings at a | | | | gem and the back surface isn't coated with any |
| flea market and want to quickly assess whether | | | | silvery substance. Although it's true that diamonds |
| a clear stone is probably glass, cubic zirconium, | | | | are the hardest organic substance on earth, the |
| quartz, or leaded crystal, there are a few easy | | | | infamous test of scratching diamonds across glass |
| tests you can apply without any special | | | | or metal might just give you a damaged diamond. |
| equipment. These tests at least rule out | | | | Even many gemologists cannot distinguish "real" |
| recognizable imposters because they rely on the | | | | diamonds from cultured diamonds. Cultured |
| way a real diamond stone refracts light, conducts | | | | diamonds have been artificially manmade in a |
| heat, and looks up-close. | | | | laboratory, not mined from mountains, yet they |
| If the gem in question is loose and unmounted, | | | | are chemically identical to those diamonds. Some |
| try placing it over printing. Diamonds refract so | | | | companies are developing new kinds of |
| much light that they will not work as a magnifying | | | | identification methods for those who would like to |
| glass and you would see no lines, circles, or letters | | | | purchase a mined diamond or for those that |
| through them. Other clear stones like glass or | | | | prefer a cultured one. |
| crystal will reveal the print clearly. A similar test | | | | |