How to Tell if a Diamond is Real?

Buying a diamond is a journey that requires time and effort. Knowing the characteristics and structure of the diamond will ensure the stone on your jewellery is authentic. Diamond Heaven’s top tips will help you discover if the diamond on your ring, earrings or necklace is genuine. 

Check the Ring Setting and Mount

Is the diamond already on the ring? Look at the setting and mount used to secure the diamond. 

To find out if the setting is genuine on your engagement or eternity ring, look inside the centre of the band for markings. For example, if there is a marking of 9ct or 18ct, it indicates the purity of gold used. This purity will be hallmarked inside the ring no matter which colour of gold your ring is. Whether it is yellow, white or rose gold, all gold ring settings should have a hallmark. Whereas, if there’s a ‘PT’ or ‘Plat’ marking or a number like 900 and 950, the ring’s marking tells you it is platinum. Meanwhile, a “C.Z.” engraving or stamp means the stone is cubic zirconia - which is not a diamond in your setting.

The Fog Test

This approach involves holding the ring or diamond between your fingers and adding a puff of air. A light fog will instantly appear on the stone due to the moisture and heat from your breath. If it dissipates quickly, then the diamond is authentic. However, if it takes more than 10 seconds for the fog to disappear from the gem, it is usually a different stone to a diamond.

Inspect a Diamond with a Jeweller’s Loupe

At Diamond Heaven, our jewellers use a loupe - a magnifying glass that looks at the diamond's facets from 10x magnification to view the natural imperfections and blemishes within gemstones and diamonds. Typically, a genuine diamond will have inclusions within the stone viewable with a jeweller’s loupe. However, a fake diamond has no inclusions and will not usually follow the same facet structure. Another obvious tell can be when comparing the scintillation and sparkle between a lab-grown diamond and a simulated diamond, you can tell the difference between the fire and brilliance both stones display.

Are Lab-Grown Diamonds Fake Diamonds?

No, lab-grown diamonds are 100% real diamonds, sharing the same chemical composition and sparkle as natural diamonds. Trained diamond graders struggle to tell the difference between a natural diamond and a lab-grown diamond, showing how they are identical in terms of their structure and scintillation. 

Buy yourself a 100% independently-certified and hand-picked diamond jewellery piece from Diamond Heaven. Book an appointment at one of our nationwide showrooms today. Our trusted and experienced diamond consultants will ensure you have a genuine piece of diamond jewellery you will love.