There are so many do-it-yourself diamond tests to check whether a diamond is real or not. Some of these tests may even damage your gem. Let’s look at what these tests are and how accurate they are.

Loupe Examination for Finding Inclusions of a Stone

It is believed that a real diamond will have inclusions whereas a fake one will be perfect. Loupe examination to spot inclusions of stone will be very difficult for a consumer as they have no experience like a jeweler. They cannot spot smaller inclusions of a diamond because of its facet junctions and reflections.

Since diamond is a natural substance, it will have inclusions as a result of exposure to extreme temperature and pressure during the formation. However, it is not true that diamond imitations have no inclusions. Even glass imitations have gas bubbles which look like natural inclusions for an untrained person. So based on the presence of inclusion, you cannot decide whether a diamond is real or not.

Real Diamonds Will Not Scratch While Rubbing with Sandpaper

This is a wrong assumption. Rubbing diamonds using sandpaper will make scratches on its surface. The grit on sandpaper has a hardness ranges from 7 to 9 on the Mohs scale. So rubbing sandpaper on a softer surface than the grit will surely damage the surface as well as reduce the value of diamond.

Real Diamonds Will Have Sharp Edges Whereas Fake Ones Will Not

This myth is true for imitations which are made in molds such as plastics, glasses, etc. They will not have sharp edges as real diamonds. But you should also consider the fact that due to tear and wear or any other damages, sometimes even natural diamonds can have abraded facet junctions.

Spotting Real Diamond from the Setting and Quality of Metal

Quality and type of metal used to set the diamond is not an indicator for determining whether a diamond is real or not. Natural diamonds are often set in gold or platinum. Nowadays, silver metals are also used for setting diamonds. Diamonds are mounted in a number of ways according to designers. So you cannot conclude that a diamond is not real by considering its poor setting.

Newspaper Test by Reading Letters through the Diamond

It is believed that due to high refraction, letters of newspaper appears unreadable while looking through a well-cut real diamond. Diamonds are highly refractive and when light passes through them, it slows down and bends which will cause visual distortion. So when you look through a real diamond, letters of newspaper appears to be unreadable.