How to Spot FAKE Lab Grown Diamonds?

With lab grown diamonds growing more popular as an affordable alternative to mined diamonds, there have been increased attempts to copy these wonders of science and pass them off as lab grown diamonds. For this reason, it is important to know how to spot fake lab grown diamonds. These may come in different forms, they could be cubic zirconia, curved glass, or even colored stones.

One thing you should know though is that lab grown diamonds are just the same as natural diamonds. Their composition and appearance are the same. So, the same process used to spot fake diamonds can be used to spot fake lab-grown ones.

First of all, though, it is necessary for you to take precaution when buying these gems. Make a habit of buying these stones from a trusted dealer in lab grown diamonds. On this site, you can read about the top websites to buy lab grown diamonds. These are trusted websites and many of them even provide certification. 

Look at the certification 

Just like natural diamonds, lab grown diamonds are subjected to the same process of certification by the gemological authorities. Highly trained gemologists carry out tests on diamonds and provide certification that confirms they are indeed diamonds and their origin. If you are buying a lab grown diamond, then ask for its certification and see the confirmation that it is indeed a lab grown diamond, not a fake.

Pricing

Grunted, lab grown diamonds are as much as 50% cheaper than natural diamonds, however, if the diamond you are purchasing seems unbelievably cheap, you may have a fake in your hands. When you look at the certification of a diamond, it should tell you it’s carat size. Make a price comparison with other LGDs of the same size. If there is a huge difference, there is likely a reason for that and many times that reason is that the diamond is fake. However, we can not rule out other reasons for the unbelievably low price. Sometimes the person selling may just be trying to make quick money, they may not know the value of the stone, or it is stolen. 

Ask an expert

Let’s face it, if you are reading this to find out if that stone you bought or were gifted is fake, then you probably do not have the skills to carry out some of the tests needed to tell apart real lab-grown diamonds from fakes, especially some of those fakes that can seem very real. The best bet you would have to spot a fake diamond would be to ask an expert. There are many jewelers as well as gemologists who have the equipment as well as the experience to tell apart fakes from genuine gems. Some experts simply need to observe the stone through a magnifying glass and they will let you know what you have and probably its price.

Newspaper test

This test is recommended by the International Gemological Society. They refer to it as the dot test. In this test, you will need a newspaper on which you will put a dot. Next, you will get the loose diamond and place it right over the dot. Now, try and read the words in the newspaper or to see the light. A real lab grown diamond will not allow you to read the words on the paper because of the refraction caused. Fake LGD on the other hand may allow you to read the words, though with some difficulty. This test however can only be performed on loose diamonds.

Taste it

No, there is no taste of diamond. However, diamond is known to be a good conductor of heat. This characteristic of real diamonds means that when placed on the tongue, there is a cold feeling you should experience because the diamond will conduct the head away from your tongue. Fake lab grown diamonds like glass plastic, and other synthetics will have no change on your tongue. This alone however should not be the only test you perform, some fakes have the ability to cause a cool effect on the tongue.

Fog test

You need to try out the reaction of your gem to fog. This is a simple test to perform and you just need your breath to do it. First of all, however, you should make sure the rock is clean. Wipe off any dust or particles from the surface of the gem. Now breathe on the diamond. A real lab-grown diamond will quickly form moisture beads which quickly disappear. The thermal conductivity of diamond is at play here. A fake will take longer for the beads of moisture to disappear.

Weight Vs Size

There is a correlation between the size of a diamond and its weight. For example, a 1-carat lab-grown diamond would be within the range of 650mm and 670mm. If you have a diamond that seems to have a disproportionate size-to-weight ratio, it is likely to be a fake. To be able to spot the fakes using this method, you probably need to know the different weight and size ratios. Also, you should know that it is no guarantee that once a rock passes this test then it is a real LGD. you may still have to carry out more tests. Some people who make fakes are also aware of the ratios and may design the fakes accordingly.

Best advice

If you are not a professional gemologist or jeweler with years of experience, it is going to take a while before you can accurately spot fake lab grown diamonds. The best advice you can follow is to always buy these precious stones from a reputable dealer.

If you already have the diamond and you just want to be sure it is not a fake, take it to the experts. You can get a complete report about the stone you have from gemologists. They have the machines and the expert knowledge to spot fakes accurately. This doesn’t mean you cannot first try out the methods already provided on how to spot fake lab grown diamonds.