A luxury jewelry company has revealed how to spot the difference between a real Diamond on a ring and a cheap cubic zirconia copy.
Daniel Anania, a jeweller in Sydney, shared a photograph of two engagement rings side-by-side to show just how difficult it can be to tell a genuine diamond from a fake with the naked eye.
The image shows two gleaming rings set on silver bands, one encrusted with a diamond worth AUS $10,950 (£6,000) and another containing a AUS $500 (£270) cubic zirconia.
Anania says a few simple pointers can stop ring-buyers from paying over the odds for a lesser stone – with a gem’s weight, clarity, colour and inscription all key signposts.
So, which ring is the more expensive gem in the photo? ‘The stone on the right is a one-carat brilliant-cut round diamond. It’s colour G on the diamond chart and has a clarity SI2, both important factors that push it’s value up.’
The industry-wide diamond chart sees stones graded from colourless to light in colour. G has some colour which means it’s a moderately priced, good value stone.
And the ‘fake’? The jewel on the left is a ‘one carat size’ cubic zirconia. While it gleams brighter than the real diamond, that’s a giveaway that its price tag comes with only two zeros attached, rather than three.
Anania says ring-shoppers need to ask the right questions when looking for a genuine gem, and it helps to first hold the ring in your hand to see how luxurious the metal the stone had been set on is – ring metal is a good indicator of value.
He says: ‘First, feel the weight [of the ring]. Silver is light, gold is heavy and platinum is even heavier’
He adds you should then ‘ask to see the diamond through a loupe (a small magnifying glass every jeweller should have). It needs to be 10x magnification’.
Don’t be disheartened by minor marks, they could be a sign of value. Most diamonds carry impurities – and are then graded by their clarity on a universally used scale. Those without any marks are among the rarest in the world.
The expert jeweller, whose family have owned Anania Jewellers in Sydney since 1965. says: ‘I like S11 and SI2 diamond clarity because the natural inclusions bring the price down, but under magnification you can see distinctive characters that you can’t see with the naked eye.
‘If the stone is too clean inside and is being sold too cheaply – it is probably fake.’
He also explained how most diamonds are laser inscribed with their certificate number so make sure the certificate you are given and the inscription on the ring match.
And going to a trusted store means your investment is likely to be a good one because decent jewellers build their reputation on trust, says Anania.
‘Longer established firms have more of a reputation to lose than pop-up shops.
‘The character of the jeweller/sales person you are dealing with goes a long way in giving confidence.’
Those who go down the bespoke route shouldn’t be afraid to ask to see the stone before having it set either and should expect a two-three week wait at least before they get their ring to allow for real craftmanship.
He says: ‘Insist on seeing what you are having made before any diamonds or stones are set, so you have the opportunity to check the centre diamond (the majority of your cost) to verify it is what you purchased, and then check it again when you pickup before you pay.
‘Because of how many options shoppers have, they should be vocal about how they feel and ensure they are ‘happy’ with the ring they have purchased.
‘Jewellers stake their reputation on every job they do so good ones understand that and do whatever it takes to make sure the customer is not just happy, but confident that they are getting the value that they need.’
And here is a quiz for you, among the three which one is real? Respond in the comment section.
