Buying a diamond is one of the most important purchases you can make, whether you’re buying it as a gift for yourself, a loved one, or purchasing it for a proposal. No matter why you buy a diamond, you’ll want to make 100% certain it’s real. A diamond is an investment and the investment can pay off later down the road if you decide to sell, which is another reason why knowing whether or not your diamond is real is important. There are various tests you can use to determine if your diamond is fake or the real deal. Here’s how to check if a diamond is real.

1. Fog It Up

Real diamonds don’t fog easily because the condensation can’t stick to their surface. To see if your diamond is real, try fogging it up with your mouth, the way you would a window or mirror. If your diamond fogs easily and the condensation sticks, it may not be a real diamond. If, however, you can’t seem to fog up the stone for more than a second or two, you most likely have the real deal in your hands.

2. Will It Sink?

The next test you can use involves testing the buoyancy of the diamond. Fill a glass or cup with water and drop the diamond in. Diamonds are highly dense minerals and therefore will sink when dropped into water. If the diamond you drop into the water floats to the top or stops about halfway up the glass, it may be fake. A real diamond will sink down to the bottom and stay there for good.

3. How to Check if a Diamond is Real Using a Magnifying Glass

This test is best done by an expert but there are some tell-tale signs anyone can see when observing diamonds and other stones through a magnifying glass. Hold the glass up to your face and use it to look at your diamond. From this position, look for any imperfections. You actually want to see these imperfections, as real diamonds will have imperfections, known as inclusions. If the stone lacks any imperfections, it’s either fake, created in a lab, or more valuable than the average diamond.

4. Request a G.I.A. Grading Report

There are other tests you can conduct yourself but the most reliable ways to know the authenticity of your diamond, or any stone, is to contact a diamond expert. You can do this by sending your diamond to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Their experts can distinguish between a real diamond and any fakes using cutting edge technology and the collective knowledge of several trained and professional gemologists. Labs like GIA will also give you a comprehensive report as to the color, clarity, cut, and carat weight of your diamond. They’ll send you reports telling you if you’ve got the real deal or a convincing fake.

5. Consult an Expert Diamond Buyer

If your diamond failed any of the above tests and you’re still wondering how to check if your diamond is real, there is no better first step to take than having your diamond authenticated by an expert diamond buyer. Authenticity tests found online are decent indicators, but if you want to erase all doubt or have your gem properly evaluated, you will need to consult an expert. At Diamond Buyers, we have over 30 years of experience evaluating diamonds. Our staff consists of a highly trained team of GIA certified appraisers that can evaluate your diamond.

If you’re in Houston, feel free to drop by our Galleria-area showroom. Or, you can send in your jewelry from anywhere in the U.S. through insured and transparent shipping.