{"id":9357,"date":"2010-06-17T07:49:34","date_gmt":"2010-06-17T11:49:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/?p=9357"},"modified":"2019-10-03T09:34:59","modified_gmt":"2019-10-03T13:34:59","slug":"fake-diamond-simulants-and-synthetics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/fake-diamond-simulants-and-synthetics\/","title":{"rendered":"FAKE DIAMOND SIMULANTS AND SYNTHETICS"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"blog-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/Fake-Diamonds.gif\" alt=\"Fake Diamonds, Simulants, Synthetics\" title=\"Fake Diamonds, Simulants, Synthetics\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-9358\" \/><\/div>\n<h2>Don&#8217;t be fooled.<\/h2>\n<p>\nDon&#8217;t be fooled into thinking a <strong>fake diamond<\/strong> (or diamond simulant) is a <strong>real diamond<\/strong> just because of the name.<\/p>\n<p>It may look like a diamond, but that doesn&#8217;t mean it is one.<\/p>\n<p>There are plenty of fake diamonds on the market. And there is an easy way to separate <strong>the fakes from the real<\/strong>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><h2>Check the name.<\/h2>\n<p>For a stone to be sold as a &#8220;diamond&#8221;, <strong>it has to be a real diamond.<\/strong> Anything else will have to be disclosed and labeled correctly (i.e. <strong>diamond simulant<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p>Just recently I saw an ad in a magazine for a diamond simulant called &#8220;<strong>DiamondAura<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>DiamondAura is <strong>not a real diamond<\/strong>. It&#8217;s not even a fancy name for a name brand diamond (like the <strong>LEO<\/strong> diamond, which is a real diamond with extra facets). DiamondAura is a diamond simulant.<\/p>\n<p><h2>A substitute.<\/h2>\n<p>\n<strong>It&#8217;s a fake stone.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><h2>Fake diamond clues:<\/h2>\n<p>\nThere are usually a couple of big clues that separate the real diamonds from the fake. <\/p>\n<p>\n<strong>They are:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Colorless<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Flawless<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>More fire or dispersion<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n<strong>Let&#8217;s take a closer look at them:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><h2>Colorless:<\/h2>\n<p>\nMost diamond replicas (imposters) will be <strong>pure white<\/strong> in color. <strong>Too white.<\/strong> If they were a real diamond they would be considered colorless (D color), which is the highest color range there is. To get a diamond without color is <strong>extremely rare<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Most diamonds are not pure white<\/strong>. They have a little color to them like a slight yellow hue. So seeing a bright white stone makes it look <strong>too good to be true<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>\nTo me, it just screams &#8220;<strong>fake.<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><h2>Flawless:<\/h2>\n<p>\nSimulants generally are <strong>flawless<\/strong>. They have <strong>zero inclusions<\/strong> or flaws in the stone. Which is totally the opposite of what mother nature does. Diamonds have imperfections, that&#8217;s just the way it is. It&#8217;s also what helps distinguish diamonds from fake ones. If it looks too <strong>perfect<\/strong>&#8230; <strong>It usually is.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><h2>More fire or dispersion:<\/h2>\n<p>\nFake stones usually have more flashes of color in them (called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/what-is-diamond-fire\/\">fire or dispersion<\/a>). Like a CZ&#8217;s for example. CZ&#8217;s (or <strong>cubic zirconia<\/strong>) have more flashes of color in them than a diamond does because they have a higher dispersion value. <\/p>\n<p>\nRead more: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/is-it-a-cz-or-is-it-a-diamond\/\">CZ vs Diamond.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Stones that <strong>emit such a colorful display<\/strong> are a huge giveaway.<\/p>\n<p><h2>Other clues&#8230;<\/h2>\n<p>There are other factors as well that help separate <strong>real diamonds from fake:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Durability<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Metal<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Price<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><h2>Durability:<\/h2>\n<p>\nNo gemstone is equal to a diamond when it comes to durability. <strong>Diamond is the king of hardness.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\nAll of the other gemstones and simulants will show signs of wear and tear over time. <strong>Things like:<\/strong> chipping, breaking, dulling up or losing their sparkle.<\/p>\n<p>CZ&#8217;s are known for becoming dull and lifeless, and this is because <strong>they scratch too easily<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The softer a stone is, the more it will scratch (it&#8217;s impossible to scratch a diamond &#8211; <strong>unless you use another diamond<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>DiamondAura<\/strong> in the magazine listed the stone&#8217;s hardness as &#8220;<strong>cuts glass<\/strong>&#8220;. This claim is silly to say. &#8220;<strong>Cuts glass<\/strong>&#8221; should <strong>not<\/strong> be a determining factor of whether a stone is durable or not.<\/p>\n<p>Tons of materials and gemstones cut glass. <\/p>\n<p><h2>That means nothing.<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Glass is soft. <\/strong>Anything higher up than glass on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/what-is-the-mohs-scale\/\">MOH&#8217;s scale of hardness<\/a> will cut it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Glass is a 6-7 on the MOH&#8217;s scale<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>\nTake a look at some of the other things that <strong>will cut glass:<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Kunzite<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Peridot<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Bloodstone<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Quartz<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Black Opal<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Flint<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Agate<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Amethyst<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Tiger&#8217;s Eye<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Garnet<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Rhodolite<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Steel<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Tungsten<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Carnelian<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Corundum<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Ruby<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Sapphire<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Iolite<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Tourmaline<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Zircon<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Citrine<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Beryl<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Aquamarine<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Emerald<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Spinel<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Topaz<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Jade<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Alexandrite<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Cat&#8217;s Eye<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Jasper<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Onyx<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Cubic Zirconia<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Moissanite<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p><h2>Everything cuts glass.<\/h2>\n<p>\nSo you see, pretty much <strong>everything<\/strong> can cut such a soft material. Even <strong>Emeralds <\/strong>and <strong>Onyx<\/strong> which are known for being soft stones can still cut glass. &#8220;<strong>Cuts glass<\/strong>&#8221; is a phrase that <strong>fails<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Glass is not durable.<\/p>\n<p><h2>Metal:<\/h2>\n<p>\nThe metal used for fake diamonds is a big clue. Most simulants are set in <strong>sterling silver<\/strong> or <strong>gold plated jewelry<\/strong>. If the metal is plated or cheap, the stone is probably fake.<\/p>\n<p>Real diamonds are normally set into more durable metals like <strong>gold<\/strong> or <strong>platinum<\/strong>, and nowadays, silver as well. It&#8217;s not always the best indicator of &#8220;<strong>fake<\/strong>&#8220;, but it should make you more aware of the possibilities that it could be.<\/p>\n<p>Silver is soft, cheap and <strong>tarnishes.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Plated jewelry is basically just costume jewelry.<\/p>\n<p>Neither one is preferred or durable enough to really <strong>hold in diamonds securely.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><h2>Price:<\/h2>\n<p>\nPrice is a huge <strong>red flag signal<\/strong>. If a ring looks like it could be worth <strong>thousands<\/strong>, but it&#8217;s selling for only <strong>$99<\/strong>&#8230; BINGO! <strong>It&#8217;s a fake!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>DiamondAura<\/strong> says it has 2 carats worth of stones and sells for <strong>$145<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>That should leave no question in your mind whether it&#8217;s real or not.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You get what you pay for.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><h2>Diamond simulants:<\/h2>\n<p>\nThere have been a lot of genuine gemstones and <strong>man-made stones<\/strong> that have been cut to look like a diamond (cut like the brilliant cut diamond with<strong> 58 facets<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p><h2>These popular diamond simulants are:<\/h2>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>CZ (Cubic Zirconia)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Synthetic Moissanite<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>YAG (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Foil Backs<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Glass<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Doublets<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Zircon<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Flame-Fusion Simulants<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Synthetic Rutile<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Strontium Titanate<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td align=\"left\" valign=\"top\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>GGG (Gadolinium Gallium Garnet)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>White Sapphire<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>DiamondAura<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Diamontia<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Rainbow Magic Diamond<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Diamonique<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Absolute<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Diamonaire III<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Diamonesque<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p><h2>Watch the terminology.<\/h2>\n<p>\nIf the clarity is listed as &#8220;<strong>clear<\/strong>&#8221; instead of an actual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/diamond-clarity\/\">clarity grade<\/a> like VS or SI&#8230; <strong>beware.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If the diamond is listed as &#8220;<strong>hard as a diamond<\/strong>&#8221; or &#8220;<strong>cuts glass<\/strong>&#8220;&#8230; <strong>beware.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If the price is <strong>dirt cheap<\/strong>&#8230; <strong>beware.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\nIf the diamond is listed as having a color of <strong>colorless<\/strong>&#8230; <\/p>\n<p><h2>BEWARE!<\/h2>\n<p>\nThink twice before you buy something that &#8220;<strong>resembles<\/strong>&#8221; a diamond but isn&#8217;t clearly marked.<\/p>\n<p>If you want a simulant, fine, there&#8217;s no problem with buying one. As long as you know it&#8217;s fake and are fine with that. That&#8217;s all good.<\/p>\n<p>But if you think it&#8217;s a real diamond, or aren&#8217;t sure&#8230; <strong>take caution.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Simulants or synthetic diamonds won&#8217;t last like a genuine diamond will. They will wear down, erode, dull up and <strong>lose their sparkle<\/strong>. Plus, there&#8217;s <strong>no resell value at all.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Fakes are fake, <strong>don&#8217;t let them fool you.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><h2>My advice:<\/h2>\n<p>\nBuy a diamond (get <strong>a really great deal<\/strong>, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jamesallen.com\/loose-diamonds\/round-cut\/?Color=H,G,F,E,D&#038;Cut=Ideal,TrueHearts&#038;Clarity=SI1,VS2,VS1,VVS2,VVS1,IF,FL&#038;PriceFrom=200&#038;PriceTo=999000&#038;CaratFrom=1.00&#038;CaratTo=15.00&#038;Sort=Price&#038;Polish=EX&#038;Symmetry=EX&#038;Lab=GIA&#038;Flour=None?a_aid=JSDG\">from James Allen here<\/a>) if you want something that looks like a diamond. Everything else is a <strong>wannabe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s nothing wrong with that&#8230; <\/p>\n<p>\nSome of them are <strong>extremely beautiful<\/strong>, and you really can&#8217;t beat the <strong>price<\/strong>&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>But personally, I don&#8217;t think they&#8217;re worth it.<\/p>\n<p>\nThen again, I&#8217;ve worked in the industry for over .0 years, I lean towards the real thing; <strong>diamonds.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><h2>It&#8217;s your call, your money.<\/h2>\n<p>\n<strong>Spend wisely.<\/strong> :)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Don&#8217;t be fooled. Don&#8217;t be fooled into thinking a fake diamond (or diamond simulant) is a real diamond just because of the name. It may look like a diamond, but that doesn&#8217;t mean it is <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/fake-diamond-simulants-and-synthetics\/\" title=\"FAKE DIAMOND SIMULANTS AND SYNTHETICS\">[Read More&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,3,10,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diamond-guide","category-diamonds","category-engagement","category-gemstones"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9357"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9357\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewelry-secrets.com\/Blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}