How to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia?

A diamond is a beautiful gemstone that leaves no woman indifferent. It is obtained from diamond after special processing, which allows you to reveal all its beauty. The “double” of a diamond is a fianit. It is visually very similar to the original, but has an artificial origin. To distinguish them from each other is not so easy, they are really similar in many respects, although the price of these stones varies greatly. So that the jewelry seller does not take advantage of this similarity and does not sell you a purchase for a huge amount of money that does not cost them, study the peculiarities of that and another stone.

Diamonds have a rating of 4C. It includes four characteristics - carat, color, clarity and cut. In English, all these words begin with the letter C. Each of the parameters has a meaning when setting a grade for a particular instance.

The weight of diamonds is determined in carats, and 1 carat is equal to 0.2 grams. The smallest of all are considered copies, the weight of which is equal to 0.01 carat. They are sometimes used by jewelers to create jewelry, only to see these stones in rings or earrings, you need to try - their diameter is not more than 1 mm.

The scale of the carat - 100 divisions. It can be very difficult for an average person to distinguish between stones with a weight that is even one-tenth carat different. Specialists can do this, but they have to use a special technique, including a microscope. If you want to determine at least an approximate weight, then try using the following arithmetic formula. However, it is suitable only for stones, in the processing of which a large cut was used.

This formula looks like this: mass = diameter 2xhighs0.0061

The color of the stone is determined by the GIA scale, with its help, experts identify a shade ranging from brown to yellow. There is also a group of diamonds of other colors called fantasy. There are very beautiful specimens of red, green, pink, lilac, blue shades. These unexpected colors are formed due to impurities: boron has gotten boron, uranium is in green, and so on.

However, the most expensive variety is plain non-colored diamonds. The purity of the stones can be checked using ultraviolet light using the fluorescence method.

Fianit is a crystal grown from zirconium dioxide. In the 60s of the last century, fame about him swept across the USSR. Because of its striking similarity with a diamond, it began to be actively used both in jewelry and in industry. Unscrupulous sellers can give out a cubic zirconia not only for a diamond, but also for other stones, such as emerald. But most often this stone is produced in the color scale inherent in a diamond.

It received its name from the first letters of the scientific institute in which it was invented - this is the Physics Institute of the Academy of Sciences. It is softer than a diamond by only three units on the Meuse scale (8.5 vs. 10). Cubic zirconia has such varieties as:

• genavit;
• zirconite;
• Swarovski stone.

There are many parameters by which natural and artificial crystals have differences.

• Weight. The weight of cubic zirconia is much greater than that of a diamond. Experts can determine the weight of the stone and draw conclusions about its origin.
• Glare. The shine of a diamond amazes with the beauty and variety of color highlights. However, the production technology of cubic zirconia does not stand still - today the masters have learned to produce crystals with a very bright shine and it is very difficult to find the difference with the original. Moissanite subspecies is almost never found in nature, but it is often grown in laboratories. They sparkle very intensely, even more than diamonds, and it is not always possible to determine their artificial origin even with the help of devices. Moreover, the human eye cannot cope with this task.
• The shape of the cut. The specifics of the cut can also produce an artificial stone, it differs in cubic zirconia and a diamond: in the first, with rounded edges, and in the second, with sharp edges. This method is also intended for experts, because cubic zirconia can be processed on 57 facets.
• Irregularities. Diamonds are usually less perfect crystals, that is, they have minor defects that are not observed in fianits.

We give a variety of methods that allow to distinguish between stones of natural origin and crystals, grown man in the laboratory.

• Clearance. Through a diamond it is impossible to see a single letter in a newspaper or magazine. But through the fianit to read the text is quite simple - it does not clouded the outlines of the font.
• The use of fat. For this, a simple test is enough, and you will need only a drop of vegetable oil. Dampen a pebble in it, and then attach it to the glass. The fianit will not stick to it and quickly fall off, but the diamond will remain in place. Another method involves the use of animal fat. It is necessary to drop on the pebble and observe the behavior of the drop. If it remains unchanged, then there is a diamond in front of you, and if it begins to spread and collect into other drops, then it is a cubic zirconia.
• Testing breath This wonderful method can be used even in the store. In this case, the stone can be in the decoration. In the case of an artificial crystal, you will see signs of fogging, but a genuine diamond of its kind will not change.
• Magnifier. Optics can help you see the subtle distinctive features of two stones. Take a look at your specimen through a magnifying glass with a 20-fold increase and look for the ghosting of its faces, split rays. This can only happen with an artificial crystal. In addition, a diamond is not completely transparent. Of course, sometimes in nature there are stones of "pure water", but they will cost a fortune.
• The heating. If you hold the phianite in your hands, it will absorb the warmth of the human body. But the diamond does not change its temperature. True, before embarking on such an experiment, it is necessary that the hands be rather warm.
• Hardness. This method is somewhat risky, but if you are sure that you have a diamond, you can try it. To do this, hold a stone on any surface. In the case of natural stone, it will scratch it. Another option to distinguish between a diamond and a cubic zirconia based on their hardness is to wear a jewel with a pebble. Over time, scratches will appear on the zirconia, while with diamonds such changes should not occur. The only exception will be cases of very careless handling of jewelry, for example, you threw it with all your strength on the floor.
• Certificate. Having a certificate of authenticity is a sure sign that you have a real stone. Good jewelry stores are usually ready to document the natural origin of the stone. Of course, in our time you cannot be 100 percent sure of the authenticity of a certificate, but if this is a salon with a name that values ​​its reputation, then most likely this document will be genuine.
• Diamond Tester. Today there are special devices that are able to determine the type of stone. Each copy has its own thermal conductivity and reflective qualities. A diamond tester allows you to identify how many genuine stones there are in each row of these instances, as well as identify a true diamond. The price of a similar device made in America starts at 7,000 rubles. Not such a big amount in comparison with the one that can be lost if you buy a fake. The Chinese device will cost 10 times cheaper. To get information about the stone enough to bring it to the stone.

There are models that, in contact with the material, show a certain light. So, Gem Oro Ultra Tester flashes green, if it is a diamond, blue - if it is moissanite and red - on metal.

Further on the video you can see the differences between the cubic zirconia and the diamond.