How to Spot A Fake Diamond

How to Spot A Fake Diamond

In this world of advanced technology it is 

almost impossible to simply look at a 

diamond and determine whether it is real or 

not – especially if you don’t know much 

about diamonds. There are some steps that 

you can take to avoid buying a fake diamond,

however.

First, only deal with reputable jewelers, and 

when you find a reputable jeweler, stick with 

them. Avoid buying diamonds or other 

jewelry from jewelers that you have never 

dealt with before in the past. Ask to see the 

certificate for the stone. If no certificate exists, 

walk away. 

Look at the setting that the stone is in. Fake 

diamonds, such as zirconias, are usually set 

in low quality metals. Take a close look at the 

stone. Fake diamonds are not durable – 

natural diamonds, on the other hand, are the 

most durable stone on the planet. Look for 

scratches or nicks. 

After purchasing a diamond, take it to 

another jeweler for appraisal. In fact, take it 

to two or three other jewelers for an appraisal 

to make sure that the appraisals are all fairly 

close. If you find that you have purchased a 

fake diamond, you may be accused of 

making a switch when you return to the store 

of your purchase; therefore, it is important to 

have a certificate for the diamond. No two 

stones are alike. 

How to Sell A Diamond

How to Sell A Diamond

There are many reasons why you may want 

to sell a diamond that you own. Perhaps 

you’ve gotten divorced, or you are strapped 

for cash. The reasons why don’t really matter 

– getting the best possible price is what 

counts! The way to obtain the best price 

for the diamond is to not be in a rush. Slow 

down, and carefully consider all of your 

options – there are many.

First, have the diamond appraised. In fact, 

have it appraised by two or three jewelers to 

get an accurate idea of the diamonds value. 

Tell the appraiser that you want the Rapaport 

Value. This is the wholesale value of the 

diamond, and it basically tells you the highest 

price that you can sell your diamond for. If your 

diamond has no certificate, you should 

consider getting a certificate from GIA. This 

may help you get a better price for the 

diamond as well.

First, try to sell the diamond yourself, to 

people you know. Friends and family 

members may be interested. If you don’t have 

any luck with friends or family members, you 

should turn to outside sources. Absolutely 

avoid pawn shops! A pawn shop will only offer 

you about 10% of what the diamond is worth! 

Also avoid offers of selling the ring on 

consignment. There are many things that 

can go wrong, and there is no shortage of 

diamond scams – even in well known 

jewelry stores.

If the diamond is important, you should 

strongly consider auctioning it off through 

one of the famous auction houses, such as 

Christie’s or Sotheby’s. If it isn’t what is 

considered an ‘important’ diamond or a 

high-end diamond, you should try to sell it 

to an individual using classified ads, or even 

eBay. However, selling to an individual that 

you do not know could put you in danger – 

especially if the diamond is worth a lot of 

money.

Your final option should be a jewelry store. It 

is vital that you not let your diamond out of 

your sight while in the jewelry store – you 

might find that the diamond you walked in 

with is not the same diamond that you walk 

out with! The jeweler will try to tell you that 

your diamond is of poor quality or low 

weight. Inevitably, there will be some 

problem with the diamond. This is where 

your appraisal and/or certificate will come 

in handy. 

If the jeweler is fair, they will offer you 

between 60% and 80% of the value of the 

Rapaport Value. Do not accept anything less 

than this. Again, do not let the diamond out of

your sight until you have been paid for it. 

How to Clean your Diamonds

How to Clean your Diamonds

Through our day to day movements our 

diamonds get smudged and soiled.  Even 

when we are not wearing them, they collect 

dust.  Lotions, soaps, our natural skin oils, 

can cause film and grime on diamonds 

and inhibit their brilliance.  

Want to keep that Brilliance and Shine?   

Diamonds require cleaning so that maximum 

amounts of light can refract fiery brilliance.  

Remember that all it takes is a few minutes 

and a little care to keep that diamond as fiery 

as the day you first saw it.

You can use an small soft brush such as an 

eyebrow or lip stick brush and soap and 

water to clean your jewelry.  Simply make a 

bowl of warm sudsy water with a mild 

detergent and place your pieces in the 

mixture.  Then brush the diamonds with the 

soft bristles of the brush while they are in 

the suds.  You will need to make certain that 

you rinse them clear of the suds after 

cleaning them.  You can use a small kitchen 

strainer such as a tea strainer to contain 

them while rinsing under warm water.  Use 

a lint free cloth, or a jewelry polish cloth to 

pat them dry.

If your diamonds are in need of a stronger 

cleansing, you may want to soak them for 30 

minutes in a solution of half and half water and 

ammonia.  Once they have soaked for 30 

minutes, remove them and gently brush the 

mountings with a small brush.  Then replace 

the pieces to the solution and swish them 

around in the mixture before removing them 

to rinse and pat dry.   

If you find your self too busy to be mixing 

soaps and ammonias, many department 

stores sell liquid jewelry cleaners.  Most are 

kits, with everything you need included.  You 

need to read the labels to determine the one 

that is right for your diamonds and other 

jewelry. Read the complete directions and 

follow all the precautions. 

And if you find yourself more the 

“high-tech type”, even in your diamond 

cleaning routine, there are multiple ultrasonic 

cleansers on the market.  These machines 

use high-frequency to create a cleaning motion.  

All machines are not the same, so please read 

the instructions before using.

Only you can choose the cleaning method 

right for you.   But, it is essential to keep 

your jewelry clean to keep it brilliant and 

sparkling.  Between cleaning, try not to touch

your clean diamonds with your fingers or 

handle your jewelry by its edges. This will 

help maintain its shine and brilliance for 

longer periods. 

How to Care for Your Diamond

How to Care for Your Diamond

Caring for a diamond takes more than 

occasional cleanings. Diamonds are forever, 

but they can be damaged if you are not 

careful. By learning how to properly care for 

your diamond, you will ensure that your 

diamond is indeed forever.

First, you should take your diamond jewelry 

to a jeweler once a year. Have him check the 

mountings and prongs that hold your 

diamond in place. Have him make any 

needed repairs. This will prevent your 

diamond from falling out of its setting and 

becoming lost.

Diamond jewelry that is not being worn, or 

diamonds that are loose should be stored in 

a fabric lined jewel case, or in a jewelry box 

where it can be kept separate from other 

jewelry. Each piece should have its own 

compartment. This will keep diamonds from 

becoming scratched, and it will also keep 

your diamond from scratching other jewelry 

as well.

Remove your diamond jewelry when doing 

physical work. Diamonds can be chipped 

and scratched easily. Also avoid allowing 

your diamond to come into contact with 

bleach or other household cleansers – this 

can damage or change the color of the 

settings and mountings, and it may even 

irreversibly change the color of the 

diamond!

How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings

There is much to consider when purchasing 

a diamond – especially diamond 

engagement rings! The tradition of 

presenting a woman with a diamond 

engagement ring when proposing began in 

1477 when Archduke Maximilian presented 

a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy – and 

in most cases, the woman you plan to 

propose to will expect a ring to accompany 

that proposal!

First, determine how much ring you can 

afford. Most people use the ‘two months 

salary’ rule. This means that the ring should 

cost the equivalent of two months of your 

current salary. Because you have other bills 

to pay, saving up this amount of money may 

take quite a bit of time. You should consider 

financing. Simply go to the jeweler of your 

choice and tell them that you plan to buy an 

engagement ring, and that financing will be 

necessary. Go ahead and get the credit 

check out of the way, find out what your 

payments will be, and how much of a down 

payment is required.

Now, have your mother, sister, or your 

girlfriends best friend take your girlfriend 

shopping, and make sure that they gaze at 

the engagement rings to get an idea of what 

she might like. Make sure that the jewelry 

store you buy the ring from will allow you to 

return the ring, if that is required, or allow 

your girlfriend to exchange it for another if 

she isn’t happy with it!