We live in the age of bling and precious stones and gems are no longer the exclusive domain of the rich and famous. Diamond encrusted gold chains, giant engagement rings and diamond ear studs have become the hallmarks of the nouveau riche. However, as many rap artists and others found out, just because you drop major bills for some jewelry doesn’t mean you are purchasing the real thing.
Does Jacob the Jeweler ring a bell?
To make sure the bling you buy is genuine the best option is to get an independent appraisal. You can search Yelp or Google to find an appraiser in your local area. Once you find an appraiser you should ask three questions:
- Ask if the appraiser schedules appointments or is it first come first served, generally the more reputable appraisers work by appointment only.
- Find out what the price is for the appraisal, fees can range anywhere from $50 to $250.
- Ask if your jewelry will always be in your presence. If the appraiser will not evaluate the jewelry in your presence find another appraiser. You never want to let the jewelry out of your sight.
There are some tests you can do on your own, but none of them are foolproof. For instance the glass cutting test; some say if the stone cuts glass then it is a real diamond. However, there are fake stones on the market that can also cut glass and in the process of trying to cut glass you may actually cause damage to your diamond.
The transparency test is implemented by turning the diamond upside down and putting it on a page of text and reading the text through the diamond. Allegedly, if you can read the text then it’s not a real diamond. The problem with this test is that some diamonds are cut at a shallow angle and can be read through. So, you may end up getting rid a diamond that you thought was a fake.Performing the fog test is pretty interesting. Breathe on the diamond as if you were trying to fog up a mirror. If the stone stays fogged up for 2 to 4 seconds it’s a fake. Real diamonds disperse heat instantaneously so by the time you breathe on the stone and then look down at it the fog will already be gone.
Beware, if there is dirt or oil on the stone it will cause the test to be unreliable or if the stone is diamond on top but cubic zirconia on the bottom the test will be inaccurate.
There are many other tests that can be done with varying degrees of success. But if you want to be certain of your jewelry’s authenticity an independent appraiser is your best bet. After all bling shouldn’t just be for show, it should be an investment for your future or it should become a family heirloom to be passed down from generation to generation. It’s a good way to get on the road to wealth.