Understanding Gemstone Quality: How to Spot a Fake Gemstone
Gemstones have served as a beauty and rarity platform, besides being representations of different
aspects. Whether as ornaments or healing agents, worthiness depends solely on authenticity.
Unfortunately, there is saturation with imitations or synthetic stones, making it fairly hard to tell genuine
or otherwise.
The way out of this predicament is through knowledge of the quality that goes into gemstones and how
to identify fake ones. This book will discuss all the key considerations to help you know whether the
gemstone you are investing your money in is genuine or not.
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Understand Basic Gemstone Properties
To learn proper detection techniques, one has to know the very basic properties of a real stone. Every
gemstone has characteristics that differentiate it from real gemstones Vs fake or synthetic versions.
● Hardness: There is also a difference in hardness among gemstones, as measured on the Mohs
scale. Diamonds rank 10 for hardness, while opal is soft, at 5.5-6.5. A scratch test can help,
though best done by a professional.
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● Color: Natural gemstones like garnet gemstone and opal show color variation, whereas the
synthetic ones almost look too perfect. Real stones have deep, non-homogeneous colors, whereas
synthetic ones tend to look too bright or even in color. This is a flag that the stone was
synthesized.
● Clarity: Flawless gemstones are normally a red flag. Natural stones usually have some sort of
inclusion or minor imperfection, whereas synthetic stones tend to be too clean.
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Weight Test: Density Test
A quick way how to know if a stone is real or fake is through weight. Genuine gemstones have a higher
weight than artificial or glass imitations. Compare the weight of the questioned stone with known
genuine gemstones of similar size and type. If it is too light, then it may be a fake stone. An example is
that cubic zirconia, a diamond substitute, weighs more than a real diamond.
Describe the Cut
The cut of a stone is going to tell you much about the nature of that stone. A real gemstone is well-cut
for maximum brilliance. A real stone is sharply cut with sharply defined facets; most imitation stones
appear to be poorly cut, or more often, rounded with poorly defined facets. Symmetrical cuts in a real
stone will shine with uniformly reflected light. A lopsided or dull stone is suspect.
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Consider Treatments or Enhancements
One other way to know if it is a real gemstone Vs fake is to undergo treatment to make it appear more
attractive. However, the products can be poor quality if a lot of treatment has been carried out on them.
Among the most common stone treatments are:
Learn More Which Gemstones Are Perfect for Halloween?
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● Dyed Stones: These are either poor quality or even imitation stones. Most dyed stones are color
treatments. Be vigilant and check the edges or cracks in case you find evidence of pooled dye.
● Synthetic Stones: These are artificially grown stones. Natural stones have properties that may
also be identical to synthetic and fake stones. Make sure your buying decision is not based on
whether the stone is synthetic or natural. The seller must declare it so.
Heat Test: Gemstone Response to Heat
Artificial gemstones are more sensitive to heat than natural ones. It is quite a straightforward process;
just hang the stone over heat for at least 30 seconds and then drop it in water immediately. This
therefore goes to imply that, if it breaks, then it has a great tendency to be glass or synthetic. A natural
gemstone such as Aquamarine gemstone barely breaks through this test, however the process must be
done very carefully since it might damage the stone.
Demand Authentication
How to know if a stone is real? It is through getting a certification from any known and respectable
gemological institution, preferably the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the American Gem
Society (AGS).
Certified stones are given elaborate report statements indicating their authenticity, grading, and
treatments. Although getting certified stones is relatively expensive, the proof that you are paying for a
real quality gem is assured. One platform that sells real and affordable gemstones is CabochonsForSale.
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Conclusion
There is no easy way to spot a counterfeit gemstone, as it may appear and feel real if one is not aware of
the terms, color, clarity, weight, and cut. Your best bet is avoiding fake stones by knowing a few of the
above factors that will determine whether a gemstone is genuine or not.
If you are in doubt, purchase from reputable dealers and ask to see a certificate. Informed buyers can
afford to invest in genuine gemstones that will continue to bring them the beauty and benefits they
desire for many years.
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