How to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia?

A diamond is a beautiful gem that does not leave any woman indifferent. It is obtained from diamond after a special treatment, which allows you to reveal all its beauty. The "double" of a diamond is cubic zirconia. It is visually very similar to the original, but has an artificial origin. It is not so easy to distinguish them from each other, they are really similar in many respects, although the price of these stones varies greatly. So that the seller of jewelry does not take advantage of this similarity and does not sell you a lot of money for a purchase that is not worth it, study the features of one and the other stone.

Diamonds have a rating set by 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 in the evaluation of a particular instance.

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

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

This formula looks like this: mass = diameter 2x heights0.0061

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

However, the most expensive variety is plain, uncolored diamonds. The purity of the stones can be checked using ultraviolet rays by fluorescence.

Zirconia 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 resemblance to a diamond, it began to be actively used in jewelry and industry. Unscrupulous sellers can give out cubic zirconia not only for a diamond, but also for other stones, for example, emerald. But most often this stone is produced in the colors inherent in a diamond.

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

• jenavit;
• zirconite;
• Swarovski stone.

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

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

Here are various methods that allow you to distinguish between stones of natural origin and crystals, grown by man in a laboratory.

• Clearance It is impossible to make out a single letter through a diamond in a newspaper or magazine. But through the cubic zirconia to read the text is not difficult - it does not cloud the outline of the font.
• The use of fat. A simple dough is enough for this, and you just need a drop of vegetable oil. Dampen the pebble in it, and then attach it to the glass. Zirconia will not pester him and quickly fall off, but the diamond will remain in place. Another method involves the use of animal fat. It must be dripped onto a pebble and observe the behavior of the drop. If it remains unchanged, then you have a diamond, and if it starts to spread and collect in other drops, then it is cubic zirconia.
• Test breathing. This wonderful method can be used even in the store. In this case, the stone may be in the decoration. In the case of an artificial crystal, you will see signs of fogging, but the genuine diamond will not change its appearance.
• Magnifier. Optics can help make out the faint features of the two stones.Take a look at your copy through a magnifying glass with a 20x magnification and look for the doubling of its faces, bifurcated 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.
• Heating. If you hold cubic zirconia in your hands, it will absorb the heat 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 are quite warm.
• Hardness. This method is somewhat risky, but if you are sure that you have a diamond, you can try it. To do this, sweep the stone over any surface. In the case of a stone of natural origin, it will scratch it. Another option to distinguish between diamond and cubic zirconia on the basis of their hardness is to wear a stone jewelry. Over time, scratches will appear on the cubic zirconia, while such changes should not occur with diamonds. The only exceptions will be cases of very careless handling of the jewelry, for example, you threw it with all the force on the floor.
• Certificate. The presence of a certificate of authenticity is a sure sign that this is a real stone. Good jewelry stores are usually ready to document the natural origin of the stone. Of course, in our time it is impossible to be 100 percent sure of the authenticity of a certificate, but if it is a salon with a name that values ​​its reputation, then most likely this document will be authentic.
• Diamond tester. Today there are special devices that can determine the type of stone. Each instance has its own thermal conductivity and reflective qualities. The diamond tester allows you to identify how many genuine stones are in each row of these specimens, as well as determine the true diamond. The price of a similar device made in America starts at 7,000 rubles. Not such a large amount compared to the one that can be lost if you buy a fake. A Chinese device will cost 10 times cheaper. To get information about a stone, just bring it to the stone.

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

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