Check the gem for authenticity

Verification of the gemstone for authenticity, as a rule, consists in checking the gemstone (insert) for compliance with the information stated during the sale-purchase.

When checking the authenticity of the stone, it is required to confirm the declared mineral type and variety, the nature of origin, the presence or absence of refinement, and also to determine the quality characteristics for the declared ones.

How to distinguish a real stone from a fake

Often the determination of the material and origin of the jewelry insert is difficult to fix, and then you have to use the complex of available methods for determining both direct - determination of the diagnostic constants of minerals and indirect - allowing you to judge the mineral form indirectly.

Diagnostics of the mineral species in the simplest case is based on the measured optical-structural constants of the minerals, but subject to limited access (including visual inspection), additional methods are used, such as:

  • thermal conductivity research;
  • conductivity study;
  • investigation of magnetic properties;
  • study of the nature of various types of luminescence.

In minerals partially observable for visual observation methods, the following methods are used:

  • investigation of the appearance of internal microinclusions;
  • surface research (its defects and individual features);
  • study of the nature of pleochroism;
  • study of the nature of birefringence;
  • investigation of internal structural anomalies.

When determining organic jewelry stones and diamond, in addition to measuring optical constants, Raman and luminescent spectroscopy, the infrared spectroscopy method is used to identify characteristic carbon-containing compounds.

Gemstone Authentication Features

The determination of qualitative characteristics is best done for a stone that is in a loose form, since when assessing the parameters of a stone installed in a jewelry product, a significant error can occur. Such an error is minimal and does not exceed 5% in weight and 1 group of color and purity for a stone with high quality characteristics of a cut fixed in the most open frame. But with a deterioration in the quality of the cut of the stone, and fixing it into a frame that impairs viewing and the ability to take measurements that have mirrored, matte or colored surfaces, the error may increase.

Where to verify the authenticity of gems

Nowadays, every year new and existing technologies for the synthesis and refinement of jewelry stones are developed and improved, as a result of which a standard set of gemological equipment for determining the jewelry insert, the nature of its origin and the presence of possible refinement methods is not enough.

Therefore, the most reliable way to make sure that your jewelry stones match the data stated by the seller is to contact a specialized gemological laboratory where specialists using professional equipment will diagnose the properties of your stone and answer all your questions.

Author of publication: I. Yantarny

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