There are many methods to tell if a diamond is real or fake, but most of them are not 100% reliable. However, using a diamond tester is one of the fastest and surest ways to tell if you deal with a real stone. But how does a diamond tester work and what you need to know to get accurate test results? Let’s find the answers.
What Is a Diamond Tester?
A diamond tester is a portable device used to test material for its thermal and electrical conductivity. It can indicate if the stone is a real diamond based on its physical properties.
How Does a Diamond Tester Work?
Diamond testers’ principle of operation is based on the fact that different gemstones have different chemical structure and thus they conduct heat and electricity differently. Meaning, heat or electricity will pass through a diamond in a different way than it would through white sapphire, for example.
To test if a diamond is real, you need to place the tip of the tester on the stone and detect the rate at which heat or electricity moves through the stone. If the diamond is genuine, the device indicates that on the display and gives a special sound signal.
What Are Diamond Testers Used For?
Diamond testers are used to check the authenticity of diamonds.
For example, if you bring your diamond to a buyer to sell or exchange it for another stone, the jeweller will test your diamond to make sure it is real. This is a common practice in case the jeweller can not tell if your diamond is genuine.
Diamond testers are also used before repairing a piece of jewellery. It’s very important to detect the stone in the setting because different gemstones tolerate heat, stress and pressure differently.
It is also a good idea to ask the jeweller to test your diamond in front of you when you are receiving your jewellery after having it repaired. This way you can make sure your stone has not been replaced.
And finally, you can have your gemstone tested if you are not sure it’s a real diamond. You can go to a jewellery store and ask them to check your stone.
Are Diamond Testers Accurate?
Diamond testes are probably the most accurate and reliable tools to check the authenticity of a diamond.
However, it’s important to mention that diamond testers that measure only the thermal conductivity of a stone cannot tell a real diamond from moissanite as these two stones are very similar when it comes to interaction with heat. In such a case, diamond testers that measure electrical conductivity are more accurate because diamonds and moissanites conduct electricity differently.
What Makes a Good Diamond Tester?
In case you have decided you want to buy a diamond tester, there are several aspects to consider.
Since there may be some inaccuracy when using a diamond tester that works based on the thermal conductivity of the material, it is better to buy a tester that detects gemstones based on their electrical conductivity.
The latest models on the market combine heat and electricity testing. Another useful feature of modern devices is having a metal detector which signals if you touch a part of the setting instead of the stone.
