How to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia on a ring. Properties and distinctive features of diamond and cubic zirconia. What is phianite

Fianite is an artificial zircon whose name comes from the Physical Institute of the Academy of Sciences. It was there that they first received a stone incredibly similar to a diamond. And the first difference from is that the first has an artificial nature, and the second is obtained from natural diamonds. A diamond is not a separate type of stone, but a way of cutting diamonds.

The difference between diamonds and cubic zirkonia

You can even do a little research to distinguish between a diamond and cubic zirconia. And the simplest test is the hardness of the stone. A real diamond is able to leave a recess in the glass without changing its characteristics. Whereas cubic zirconia will not leave marks on the glass surface.

A diamond and cubic zirconia have different densities, so as not to resort to laboratory tests, at home, on the edges of artificial zirconium, you can see chips and even scratches through a magnifying glass. The edges of the processed diamond are characterized by the clarity of the cuts.

Also, the belonging of a stone to diamonds or cubic zirkonia is determined by the degree of transparency. A real diamond will not be visible in a glass of ordinary water. Whereas the artificial stone will be noticeable for visual perception.

There is also a folk way to determine the authenticity of a diamond. To do this, you need to breathe on the stone, if it fogs up - cubic zirconia lies in front of you.

We determine the authenticity of a diamond in everyday life

A common method for determining diamonds and cubic zirkonia using rays of sunlight. To do this, they look at the sun through the stone, a real diamond will let the light through, and the edges of cubic zirconia will reflect the rays like a mirror.

You can experiment with stones with sandpaper. If you rub a diamond with paper, there will be no stripes left on it, but on artificial zirconium they can.

The easiest way, of course, is to contact a jeweler to assess the authenticity of a diamond. However, even using a magnifying glass, you can see inclusions of different shades in a diamond. A fully processed diamond will be completely transparent only if you have purchased a pure water diamond, but in this case you need to remember the cost of the purchase. An artificially grown stone will be completely transparent.

In order not to run into a fake, be sure to purchase diamond jewelry in trusted stores. Be sure to check product quality certificates.

It is believed that a non-specialist will not be able to distinguish cubic zirconia from a diamond. Is it so? However, there are many points that will point to these differences.

Cubic Zirconia is a fairly popular substitute for diamond, but it is softer than the original. On the Mohs hardness scale, it has a value of 8.5, while diamond has a 10.

In addition, cubic zirconia is not as fire resistant as a diamond. If you heat fianite strongly, it can easily crack.

1. Absence of inclusions.

One of the most important differences between cubic zirconia and diamond is that cubic zirconia is virtually flawless. Since it is created artificially, its structure is homogeneous.

Even the most flawless diamonds have some internal flaws. Some of these flaws are not visible to the naked eye and you may need to use a magnifying glass or microscope to see them, but there are no natural diamonds without flaws.

Therefore, if upon closer examination of the stone surfaces, you will not find any inclusions or other flaws at all, most likely it is not a natural diamond.

2. Cubic zirconia is more fragile and prone to damage.

Another characteristic of cubic zirconia is that it is not as hard as a diamond. Therefore, over time, its surface can become worn and scratched. Diamond is a very hard substance, and although it can be broken if hit hard, it is not easy to scratch.

Also cubic zirconia is more fragile. It must be handled carefully and carefully, because. with a strong impact, a piece can easily break off from it.

Due to the fact that it is much cheaper than a diamond, it is of course possible to periodically buy a new stone when the old one is damaged.

3. Transparent and shiny.

Fianite has perfect purity and is absolutely transparent. It does not find any shades, for example, yellowness, as in natural stone.

This allows cubic zirconia to glisten, shine and sparkle more strongly and colorfully than a diamond can.

The absolute transparency and purity allows for an intense play of light on its surfaces, and when placed next to a real stone, it shows much more colorful flashes of light.

4. Heavier.

Cubic zirconia weighs about twice as much as diamond.

5. Smooth edges.

If you carefully study the facets of a diamond, you will notice that their edges are very sharp. Unlike them, the edges of cubic zirconia are smoother and smoother. To see this, you will need a magnifying glass with a tenfold magnification.

6. Cheap framing.

An inexpensive frame is used for cubic zirconia. Given the low cost, it is set in gold jewelry with a low standard.

It is unlikely that the sample of a gold product with cubic zirkonia will be higher than 10 carats.

7. Heat insulator.

Fianite is a better thermal insulator than diamond. Diamond has a higher thermal conductivity and dissipates heat very quickly. Therefore, if you breathe on it, the condensate from your breath will disappear immediately.

With phianite, this will not work. Condensation will remain on it for a long time.

Final test.

If you are still not sure if your stone is cubic zirconia, then you need to show it to a jeweler.

Jewelers usually have diamond testers - these are electronic devices that show whether a stone is natural.

Faux Diamonds vs Cubic Zirconia: What's the Difference?

Many are not sure that artificial diamonds and cubic zirconia are different, and some even think that they are the same thing. Even though they are similar, the two types of stones are actually very different.

Let's take a look at what they're made of and how you can tell the difference between cubic zirconia and imitation diamond (also known as synthetic).

What is cubic zirconia made of?

It is a form of zirconia, created synthetically, and is generally colorless and relatively flawless. Since its optical and physical properties resemble those of a diamond to some extent, cubic zirconia is often used as a diamond imitation.

They are lab-created, and are also known as lab-grown, synthetic, engineered, and cultured. Contrary to what some people think, they are not considered fake just because they are lab-created.

These stones are real diamonds as they have the same chemical composition and physical characteristics as natural ones.

Artificial diamonds and cubic zirkonia differ in their physical and chemical properties. Here are some of the most notable differences that can help you tell these stones apart:

Durability

Artificial diamonds are much more durable than cubic zirconia.

This is mainly due to the differences in hardness between these stones. For this reason cubic zirconia is much easier to scratch and is usually less durable than lab-created diamonds.

Facets and cutting

Because cubic zirconia is softer than lab-grown diamonds when cut and polished, the two materials differ in how sharp their edges are.

Synthetics, like natural stones, have very sharp edges. Faceted cubic zirconia stones, on the other hand, have more rounded edges, and over time they become even rounder as the material wears away.

Fire (Dispersion)

Another difference is in the level of their dispersion.

This property is directly related to how the stone refracts light into a rainbow of spectral colors - an effect also called "fire".

Cubic Zirconia has a higher dispersion, and for this reason, when exposed to light, this stone exhibits more colorful flashes.

Cubic Zirconia is a material that is heavier than natural and synthetic diamond.

Therefore, if you weigh cubic zirconia and compare its weight with an artificial diamond of a similar size, it should be significantly heavier.

Price

Man-made diamonds have the same properties as natural diamonds, and while synthetics are cheaper to produce, they are still relatively expensive compared to cubic zirconias. Real colorless diamonds are very rare and therefore quite expensive.

It often happens that cubic zirconia is worth a fraction of the price of a created diamond of the same size, color and clarity. It is much cheaper than real diamonds, and although diamond prices depend on various quality characteristics, you are unlikely to find a well-cut diamond of about one carat for less than a few thousand dollars.

Color and clarity: more similar than different

Although cubic zirconia is usually clearer and more colorless than most natural stones due to its synthetic origin, man-made diamonds have a color and clarity that is just as good.

While lab-created diamonds can have yellowish hues and sometimes even natural-looking imperfections, the man-made process used to produce these stones generally ensures that imperfections are kept to a minimum, as is the case with cubic zirkonia.

For this reason, how clear and colorless a stone looks should not be the primary way to tell imitation diamonds from cubic zirconia.

Heat and electrical conductivity: The best way check

Lab-grown diamonds and cubic zirconia differ in the way they conduct heat and electricity. This makes it easy to tell them apart with a diamond tester, which is a device that measures the conductive properties of materials.

That is why using such a tool is the most reliable way to determine whether a stone is a diamond or something else.

Most diamond testers will indicate if a stone is a diamond, but if it is not, they will not determine if it is cubic zirconia.

What other diamond imitations exist?

Here are some of the more popular substitutes for diamonds other than cubic zirconia: zircon, moissanite, synthetic garnet (you can see the abbreviations YAG and GGG, which are variations on lab-grown garnets), spinel, rutile, white sapphire.

Trademarks such as DiamondAura or Diamonique may also indicate that the stone is an imitation (unless they indicate a synthetic diamond that has the same chemical composition as a real diamond).

Therefore, if you see or hear these names mentioned by a jewelry supplier, you should know that you are dealing with an imitation diamond.

One of the most beautiful gemstones is. However, it is very expensive, so scientists have created cubic zirconia - an artificial stone similar in appearance. Many do not even know how to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia. Its price is much lower, so sometimes people specifically choose jewelry with cubic zirconia. Unfortunately, some sellers are trying to cash in on scientific advances and sell cubic zirkonia under the guise of diamonds. How to recognize a fake yourself? What is the difference between diamond and cubic zirconia stones? Let's find out more about this in order to avoid mistakes when buying.

General characteristics of stones

Diamond is a stone of natural origin. In fact, it is processed in a special way. Its main characteristics are incredible hardness (diamond is the hardest stone in the world) and exactly 57 facets. The price of 1 carat (0.2 g) can range from 50,000 to 500,000 rubles, it depends on the quality of each individual copy. By the way, the largest specimen weighed more than 600 grams, that is, more than 3000 carats, but, unfortunately, it was divided into several small items.

Jewelry adorned with faceted diamonds is always highly valued. However, popularity has to be paid with a large number of fakes.

Fianite is produced artificially, and it costs very little. Usually it is used in jewelry, and if it is framed with precious metals, then the cost of jewelry will only slightly exceed the cost of the metal itself. It is inferior in hardness to a diamond, and also sometimes has more facets. According to the refractive index of light by the facets, it is as close as possible to a diamond.

By the way, this stone can be made to look not only like a diamond, but also like a ruby, emerald, sapphire and other jewelry - and it will not be easy to notice that there are not so many similarities. But in all respects, he loses to natural specimens. Interestingly, the name was formed from the abbreviation of the Physical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences, where it was synthesized for the first time. But outside of Russia, it is usually called zirconite or dzhevalit.

It is very important in costume jewelry, as it allows you to give even plastic jewelry a touch of luxury. It is also used in other areas, for example, in the manufacture of optical equipment.

How not to stumble upon a fake

How to identify a fake before buying or at least after it? The best way to buy diamonds is to consult a professional jeweler. The expert will accurately identify fraud: either visually or using equipment that detects non-natural products. But if there is no way to ask for help, then you can check the stone yourself. There are methods to help distinguish between natural diamonds and the work of man.

How to distinguish cubic zirconia from a diamond:

1. Breathe on the surface of the stone. There will be no traces left on the real product, but the artificial one will certainly fog up. This is a very simple method for determining the naturalness of a product.
2. Consider carefully. Firstly, the edges of a real diamond are always sharp, while those of cubic zirconia can be slightly rounded. In addition, the number of fake faces may differ from 57. Secondly, defects must be investigated. An artificial stone always looks perfect, but a precious one often has small bumps or bubbles, of course, if it's not. Otherwise, there are almost no external differences.
3. Check strength. Some advise scratching glass with diamonds, but this is the wrong method - zirconite will also leave a scratch. But if the jewelry has already been bought, then you should observe whether chips and scratches appear on it, whether it loses its luster. A real diamond is hard, and nothing leaves marks on it, and it also does not tarnish over time.
4. Warm up. Diamond does not change its temperature under the influence of heat, it always remains cool. If you warm cubic zirconia, for example, by holding it in your hands, it will become warmer. This simple test will help everyone understand how different these stones are from each other.
5. Check with light. Diamonds do not let light through, so you need to look through the product at the sun. If only a dull point is visible, it is a real diamond, if the stone is completely translucent, it is a fake. Another option for such a check is to try to read the letters through the product by placing it on the page of the book. Through cubic zirkonia all letters will be visible, and natural stone will not let you see them.
6. Lubricate with oil or grease. The reaction of stones to such an impact is also different. A smeared diamond will stick to the glass, but cubic zirconia will not. In addition, on an artificial product, the fat will be divided into small drops, but it will not change in any way on a diamond.
7. Drop acid. Another method, suitable only for testing at home, is to slightly smear the surface of the diamond with hydrochloric acid. The diamond will not change from such an impact, and spots will remain on the cubic zirconia.
8. Find out about the certificate. Jewelry should only be purchased from trusted, professional jewelry stores, where you can get a certificate for the product and check it. Buying from an unknown outlet or from hands is often an unsuccessful option.
9. Place under ultraviolet. Quite difficult, but reliable way. A natural diamond will have a blue glow under ultraviolet light, while a fake diamond will glow slightly green or gray.
10. Check with a special device. Currently known device Diamond Tester - a specialized device for authentication. It measures the thermal conductivity of the material, and on the basis of this it already gives a result. People who often purchase jewelry are advised to stock up on this device. But, unfortunately, even it does not give an absolutely accurate result, since scammers have learned how to make precious-coated zirconites and even half-precious products.

Some people believe that natural stone becomes invisible in water, but this is not true. Most often it has a shade of yellowness, and it is easy to notice in the water. Even completely colorless specimens will be clearly visible.

Don't overpay for cheap

As you can see, it is not too difficult to recognize a fake, but still a specialist will do it with 100% accuracy. Do not be lazy in such a serious matter as buying jewelry - this can lead to extremely unpleasant consequences.

And remember: offers in the style of “jewels for only 3000 (4000, 6000, 8000, etc.) rubles” are always false. Under the guise of a sale, scammers simply distribute glass for large sums.

Buying jewelry is not an easy task that requires certain knowledge. You should know on the basis of what parameters you can see a fake. Fortunately, the above methods will allow even an unknowing person to choose a real diamond.

Remember that all this applies not only to transparent diamonds - sometimes colored stones are also replaced with zirconite, simply giving them the desired color with the help of chemical additives. Sometimes they also replace other jewelry. Unscrupulous merchants often try to make cheap jewelry more expensive in order to make a profit. A well-informed person will not fall for such tricks, so know how to distinguish a gem from an artificial one.

How to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia, we will tell in this article. Although these stones are very similar, they have different properties, and the value is incomparable. If a cut diamond costs at least 50 thousand rubles, then cubic zirconia costs several tens. This is used by scammers to sell cheap fakes under the guise of jewelry, hiding behind promotions and sales. The stones are similar, but there are many differences between them. It is easy to detect them even without special equipment and skills.

Origin and appearance of a fake

Fianite is not a precious stone, but an artificial one, created in the sixties of the last century at the USSR Academy of Sciences, at the Physics Institute. Hence the name - it is an abbreviation for "place of birth". By the way, they don't call him that abroad. Other names are in use - jevalite, zirconite (although it has nothing to do with real zirconium).

Cubic Zirconia also acts as an imitator of other stones - sapphires, topazes, rubies. To do this, it is tinted.

Green gives chromium; yellow, red or orange - cerium; pink - erbium. Cubic zirconia is often used in jewelry, but sometimes they are replaced by diamonds in precious metal products.

Although a fake diamond is only a cheap fake, it often looks more attractive than the original. The crystal has perfect purity, and the play of light on its faces is much brighter than that of a diamond.

What is the difference between doppelgangers

Synthetically created stone has different properties than a natural mineral. They have a different crystal structure, chemical composition, and therefore physical properties. When buying jewelry, you need to be careful. Without special tests, it is difficult to distinguish diamonds from cubic zirkonia.

These tests are simple. But without a gemological examination, it is impossible to be 100% sure of the nature of the stone. When it comes to recognizing a fake, simple tests are usually sufficient.

First, we will tell you how to distinguish cubic zirconia from a diamond using special methods. There are devices designed to determine the authenticity of crystals. There are many devices for analyzing diamonds, they are popularly called diamond testers. The principle of operation is different. Some are looking for differences in the refractive index, others - in thermal conductivity.

There are combination units. You can buy such a device. Portable versions made in China cost about a thousand rubles. American ones are more expensive - from 7-10 thousand rubles.

Also, stones can be placed under an ultraviolet lamp. The cubic zirconia will acquire a gray or greenish tint, and the natural mineral will glow blue.

Diamonds and their counterparts usually have different cuts. A diamond usually has 57 facets. Such processing allows you to reveal all its beauty. Fianites are different, they have fewer faces.

How to distinguish stones yourself

You can recognize a natural mineral and an analogue upon purchase or after, at home. All the same properties are the basis:

• thermal conductivity;
• density;
• purity;
• ability to transmit light;
• strength.

Before choosing a diamond jewelry, ask the seller for product certificates. If they are not there, or they look doubtful, refuse to buy. The low price should also alert. Even with a discount, 1 carat of a diamond (0.2 g) costs about 50 thousand rubles.

Look at the stone in the ring or earrings through a magnifying glass. We have already said that a real diamond has 57 facets, while an artificial crystal has fewer. But the difference is that the analogue has slightly rounded edges. Also in diamonds there are small irregularities, blotches, defects, since it is a natural mineral. Cubic Zirconia is grown in the laboratory and is almost perfect.

Another way to determine the nature of a stone is to warm it in your hands. So you can test the mineral in earrings, bracelets. You need to hold the product in your hands. The fake will get warmer, and the natural will remain cold.

Strength and transparency test

Diamonds are extremely durable. Rub it with sandpaper and you will immediately recognize the diamond or cubic zirconia in front of you. The first will remain unharmed, the second will be scratched. You can also drip hydrochloric acid. Nothing will happen to the natural mineral, and a stain will form on cubic zirconia. If you are interested in the authenticity of stones in long-bought jewelry, consider them. Natural minerals do not tarnish over time, otherwise it is a fake.

To recognize diamonds and fakes by eye, try placing them on a newspaper or book page. The letters will be clearly visible through the cubic zirconia, but through the diamond you will not see anything.

Their ability to transmit light is also different. Take a crystal, bring it to a ray of the sun. It will pass through a fake without problems, and a diamond does not transmit light, so on the other side of it on any surface you will see an unclear point.

Another way to understand whether the diamond is in front of you or cubic zirconia is to breathe on the stone. The synthetic analogue will fog up, the real mineral will not.

Oil and water test

The following experiment can be carried out if the stone is not in the jewelry. It must be put in ordinary water and viewed from the side. Cubic Zirconia will be clearly visible, and the natural mineral will almost disappear. This is where the expression "pure diamond" came from.

Whether a piece of jewelry with a gold "accompaniment" or on its own, the authenticity will help establish the usual vegetable oil or fat. If a diamond is smeared with oil and applied to the glass with the largest facet, it will stick. Fianite will disappear. It also differs in density, so the animal fat on it breaks up into a few drops. On the diamond remains a single drop.

For the last test, you will need a 20x magnifying glass. The stone must be viewed in natural light. The diamond does not split the rays, but if you have an artificial counterpart in front of you, they will double. Finding the difference in this way is not easy if there is no practice, but you can evaluate rings, necklaces, any jewelry without separating the stone.

Why you need to be careful and the table of differences

Nothing compares to the brilliant clarity and durability of nature itself. That's why people choose a real gem and not substitutes. However, scammers do not sleep.

Trying to establish authenticity without a specialist, remember: a diamond and cubic zirconia are very similar. Today there are fakes extremely convincing. These are both high-quality "synthetics" and pacifiers with natural diamond coating. In the latter case, the parameters of the stone change, and simple tests turn out to be unreliable.

Brilliant ... How much in this word! Jewelry with this precious stone is considered an expensive gift in every sense. However, in our time, when unscrupulous sellers want to make money on inexperienced buyers, you need to be fully armed. It is very easy to confuse a diamond with cubic zirconia, the cost of which is negligible compared to a diamond. Therefore, when making a purchase, you need to be vigilant and be able to independently distinguish a real diamond from a cheap fake.

What is a diamond

A diamond is a natural diamond stone, which, through processing, is given a special look. A diamond has a certain number of facets - 57 pieces, which allow light to refract as much as possible. This gives the stone an incredible shine and radiance. Diamonds do not scratch even with strong physical impact, because the diamond is the hardest stone. The cost of a 1-carat (0.2 gram) diamond varies from 50,000 to 500,000 rubles, depending on the purity of the diamond.

What is phianite

Fianite is an artificial stone that was invented by Soviet scientists. At first glance, it is quite difficult to distinguish it from a diamond, but a closer look reveals several differences. Cubic Zirconia can have more facets than a diamond. Its value is practically not considered when evaluating jewelry - only the precious metal is taken into account. But do not underestimate this artificial pebble. He took his rightful place in the production of jewelry. The bad thing is that sometimes they want to pass it off as a diamond. To prevent this from happening to you, we will tell you about the differences between these stones.

Here are a few simple ways, which will help you recognize a fake among precious stones. Some you can use directly in the store before buying, while others are suitable to test your home decorations.

1. Hardness. The first method is suitable for identifying a stone from a home collection. Examine the decoration carefully. If there are small scratches on the stone, it has faded over time - cubic zirconia is in front of you. The diamond is very hard and almost impossible to damage. To test the hardness of a stone, it is passed over glass. The diamond will not suffer and will leave a deep mark, because it is not for nothing that the diamond is used in glass cutting. But cubic zirconia may not cope with the glass surface.
2. Clearance. To evaluate a stone in a store before buying, you need to bring it to the rays of natural light. This can only be done with sufficiently large specimens. A real diamond does not pass rays through. Through the precious stone it will be possible to see only a cloudy point, but through cubic zirconia the light passes unhindered.
3. Temperature. Jewelers know one more effective method distinguish artificial stone from natural. To do this, you just need to put your hand on the product. A real diamond is always a little cool, while cubic zirconia will warm up from the warmth of your hands.
4. Steam. Breathe on the stone. There will be no steam from your breath on the diamond, but cubic zirconia will easily fog up.
5. Form. Take a look at the stone. Experienced experts can distinguish a real diamond from a fake only in appearance. They say that a diamond has slightly sharper edges than an artificial stone. In addition, the surface of cubic zirconia is perfectly smooth, as it is made by man. Real natural material has small irregularities.
6. Stickiness. There is another interesting way to check the quality of the stone that is in front of you. Lubricate it with vegetable oil and attach the largest face to the glass surface. A real diamond will stick without difficulty, but cubic zirconia will not stick.
7. Doubling of the world. For the next method of determining the naturalness of a stone, you will need a powerful magnifying glass with a 20x magnification. The experiment requires bright natural light. A well-lit stone should be carefully examined under a magnifying glass. On the edge of a diamond, you will not see forked rays. Cubic Zirconia, on the contrary, bifurcates all light fluxes. Imitation of a diamond can be calculated without much effort.
8. Transparency. Dip the stone in a glass of water. A real clean diamond will become invisible if you look at it from the side. This is where the expression “pure water diamond” originates, that is, a diamond that is absolutely transparent in water. Such diamonds are considered the most valuable and expensive. Cubic Zirconia will sparkle from the water and betray its presence. However, this experiment is only suitable for colorless diamonds. If it has its own shade (for example, yellowish), such a procedure loses its meaning.

The fat experiment

These simple physical properties of stones will help you, without special skills and special equipment, determine which stone is in front of you - diamond or cubic zirconia. So you can determine the cubic zirconia, which is used to create jewelry. However, if the production of cubic zirconia was originally intended to pass it off as a precious stone, then your efforts may be in vain. Modern cubic zirconia is very similar to natural rock and it is almost impossible to distinguish it on your own. In this case, you need to carry the jewelry to a specialist. With the help of high-precision technology, he will help determine the quality and origin of the stone.

Having learned to distinguish a real diamond from cubic zirconia, you will not be deceived. And you will pay money only for natural gems.

Video: how to distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia in a ring