Types of Fake Diamonds

Cubic zirconia (also known as CZ) is similar to a diamond with its brilliance and crystal clarity, but it is a synthesized (man-made) crystalline material that is colorless, hard, and flawless. It looks so much like a diamond, it is an affordable alternative to diamonds.

A fake diamond will likely crack or shatter from the inside. 6. The Float Test. Because loose diamonds are so dense, they should sink to the bottom when dropped in a glass of water. Many diamond fakes – glass and quartz included – will float or not sink as quickly because they are less dense.

Hi Dan, Good question! Moissanite and lab created diamonds are not the same. Lab created diamonds are physically, optically, and chemically indistinguishable from natural diamonds, while moissanite is composed of silicon carbide and compositionally and visually quite different from a real diamond.

Synthetic rutile can be created colorless, and it is this variety that is used as a diamond substitute. This mineral is, however, much softer than real diamond and scratches easily – rutile’s hardness rating on the Mohs scale is 6.0-6.5.

Spinel. Spinel is a natural mineral that occurs in colors such as red, green, brown, blue, black, and white. White spinels are colorless, and this is why they are sometimes used as fake diamonds. This mineral is moderately hard at 7.5-8.0 on the Mohs scale. Synthetic Garnet. Some synthetic varieties of garnet are used as diamond substitutes.

White spinels are colorless, and this is why they are sometimes used as fake diamonds. This mineral is moderately hard at 7.5-8.0 on the Mohs scale. Synthetic Garnet. Some synthetic varieties of garnet are used as diamond substitutes. For example, YAG (yttrium aluminium garnet) and GGG (gadolinium gallium garnet) are sometimes used to make diamond imitations.

White sapphire vs diamond in terms of its appearance So, what does a white sapphire actually look like compared to a real diamond? Check out the video below to form your own opinion. In the video below the third stone from the left is a diamond and the fourth stone on the right is a white sapphire: In my opinion what you can see there is quite typical of a comparison of a white sapphire and a diamond.

Zircon is a colorful gem with high refraction and fire that’s unfairly confused with cubic zirconia. Well known for its flashes of multicolored light.