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One of the first steps to
"real" Diamond Education is to understand how to recognize stones
that are "not" Diamond's yet appear similar. There are some that are
easy to detect, and a few using newer technology that can be more
difficult to determine. Education is the key to protecting yourself
from purchasing a misrepresented Diamond or gemstone.
1.
Rhinestone is the most basic of Diamond duplicates. Made
from glass "Silica - Silicon dioxide" (or plastic) with a golden
foil reflective coating on the backs (these are easily identified by
the "golden foil" coating, covering the back of each stone) they are
very inexpensive and they sparkle!, Great for adorning clothing and
costumes by the hundreds.
2. CZ's or Cubic Zirconia:
(ZrO2) is the most widely used diamond substitute with
many shapes and colors to choose from. They are very pretty,
have no imperfections and are easy to spot because their appearance
is "too perfect". A Cubic Zirconium is not as hard as a diamond
and will show wear on the facet edges with routine wear. The
cubic crystal structure of zirconia's ZrO2 is not stable in nature. In lab-grown
crystals, the addition of a few percent of calcium or yttrium oxide
creates the stable gemstone. It is harder than most natural
gemstones (except diamond, ruby, and sapphires) and has a high
refractive index and excellent dispersion. CZ is about
75% heavier than diamond.
Colorless and
Colored
Transparency: crystals are transparent.
Fracture: low
fracture toughness and strength
Hardness is 7.5 -
8.5
Index of refraction is 1.474 - 2.15
(Diamond-2.417)
Lab Created
3.
Zircon, (Zirconium Silicate)
ZrSiO4 is NOT the same material as the artificial gem
material Cubic Zirconia (or CZ). Zircon has been used as a diamond
simulant both for innocent and nefarious reasons. Zircon resembles
diamond in luster and fire and colorless zircons have occasionally
been mistaken for diamonds by experienced jewelers. It is found in
browns and greens but can be heat treated to beautiful blue and
golden colors. Colorless material is produced in this way as
well. As a mineral specimen, zircon is uncommon in most rock
shops because attractive specimens are rare. Besides blue,
zircon can be colorless, red, green, yellow, orange, green or brown.
Green zircons often have a natural radioactive component and should
not be worn every day. Zircon of any color is desirable because it’s
usually found in relatively clean crystals and in large sizes.
Zircons well over 5 carats are common.
Color is brown, red,
yellow, green, blue, black, and colorless.
Transparency:
crystals are transparent to translucent.
Fracture is
uneven
Hardness is 7.5
Index of refraction
is 1.92 - 2.01 (Diamond-2.417)
Norway; Pakistan; Russia,
Canada, New Jersey and Colorado USA.
4. White
Sapphires: (Al2O3 Aluminum
Oxide) is an excellent diamond substitute as it is
brilliant and very hard. Many larger white sapphires are illegally
diffused with a blue coating and sold as blue sapphire. Large white
sapphires are rare. White sapphire is always heat treated to
produce, intensify or lighten color and/or improve color uniformity
and appearance.
Colorless.
Transparency: crystals are transparent to
translucent.
Fracture: Very weak
Conchoidal
Hardness is 9.0
Index of refraction is
1.762 - 1.788 (Diamond-2.417)
Burma, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka
(Ceylon), Tanzania, Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia,
Pakistan, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), United States (Montana, North
Carolina).
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