Before you go on distinguishing between diamond and moissanite, you should know what moissanite is. If you can decode the reason behind moissanite’s existence, you will know how to test for moissanite.
Moissanite looks a lot like a diamond, but it is actually a man-made stone. It has a lot of significance with diamonds, that is why many people mistake them for diamonds.
Top Ways to Test Moissanite
Moissanites are almost indistinguishable to naked eyes. Some of them even look like a high-quality diamonds. However, they are not completely untraceable. There are indicators that will tell you whether they are diamond or moissanite.
You will need some equipment to run those tests, like loupe, or Moissanite tester. Here are top ways to test for a Moissanite:
Ways One: Check with Loupe
This is one of the most effective ways to tell apart a Moissanite if you know some secrets. Check the gem top to bottom with Loupe. Look through the crown of the jewel from many angles. There will be slightly blurred lines of double refraction if it is a Moissanite.
When it comes to moissanite, double refraction is easier to spot than other gems. Sometimes, even skilled jewelers find it find it difficult to spot double refraction in other gems. Some moissanites were designed to minimize double refraction, but it is still there.
Double refraction is an inherent feature of this gem, so cannot completely get rid of this quality. Some can be made to be perfected so double refraction will be minimized, to make it harder to see.
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Measure Weight
Diamond and Moissanite do not share the same weight, even if they are of the same carat. Moissanite weighs slightly less than a diamond. There are charts for diamonds weights and carats. A diamond and moissanite of equivalent carat will weigh differently, moissanite is less than diamond.
This might be a tough method to identify moissanite because, a diamond could be cut shallower or deeper; thus, making it difficult to identify accurately sometimes with this method. The difference in their weight is very subtle that it makes this method so hard.
This method is only applicable when the gem is loose, not set into something yet. If the stone is set, then it won’t be possible anymore to differentiate them with just weight.
Ways Two: Use of Moissanite Tester
When using a diamond tester, you should know how it operates. Diamond testers measure the rate at which the heat passes through the gem, that is how they determine if the stone is diamond or not. Diamond and many other stones conduct heat in very different ways.
When testing moissanite and a diamond, both of them identify as diamond when tested with a diamond tester. This is because they conduct heat in similar ways, that is the reason behind such a result in a diamond tester.
The Moissanite tester, on the other hand, conducts the electricity through the gem to identify them based on their electric properties. They are almost in similar principles with a diamond tester. A moissanite tester was designed to distinguish between two gemstones.
Moissanite testers do a decent job of distinguishing between diamonds and moissanite. However, sometimes a moissanite tester may not give an accurate result and therefore not always the most reliable way to conclude. It also gets very difficult when testing a smaller stone.
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Check for facete
Check the girdle of the moissanite as they tend to be polished. A moissanite’s major indicator is its polished girdle. Use a loupe when you are checking for such details.
Nowadays some moissanite jewel has faceted girdle, making it hard to detect moissanite and a diamond. This method is one of the ways to know whether the gemstone you own or checking, is a diamond or moissanite. Do not make a conclusion only based on this single test. Run as many tests as you can.
More Details About Testing Moissanite
As we already know that synthetic moissanite is a cheaper option as an alternative for diamond. It’s a low-cost option for a diamond because it has its appearance.
There is also a chance that when you are out there looking for moissanite, you accidentally bought a CZ stone instead. To avoid such a conundrum, you need to know about the ways to examine the stones in various ways if you desire authenticity.
One of the best things you can get for yourself if you want the basic way of testing gems is a 10X Loupe. There are many things for you to see in a gem with a loupe.
A tester will only give you results about running a certain procedure on the gem and then gives you the result that it was categorized to give. When you are inspecting with a loupe, that is not the case. There are many things to observe in a stone that you can do with a loupe.
You have to know what is it you are looking for in a stone when you are using the loupe. You spectate the state the gem is in, and its properties thoroughly. After seeing the stone, it is you who have to decide a result whether the stone was real or not.
Things to Look Out For
Deciding on this matter will be based on your expertise. You have to know how the facete or inner properties of moissanite will be like. It is you who has to understand what it should be like looking in a gemstone that is actually moissanite or a fake.
A CZ stone is sometimes been confused with moissanite. This is another reason why you should be aware of their properties. Here are some key points to go through again:
- Check for doubling refraction of light
- Inspect whether there is any facet junction or not
- Measure their weights
Conclusion
Synthetic gemstones like moissanite are capturing demands on the market who are looking for a cheaper option. It may be scary for some people that a diamond tester cannot detect moissanite, but also an amazing fact that how much perfection a replica has got.
It will of course fool a naked eye who is bothered by their authenticity and needs special knowledge to actually catch one. There are of course pros and cons to this issue. This makes life harder for consumer and creates more demand for jewelry experts. It would be best to have a 2-part testing system for distinguishing diamond from moissanite.
You can check also: The Top 6 Best Electronic Gold Tester Of 2022 (Best in Quality)
