How to identify a raw diamond?

Raw diamonds are difficult to identify. What you see in malls, shining and sparkling are not what raw diamonds look like. They are, in fact, similar to other minerals. Learn below how to identify a raw diamond!

Understand What A Raw Diamond Looks Like

Raw diamonds do not shine or sparkle like cut diamonds. Instead, they show more like transparent or translucent stones with a greasy luster. The forms often resemble an octahedron – a shape that has eight sides – or may be irregular in some form and sometimes small shiny rocks.

Key Characteristics of Raw Diamonds

• Transparent or translucent
• Greasy or oily luster
• Irregular shapes, sometimes appearing as octahedrons
• Not sparkling like a polished gem.

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Test the Hardness

Diamonds are the hardest natural substance. They have a rating of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. To test hardness you use a simple scratch test.

Conducting a Scratch Test

• Try to scratch the stone with a piece of corundum (ruby or sapphire).
• If the stone can scratch the corundum, it is likely to be a diamond.

Note: Do not attempt to scratch glass because many minerals can scratch glass easily.

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Conduct the Water Test

The water test is a simple and easy way to detect a raw diamond. Diamonds are dense.

How to Do It

• Place the stone in a glass of water.
• A true diamond will sink to the bottom because of its density.
• Most imitations will float or stay suspended.

Look for Flaws and Imperfections

Raw diamonds are not flawless. They often have inclusions that can be natural, such as little lines or dots.

How to Check for Inclusions

• Either a magnifying glass or a jeweler’s loupe may prove helpful.
• Check the outside for discoloration and under a magnifying glass look for small black dots or fine lines on the inside.
• If you cannot find any flaw inside or outside, then it is most likely fake.

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Look at Refractivity

Diamonds refract light differently. It is this that gives them their bright shine when cut. You can test the refractivity of a raw diamond with a very simple newspaper test.

The Newspaper Test

• Place the stone on a newspaper.
• Try reading the letters through it.
• If you can read the letters, it is not a diamond. Diamonds scatter light, making the text appear blurry or invisible.

Go to A Gemologist

You just don't know whether that stone is real. It's always best to seek help from someone professional. Consult a gemologist if you are not sure. He uses specialized tools and can confirm if the stone is a real diamond. Always double-check for proof to give you peace of mind.

Final Thoughts

How to identify a raw diamond? - It is not easy to find a raw diamond; such tests will help you narrow it down. The truth of the matter is, though, that the only accurate way to be certain about what you have is professional testing. Through experience, you can refine your ability to identify raw diamonds.

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