People want to know if there is some simple test they can do at home or little tricks of the trade to tell if the ring they own is a valuable heirloom or of the Cracker Jack variety. Without question the quickest and most reliable method for authenticity would be an independent appraisal. This can be accomplished easily enough by looking under “Appraisal (Jewelry)” in your yellow pages. When you call to enquire about their services you want to ask three questions:

1)      Can you schedule an appointment or is it first come first served.

2)      Ask the fee; $35.00-$75.00 is considered a fair price.

3)      Ask if the jewelry will always be in your presence. If the appraiser says they will not evaluate the jewelry in front of you, find another appraiser.

If spending 50 bucks seems a little too steep to uncover the identity of your rock, you can head to your local jewelry store and ask their in-house gemologist to take a peek and give you their opinion.

Since opinions are like belly buttons (everyone’s got one) understand that in a lot of these quick 30-second evaluations mistakes can be made. Especially since most jewelers won’t charge you for 30 seconds of their time. (Just like with independent appraisals, don’t let the merchandise out of your sight.)

There are some less reliable methods you can try but there are no guarantees with these:

1. The old “If it will scratch glass it has to be a diamond.” Well, it is true that diamonds do scratch glass but so do a lot of the other fakes on the market. To boot, it’s possible to injure your rock even if it’s real during your hardness test.
2. The transparency test. If you flip the diamond in question upside down and place it over some newsprint and can clearly read through the stone, it’s not a diamond. (The problem with this test is some diamonds are cut shallow and can be read through.)
3. The fog test. This test I like a lot. Put the rock in front of your mouth and fog it like you would try to fog a mirror. If it stays fogged for 2-4 seconds, it’s a fake. A real diamond disperses the heat instantaneously so by the time you look at it, it has already cleared up. (A downfall to this test is oil and dirt on the stone can effect its reliability and the test is not accurate at all on doublets where the top of the stone is diamond and the bottom is cubic zirconia epoxied together.)
4. The weight test. The most popular of diamond simulants (fake) is a cubic zirconia. C.Z.’s weigh approximately 55% more than diamonds for the same shape and dimension. So if you have a carat or gram scale at your disposal you can see if the imposter tips the scales too much.
5. The U.V. test. A high percentage of diamonds fluorescence blue when put under an ultra violet light (black light). Since 99% of all fakes don’t, a positive identification of medium to strong blue would indicate a diamond. The bad news is if this method proves you have a diamond, it also proves your diamond is worth less. Diamonds with blue fluorescence are as much as 20% less valuable. Remember, lack of blue fluorescence doesn’t mean it’s a fake; it could just be a better quality diamond.
6. Under the loop test. If you own some sort of magnifying lens, there are some things you can look for on the stone that might give away its identity:
   1. Look at the rock from the top and see how well the facets (cuts on top of the diamond) are joined. They should be sharp, not rolled.
   2. Look at the girdle and see if it is faceted or frosty (a clear sign it’s a diamond) or waxy and slick (an indication it’s a fake).
   3. While you’re looking at your stone under magnification, look into your stone to see if you detect any flaws (carbon, pinpoints, small cracks). These are typically clear indications it’s the real thing, since it’s very hard to put inclusions in a fake.
   4. After examining the stone, focus in on the stamps inside the setting. A stamp of “10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat” indicates the setting is real gold or platinum which gives a better chance that the stone in it is real as well. While you’re looking at the interior of the ring, also look for any “C.Z.” stamps that would indicate the center stone is not a diamond.

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Rings are found everywhere you look in our society and there is plenty of symbolism associated with them. For couples, the exchanging of rings is a very serious and sentimental time in the relationship. The man may give the girl a promise ring or an engagement ring. When it comes time for the wedding though both will be exchanging lovely rings at the ceremony.

Buying jewelry for girls as they become young women is a great idea. It can be so hard to buy something for them that they will love. A nice ring with their birthstone or another gem they really like can be a great gift. They will proudly wear it every chance they get. For high school kids getting their class ring is a very important event as well. They will have it with their birthstone, name, year of graduation, and often something that symbolized their interests.

Rings are a very common gift for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and a couple’s anniversary. You really can never go wrong with such a quality gift. These days there are plenty of styles to choose from and not all of them are going to cost you a fortune. Jewelry stores are really good about working with budgets to help a person get the perfect ring. Many also have payment plans so you can get what you want now and then pay for it later.

Many women own jewelry sets that consist of a ring, earrings, and a necklace. They can wear them to go out for the evening or for the holidays. These are often very special sets that they save for special occasions. When it comes to rings you will find there are styles to keep both men and women happy. You may want to just take them shopping to help you decide what they want though instead of guessing if you aren’t sure.

In our society fashion is very important. You will find many young people who have rings in their belly buttons, noses, eyebrows, and even their nipples.  Should you decide to take part in such piercings to place rings on your body you definitely need to make sure you do your best to avoid an infection.