Jewellry, Don't be Fooled by Fakes

Only a Real Expert Can Detect Today's Fake Gemstones

Mar 20, 2008

With jewellery scams a fact of life in some Asian countries, being fooled by fakes is an everyday hazard. The following tips will help the buyer who may not be an exper

When buying precious gems in made up jewellery, there are many things to look for, chief among them being cut, quality and carat. A poorly cut gemstone will not display the same brilliance and overall beauty of a well cut stone, which may be too shallow or too deep, or have facets faces not all the same size. Make sure there are no scratches or nicks in the stone and check the finish of the piece.

Quality Check for Jewellry.

A carat weight has an impact on the value of a stone and since gemstones are sold by carat, prices will vary considerably with an increase in weight. However, a lower carat stone can sometimes be made to look expensive, by careful cutting.

Do the prongs hold the gemstone securely in place? Are they evenly placed? Look out for stones that do not appear to be held snugly by the prongs.

What to Look For.

Diamonds: Diamonds have an internationally recognised grading system and colours ranging from D to Z with the top quality colours in the D to F range. The three Cs (carat, clarity and cut) are the major factors in determining the quality of a diamond. The cut can either enhance or detract from the beauty of the stone and the carat determines the value of the gemstone.

To understand diamonds, try to visit the Diamond Museum in Brugge, Belgium, or the one in Antwerp, Belgium, where the finest diamonds in the world are sent for expert cutting.

Emeralds: This beautiful stone is a member of the beryl family, and the deeper the green colour the more valuable the stone. Most top quality stones come from Brazil, Columbia, Russia and Zambia, and can range in colour from light to dark green, some with blue or yellow overtones.

The appearance of nearly all emeralds has been enhanced by oil to make the colour appear more beautiful, and in some cases to disguise small fractures. Look closely at an emerald and you will usually see a slight hairline crack. An emerald with few inclusions and high transparency is the most valuable.

Rubies: Colour is the key to rubies which can come in many shades of red. They can even look pink or orange. The more vivid the red colour the higher the value of the stone, and it is rare to find a good color ruby over two to three carats.

To find a ruby with a flaw is rare, but the inclusions do not always take away from the beauty of the stone, nor do these inclusions render the gemstone less valuable. If it has high inclusions, it will most likely be a cabochon, nor a faceted stone.

Other red gemstones include garnet, red spinel and red tourmaline, also known as rubellite.

Sapphires: Colour is important in a sapphire, but personal taste comes into play with a sapphire more than other gemstones. The most valuable, and most beautiful, is considered to be the blue with minor violet overtones – a cornflower blue or royal blue colour.

The sapphire should be neither too light nor too dark, and should not have many inclusions. It pays to check the stone from many angles, as higher quality stones have more brilliance.

Yellow Sapphires: Rubies and blue and yellow sapphires belong to the same corundum family. A yellow sapphire should be neither too dark nor too light, and some may have greenish overtones. A fine yellow sapphire will be very expensive.

The copyright of the article Jewellry, Don't be Fooled by Fakes in Gemstones is owned by Mari Nicholson. Permission to republish Jewellry, Don't be Fooled by Fakes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.