There is nothing that can scratch a diamond except another diamond. A mineral like talc, on the other hand, is a 1 on the scale. You could scratch it with any hard material, even your fingernail. Natural talc is one of the softest minerals in the world.
While incredibly tough, diamonds are still vulnerable to scratches just like other gemstones. The Mohs' scale (scale of mineral hardness) specifically defines hardness as the resistance to being scratched.
Diamonds are almost completely scratch-proof and are one of the gemstones able to withstand abuse from just about every other material – with the exception of another diamond of course.
Even though diamond is the hardest natural material, it can chip and fracture in the course of normal wear.
Diamonds are ranked a 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness; all other minerals are ranked 9 or below. Anything with a hardness below that of a diamond cannot scratch a diamond. That means only a diamond can scratch a diamond.
There is nothing that can scratch a diamond except another diamond. A mineral like talc, on the other hand, is a 1 on the scale. You could scratch it with any hard material, even your fingernail.
Diamond scratches are the result of a bit of rough-and-tumble the polished diamond has endured on its journey to your 'maybe' pile.
A fake diamond will have rainbow colors that you can see inside the diamond. “People have a misconception that diamonds sparkle like a rainbow, but they don't,” Hirsch said. “They do sparkle, but it's more of a gray color.
Diamonds are exceptionally delicate, and thus, they require the utmost care. Harsh chemicals like acetone, chlorine, bleach and other abrasive substances like baking powder and toothpaste will damage your diamond beyond repair.
Can lab grown diamonds get scratched? Lab grown diamonds are just as hard and scratch resistant as mined diamonds and are cut with the same precision mined diamonds are.
Don't use your fingers! If your diamond is set into a ring, avoid touching the diamond itself. Dirt and grease will transfer from finger to diamond, and the stone will rapidly lose its sparkle. If you touch the diamond, use a clean polishing cloth to remove fingerprints and grease.
If you have a loose diamond to test, fill a regular glass about ¾ of the way full with water. Gently drop the diamond into the glass. If the diamond sinks to the bottom, it's real. If it floats at the surface or just underneath, it's likely a fake.
Two other quick and simple ways to spot a real diamond is by looking at how it sparkles in light and how much you can see through it. A real diamond appears gray and white inside (brilliance) when held to the light and can reflect rainbow colors (fire) onto other surfaces.
This involves taking the diamond and attempting to scratch a mirror. If it leaves a mark on the mirror, it's a real diamond. However, the quality of false stones like cubic zirconia and moissanite has increased, and many can pass this test due to their durability.
Simply drop the loose stone into the water. Because loose diamonds are so dense, they should sink to the bottom when dropped in a glass of water. Many diamond fakes – glass and quartz included – will float or not sink as quickly because they're less dense.
A dirty stone doesn't sparkle because light simply can't enter the diamond and causes it to appear dull. So, if you notice your diamond jewelry getting cloudier overtime, it's likely due to a dirty surface and there's an easy fix to restore their luster.
Cloudy diamonds are rare in the upper clarity grades, but not uncommon in the lower clarity grades. Certain types of inclusions and graining can sometimes reduce transparency in a diamond to a noticeable degree. If transparency is degraded enough, the diamond can appear obviously cloudy or milky and lacking in luster.
However, the diamond is less likely to shine if it doesn't have a good cut. As a result of a poor cut, the diamond will have much more of a dull appearance that can make it appear hazy, taking away from that shine that people often want when investing in diamond jewelry.
Fair/Poor Grade Diamond Examples
Fair and Poor cut diamonds usually have steep crowns and steep pavilion angles which gives them a really dark looking appearance. This makes them look extremely small for their carat weight. Because of their abysmal proportions, their brilliance and sparkle are horribly affected.
Cubic zirconia is an 8.5 on the hardness scale. It doesn't seem like a huge difference, but it is. Cubic zirconia scratches easily from daily use-even household dust can scratch the stones.
A diamond cannot be scratched by sandpaper. Sandpaper grit has a hardness of 7 to 9 on the Mohs scale, making it softer than a diamond. Many people use sandpaper to determine whether a diamond is genuine or not.
While there may not be many naturally-occurring materials out there that are stronger than diamonds, certain man-made metals like tungsten and steel have a higher tensile strength. That means a direct hit with an ordinary hammer can absolutely break a diamond.
A real diamond will reflect light easily, and provide you with a disco ball or rainbow-like display. You can use a flashlight or lamp to do this and it will work best with white light rather than yellow. If the stone absorbs the light, then there's a chance that it's a fake.
Place the gemstones in a glass of water and watch. If it floats, then it is probably a fake stone. Real diamonds will sink to the bottom of the glass, while cubic zirconia will float to the surface.