8 Types of Fake Diamonds You Won’t Believe Exist!

Any person with a keen eye for jewelry has heard of faux diamonds. Different types of fake diamonds have flooded the market and have become increasingly popular among people. Such stones are artificially treated to resemble real diamonds.

But with this growing popularity of fake diamonds arises another problem – very often many uninformed people believe such diamonds to be real as a result of which they are cheated.

You must have heard of synthetic or imitation diamonds. These are extensively used to make heavy jewelry designs at low prices. These too, fall under the category of fake diamonds and are sometimes so convincing that they may fool the untrained eye. 

What is a Fake Diamond?

Fake diamonds refer to those stones that have a different chemical composition when compared to real diamonds. They are most commonly known as stimulants or imitations. The reason is that they are mostly made in labs and resemble natural diamonds to a great extent. However, you must understand that of the different types of fake diamonds, some of these imitations are stimulants or naturally occurring stones, while others are synthetic or lab grown diamonds.

What are diamond simulants?

A diamond simulant is a naturally occurring stone which has gemological similarities with naturally occurring diamonds. Most diamond simulants are a combination of artificially made diamonds and naturally found stones.

What are synthetic diamonds?

Also known as laboratory-grown diamonds, synthetic diamonds have artificially made. As a result, they have the same chemical composition as real diamonds. However, due to the fact that they are completely man-made, they are different from naturally occurring diamonds as well as diamond simulants.

On the whole, buying different types of fake diamonds, whether simulants or synthetic, has become quite popular. And why not? These faux diamonds have the luxurious feel of real diamonds at pocket-friendly prices!

Now that we’ve established the strong presence of faux diamonds, let us take a look at the different types of fake diamonds available in the market.  

1. Cubic Zirconia

Cubic zirconia is a popular name in the world of diamond jewelry, and is so similar in appearance to real diamonds that it is difficult to tell the difference with an untrained eye. Before you ask the question: Is cubic zirconia fake? Let’s clarify its nature immediately.

Cubic zirconia is a naturally occurring stone that has most commonly used as a diamond simulant. Scientifically, it is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide and is often mistakenly confused with zirconium silicate. Due to its colorless appearance and hard, durable material, cubic zirconia is the most popular among all the different types of fake diamonds. While it is not a highly expensive stone, it is by far the closest in appearance to naturally occurring diamonds.

Another reason for the constant popularity of cubic zirconia is that it is also available in specific colors that resemble other precious gemstones.

How to tell the difference between cubic zirconia and real diamonds?

·       Hold them up to the light. Cubic zirconia will produce a rainbow of colors whereas a real diamond will simply sparkle more intensely.

·       A fog test acts as a fake diamond tester. If you breathe on a cubic zirconia, it will remain fogged up for a short while. However, the fog on a real diamond clears up immediately.  

2. Moissanite

Moissanites, scientifically known as silicon carbide, are naturally polymorphs. However, they are exceedingly rare, which is why most moissanite are grown and cultivated in laboratories.

These synthetic stones bear a strong resemblance to diamonds, making them a top-ranking contender among the different types of fake diamonds. However, they are a tad bit more colorful than real diamonds, due to which when they are exposed to light, they sparkle colorfully.

On the other hand, moissanites are highly durable and hard, ranking 0.5 on the Moh’s scale measuring hardness.

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3. Spinel

Spinels are naturally occurring minerals available in a wide variety of colors from white and colorless to red, pink and black among others. Synthetic spinels are also frequently cultivated in labs in many colors. Cobalt is added to colorless spinels to give them a striking blue color.

Spinels are rich in history, with recorded use in civilizations across the globe. Today, their popularity is ever-rising due to their commercial demand as types of fake diamonds.  They measure between 7.5 and 8.0 on the Moh’s scale of hardness. Thus, they are durable and great for use as imitation stones.

4. Zircon

Very often confused with cubic zirconia as discussed earlier, zircon is actually more expensive than cubic zirconia. While most zircons are safe to wear, some may contain mild levels of radioactivity. They occur in a range of naturally occurring colored stones – the most popular being red, blue, green and white.

5. Russian Diamonds

Mined primarily in Russia, these Russian diamonds are a class apart in the different types of fake diamonds. Cut and polished with extreme precision and finesse, these stones are an excellent substitute for real diamonds. While they are obviously cheaper than naturally occurring diamonds, they are more expensive than other faux diamonds. However, the quality, finish and overall appearance of Russian diamonds more than make up for the slightly higher prices.

6. White Sapphire

While you may have most commonly heard of blue sapphires, naturally occurring white sapphire stones have a charm of their own. They are the best bet for people who want to get something “real” but not as expensive as real diamonds. This is the reason why white or colorless sapphires are fast gaining popularity, especially as an alternative to an expensive diamond engagement ring.

7. Diamond Nexus

Almost all synthetic or lab-grown diamonds have one primary element – carbon. However, the latest breakthrough in synthetic diamonds has given birth to something new. The diamond nexus is hailed as the closest thing to real diamonds due to their unique patented proprietary formula. They can be graded based on the 4Cs of clarity, color, cut, and carat weight used to evaluate real diamonds. As a result, they have also tested for their durability and hardness, revealing their close resemblance to real diamonds in every field.

8. Glass

Among the different types of fake diamonds, crystal glass diamonds are extremely common. They are available in several bright colors and are polished to enhance the appearance.

Final thoughts

In conclusion to the different types of fake diamonds discussed at great length in this article, it is obvious that such faux diamonds have flooded the market. However, the bottom line remains that nothing can ever replace original diamonds – neither in terms of sentimental value nor their monetary worth. Moreover, you can never hope to fetch high prices for your jewelry if the stones on them have been artificially synthesized.

At Sell Your Jewelry, we offer 100% free consultation with our experts trained to assess your diamonds professionally. Based on the evaluation, they offer the best prices in the city for them. Book an appointment today.

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