How to determine the value of gemstones. How to recognize gems

Jewelry with stones is very beautiful and, of course, expensive. But, unfortunately, many minerals used to decorate products have learned how to do it. How do you define original?

So how do you find out real stone or not? There are a great many minerals, and each of them has its own characteristics by which the original can be distinguished. Each stone is worth dwelling on in more detail.

diamonds

Because best friends girls are these stones, then most often they are in doubt. How to identify a diamond at home?

• Diamonds are very hard. And to reveal such a sign, you can try to scratch the surface, for example, sandpaper. Not a single trace will remain on natural stone.
• Drop the stone into the water. It will continue to shine if it is natural. But the fake will become almost invisible.
• Examine the stone in the light by turning it front side to yourself. If it is natural, then the back faces will reflect light like mirrors, so you will see only one luminous dot. A fake will transmit light well.
• Try to breathe on the mineral. If this is the original, then there will be no perspiration.
• A real diamond does not attract dust, unlike fakes.

Ruby

Real rubies are very beautiful and have a number of specific properties that can be used to determine authenticity.

Methods for determining the naturalness of a ruby:

• First of all, it is worth evaluating the color. It should not be too bright and saturated.
• Due to the low thermal conductivity and heat capacity, the stone will seem cold, even if you hold it in the palm of your hand.
• Examine the mineral through a magnifying glass. You may find microscopic bubbles and inclusions. But in color they should not differ from the stone itself. In fakes, they can be lighter or hollow.
• Put the stone in glass container. If the mineral is real, then it will become reddish.
• If you put a ruby ​​in milk, it will acquire a pinkish tint.

Emerald

Such gems as emeralds are considered one of the rarest, so they are very expensive. And, of course, they are actively faked. But you can protect yourself from deception. Take a good look at the mineral, preferably through a magnifying glass. If you see parallel lines, then this indicates that the stone was created by nature itself and grew without human intervention. But the craft may have spirals or twisted veils.

Sapphire

Sapphire is incredibly beautiful, especially if it is natural. And how to distinguish the original from a fake? It is very difficult. hardness can be assessed. Scratches on such a mineral should not remain. When immersed in water, it will sink, as it is quite heavy.

In addition, the original may have intricate inclusions irregular shapes. And yet fakes can have the same properties, so it is better to seek help from an experienced jeweler.

Pearl

Pearls are also one of the most beloved stones of all women, so they are counterfeited very often and quite skillfully. But how not to let yourself be deceived?

• Try to scratch the bead. If you see a clear scratch or, moreover, peeling paint, then you definitely have a fake in front of you. If the pearl is real, then the scratch will also remain. But swipe the surface with your finger and it will miraculously disappear.
• You can try the stone on the tooth. If the pearl is real, it will creak a little, which is due to the fact that it consists of the smallest mother-of-pearl flakes.
• If you put a bead in your mouth, you can taste the sea sand.

Topaz

How to determine if a real topaz is in front of you?

• If the stone is in the ring, then actively rub it with a woolen cloth. Put the pieces on the table paper napkin. Bring the product to them. If the stone is natural, then it will attract particles.
• Feel the mineral. It is cool and also very smooth, one might say slippery.
• Natural topaz cannot be perfectly pure, inclusions can be found in it.

Amber

Although such a stone is not considered very expensive, it is still very popular. And you can determine its authenticity in the following ways:

• Try to set fire to the amber. If it is natural, then you will smell resin, but not melting plastic. If the mineral is immature, then on its surface will appear dark spot. If the stone is compressed, then it can become sticky.
• Rub the mineral with wool. He must be electrified.
• IN brine amber will not sink. To test this, dissolve 10 teaspoons of salt in a glass of water and dip the mineral into the mixture. If it floats on the surface, it is most likely natural.

Pomegranate

Natural pomegranate cannot be too large; it does not exceed the size of the grains of the pomegranate fruit of the same name.

This mineral is magnetic. And to reveal it, use a cork, scales and a magnet. Put the cork on the bowl first, then the pomegranate. Bring a magnet to the stone. If the scale needle begins to fluctuate, then the mineral is real.

Alexandrite

Real alexandrite has pleochroism, that is, it can change its color under different lighting conditions. A fake will have one permanent shade.

Turquoise

Real turquoise may have bumps, inclusions and pores. But there are no bubbles in it.

Aquamarine

If you look at real aquamarine in the light, you can find blotches resembling white chrysanthemums. In addition, this mineral can change color when viewed from different angles.

Moon rock

Although Moonstone considered semi-precious, it is also forged. You can identify the original by the play of thousands of colors in the light, as well as by the sparkles shimmering inside.

Be careful!

What is this stone?

We ask ourselves this question all the time when we notice some interesting special stone among the pebbles, when we walk along the seashore, we find a beautiful one. a crystal in a mountainous area, or suddenly we notice pieces in a mine dump, sparkling with gold or silver tint, we stumble over a border, or we examine a beautiful piece of jewelry. We always want to know: what kind of mineral, what precious stone shimmers so beautifully?

All minerals, with the exception of native mercury, are solid. Mineral chewing water, no matter how tasty it is and no matter how many minerals are indicated in its composition on the label, is liquid, which means that it is not a mineral.

Everything produced by man, from glass windows to quartz in wristwatches, is also not a mineral. A mineral necessarily has a natural origin. But with the definition of the concept of “crystal”, the situation is a little different.

It is precisely because of the regular atomic arrangement that the faces of the crystals are smooth. Almost all minerals are crystals, even if outwardly they are not very similar to them. There is a very small number of minerals in which atoms are not arranged in a regular form of a crystal lattice. Such minerals are called amorphous. The most common example is opal, which, unlike quartz with a virtually similar structure, is not capable of forming crystals.

Gems - These are beautiful, hard minerals that are cut in order to decorate them with jewelry. In order to fall into the category of precious stones, a mineral must meet and respond to several criteria: it must be amazingly beautiful, that is, satisfy aesthetic requirements. This means that it must have a beautiful color, and in a faceted state it must shine and shine as strongly as possible. The latter is the most important, since, for example, a diamond in its usual form is absolutely ugly, colorless and not attractive.

stones describe as large geological bodies, consisting of many formations of one or more varieties of minerals. For example, marble consists only of grains of such a mineral as calcite or calcareous spar, but granite contains 3 types of minerals: the first is orthoclase (feldspar), the second is quartzite, and the third number is mica.

properties of minerals

In order to identify a mineral, one must know its properties well. Each type of mineral has a number of properties, the combination of which becomes unique to that mineral. Thus, in order to accurately determine the mineral, you need to check as many of its properties as possible. Figuring out properties such as hardness or color of the line is quite simple, since this can be done either without tools at all, or with the help of tools that are sold in stores.

In the case of determining some other properties, such as chemical composition, rather complex equipment and special education are required, and, of course, as you understand, an ordinary person cannot do this.

color lines

To determine the color of a feature of a mineral that is being studied, it is carried out on an unglazed and, accordingly, slightly rough surface of a porcelain biscuit. The color of the remaining feature is characteristic of this type of mineral. For example, fluorite can be colorless, green, yellow, brown, blue, pink, even purple, and its trait color will always be white.

Hardness

All minerals are classified according to the degree of hardness, since this property is characteristic of any mineral. If you use the Mohs hardness scale, then it is quite easy to determine the hardness. This scale represents ten minerals, the hardness of which is increasing, that is, each subsequent mineral scratches the previous one.

1. The first is Talc

2. Gypsum is in second place

3. Third comes Calcite

4.Fourth Fluorite

6. Then orthoclase and feldspar

7.Quartz seventh

8. Then Topaz

9. Corundum comes next to last

10. Closes the hardest diamond

The determination of hardness is carried out in this way. First, a mineral with medium hardness is taken, for example, apatite (hardness is 5), and it is checked whether it leaves lion scratched on the specimen under test. If it is, then the next softer mineral is taken. And so on until reference the mineral will no longer scratch the test sample. If at the same time to scratch the reference stones with the test subjects, it means that we have minerals in front of us, the hardness of which is the same. This is already a good result.

If the sample under study cannot be scratched immediately with the chosen stone of medium hardness, then a harder standard is taken on a scale. Thus, it is easy to determine the hardness of any mineral on the Mohs scale. Always scratch with a sharp edge on a flat and fresh surface. After each attempt, you should lightly rub the left mark and carefully examine it with a fool to make sure that the mineral is scratched.

Important ! With each reference specimen, it is necessary to check in the opposite direction. Only in this way can you accurately verify the result.

Viscosity

The behavior of a mineral when scratched or bent is called toughness. Most minerals are brittle, that is, when scratched, for example, with a steel needle, dust easily flies off the stone. If this does not happen, then we are dealing with a soft mineral, for example, galena. If, when scratching, dust is not formed at all, as, for example, when cutting butter with a knife, then such a mineral is called cutting or cutting. These include argentite and gold. In addition, gold can still be cut into thin plates. Such minerals are also called malleable and malleable.

Other minerals, on the contrary, are elastic, such as mica, it can be bent, but after that it returns to its original position. Flexible minerals, such as gypsum, bend easily, but the bend does not return to its original position, as they harden in a new position.

Color

At first, it may seem that the color of the mineral should be the most an important factor for definition, but, unfortunately, it sucks and not so. There are, of course, minerals whose color is very characteristic, such as green malachite or blue azurite, but most minerals have not just one color, but many different colors. various shades. For example, quartz comes in colorless, brown, pink, purple, yellow, and black, while diamond comes in yellow, white, green, blue, brown, and black.

It happens that some minerals in contact with air are covered with a layer of a different color. This layer is called tarnish. For example, a completely fresh bornite chip has a pink color with a metallic sheen, however, in just a few hours it oxidizes and becomes covered with a layer that shimmers reddish, bluish and greenish flowers. It follows that the color of the mineral should always be checked on a freshly chipped surface.

Shine

Each raw mineral has a certain brilliance, characteristic of this instance. However, this brilliance is difficult to measure. It can only be described in comparison with objects from our everyday life.

glass shine matches the brilliance of plain glass in the windows. It occurs most often.

metallic luster matches the brilliance of polished metal. For example, like aluminum foil.

Silky shine can be compared to the brilliance of soft room light on natural silk.

Resin glitter is the sheen of resin that we can see during road construction.

Oily sheen like the sheen of grease stains on paper.

diamond glitter - it is a radiant brilliance, like from a cut diamond or from glass made of lead crystal.

Pearly shine comparable to glitter inside shells, whitish shimmer with multi-colored tints of color.

Density

density, or specific gravity is the weight of a mineral per unit volume, which is measured in grams per cubic centimeter. Measuring density is not so easy, it requires high-precision instruments. Despite this, density can also be used as one of the features for determination. By simply weighing it on your hand, you can determine whether a mineral is light (density below 2), normal (density around 2.5), heavy (density above 3.5) or very heavy (6 and above). Better yet, take a piece of similar size with a density known to you in your other hand and compare.

The fear of being deceived haunts many people, and this fear is not unfounded. According to statistics, over the past 10 years, the extraction of precious metals has practically not increased, but at the same time, the number of jewelry stores is growing at an incredible pace. Alas, even when buying jewelry in a jewelry store, there is a chance of running into a low-quality fake. Overwhelmed by doubts? Authentication precious metals available not only to specialists, but also to each of us. To do this, there are many ways, the implementation of which is possible at home.

Not all that glitters is gold

Only a jeweler who has all the necessary analytical equipment at his disposal can check a gold product and issue a reliable conclusion on belonging to a noble metal. Professional verification is carried out by the Assay Office. Examination of gold jewelry is not a cheap pleasure, the price of the service ranges from 10 to 20% of the estimated value of the item. counterfeit more and more often, and no one wants to waste money. By the way, the need to check gold for authenticity may arise not only in relation to jewelry, but also, for example, when buying ingots or nuggets.

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The most difficult type of fake for self-determination of gold is a piece of jewelry, on which the thinnest layer of precious metal is applied. It is extremely difficult to determine the authenticity of such work at home without causing harm to the product.

The most common methods for counterfeiting gold items are:

• surface gilding;
• copper replacement;
• alloys of aluminum and other metals;
• an alloy of titanium and gold.

Fake jewelry made from alloys that are close to gold in color leave stains on the skin with green tint, especially when wearing the ring for a long time. The replacement of gold with other less valuable metal alloys or similar deposition can be determined using well-known methods.

The first stage is checking gold by comparison. Surely you have a piece of jewelry, the authenticity of which you have no doubt. On a rigid object, draw a line with these two decorations. Gold items will leave the same mark, but if there are differences, this is a direct reason to doubt the quality.

With the help of a magnifying glass, peer into the brand, which should reflect the sample of gold. It should be clear, without damage.

The cost of a gram of gold changes daily, however, you should rely on it when buying jewelry, even if they are not purchased in a store.

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There is also an opinion that the sound helps to calculate the copy. Crystal ringing on impact hard surface publish gold items. A dull or any other sound is a cause for concern.

Iodine test

Iodine is able to change the color of most components that are used to counterfeit the precious metal, but at the same time, such a sample is completely harmless for jewelry with a sample of more than 500 (that is, which contains more than 50 mass percent of gold).

A drop of pharmaceutical grade should be applied to the product in question. alcohol solution iodine, and after 10-15 seconds, remove its remnants with a napkin. If a trace of iodine remains, then this is not a gold product. Unaltered metal color may indicate authenticity.

Magnet check

Precious metals are not affected by a magnet. Coated steel products thin layer gold plated, instantly attracted to the surface of the magnet, real golden decoration will not react to a magnet.

Many manufacturers use lock designs for chains and bracelets that include a steel spring - in this case, the magnet will only attract the lock.

Indifference to the magnet is a necessary condition, but not sufficient. For example, most alloys of copper and tin are non-magnetic. However, such products are much lighter: the difference in weight can be felt even without an analytical balance.

Vinegar test

A cheap fake will turn black under the action of acetic acid. If you lower into it with a sample above 500, then nothing will happen to him. This is another sure way to recognize authenticity. 3-5 minutes is enough to conduct an experiment.

To the teeth

You must have seen in the movies how gold coin the main characters tried "by the tooth". This method only suitable for high-grade gold (whiter than 900), which is relatively soft. On such gold, a mark from the teeth will certainly remain, since its hardness is much lower than that of other metals.

Determining the Authenticity of Gold Using Analytical Instruments

Instant recognition of metal components at home is possible using a special device called a metal analyzer. The result is displayed on the screen within 2-3 seconds. To obtain it, it is necessary to point the device at the object under study. The analyzer is widely used by miners of precious metals.

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In order not to doubt the authenticity of gold jewelry, you should choose the right place to purchase it. Jewelry stores and pawnshops are points of sale of this precious metal. Buying from the hands is always a risk.

Authentication of Platinum Jewelry: Your Own Expert

Platinum is a precious metal used in jewelry making. The silver-white metal gained its fame in the 18th century, but only in our time has it become widely used by jewelers. As a rule, only small jewelry, such as rings, earrings and chains, is made from platinum. This is due to the high cost of the material.

With the spread of the Internet, buying jewelry has become much easier. However, you will not have the opportunity to examine the product before buying, which means that you may encounter a fake. Many people prefer not to risk buying jewelry in specialized stores, but in this case, you are not immune from fakes. So how can you independently verify the authenticity of jewelry made of platinum?

Determining the weight and density of a product

Platinum is a heavy metal whose weight is comparable only to iridium, osmium, rhenium and uranium. All other elements are lighter. In addition, in the production of jewelry, the share of platinum is from 85% to 95% in the total weight of the product. That is, jewelry is almost 100% composed of this noble metal. Products made of gold and silver, for example, have a much lower weight of the precious metal.

The use of iridium, osmium and rhenium to make jewelry heavier is not advisable, since these elements have the same value as platinum, and besides, they are rarely found in nature. Pick up a platinum ring and a similar-sized ring in another metal. A piece made of platinum will be heavier than a similar piece of jewelry made from another alloy.

May 26, 2016 at 12:42 pm PDT

If you have a suitable measuring vessel, then you can measure the density of the product. To do this, you need to weigh the precious accessory, and then place it in a bowl of water and determine the volume of liquid displaced in cubic centimeters. After that, the weight of the jewelry in grams should be divided by the value of the water displaced by it in cubic centimeters. The resulting value should be near the figure 21.45. In this case, we can say with full confidence that the platinum jewelry is genuine.

Use of chemicals

• Iodine. Take ordinary medical iodine and drop it on a platinum product. The drop must have dark color, only in this case it is possible to speak about the authenticity of the noble metal. The darker it is, the higher the sample of the jewelry. There should not be any stains on the accessory. Also, no stains will remain from acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
• Ammonia. All precious metals, except for platinum, react to the action of this substance. Only it does not turn black and does not react with ammonia.
• Nitric and hydrochloric acid. These chemical substances should be mixed in a ratio of 1:3 to obtain "royal vodka". When heated, this mixture will slowly dissolve the platinum product. In a cold state, no changes will occur.

How to distinguish platinum from silver

Silver is much cheaper than platinum, so some negligent manufacturers sell silver products under the guise of an expensive precious metal. To distinguish a fake, first of all, you need to consider the color precious jewelry. Platinum is a lighter metal, while silver has gray shade. Moreover, due to high cost platinum is not used to make large items. If you are offered a massive chain and favorable price, then most likely they are trying to deceive you by selling a silver accessory.

You can try to try both products on the tooth. Nothing will remain on platinum, while a slight trace will remain on silver. This is due to the fact that platinum has a higher density. In addition, these elements interact differently chemical reactions such as hydrogen sulfide. At home, you can use a rotten egg, on which you should put jewelry made of two metals in turn. Silver will turn black under the action of hydrogen sulfide, and nothing will happen to platinum.

Product heating

Platinum is a refractory metal, so it cannot be melted with an ordinary lighter, stove flame or gas burner. Platinum jewelry will not change color even with strong heat. By the way, platinum has a rather low thermal conductivity, which means that a product made from it will heat up longer than, for example, from silver and gold, but it is very problematic to draw any conclusions based on this property.

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If you still doubt the authenticity of platinum jewelry, then the best option- Contact a professional. Then you will have no doubts, and you will be sure that your jewelry is made of noble metal.

Silver Jewelry Self Authentication

Silver - precious metal, whose properties were appreciated many centuries ago. Pure silver and its alloys are widely used in the manufacture of jewelry, crockery, cutlery, and instrument making.

Try

The cost of silver is quite high, and, by the way, in Lately the prices for this metal on world exchanges are constantly growing. Not surprisingly, the number of fakes and falsifications is also increasing. When buying silver things, first of all, you need to pay attention to the sample. It is quite difficult to fake it: only top-class specialists can make a cliché. On the surface of the product, the sample should be well readable, with even, clear outlines. assay mark on silverware Russian production has the form of a rectangle, inside of which a three-digit number is printed, showing the proportion of chemically pure silver in the product.

The amount of impurities determines the quality of the metal. Most common next samples: 720, 750, 800, 875, 916, 925, 960. Sample 720 means that the jewelry alloy contains 72% silver, 750 - 75% and so on. From this dependence it follows that the higher the sample, the higher the cost of the product.

Alloys 750 and 800 contain a lot of copper, so they are yellowish in appearance. They are usually used to make cutlery. The silver of this sample is subject to oxidation, so you will have to clean the spoons and forks quite often.

Quality silver used for production jewelry, has a sample of 925 and above.

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Authentication

If there is no sample on a product that is passed off as silver, you can ask the jeweler for a definition, for example, take it to a pawnshop and ask for an assessment. In addition, there are many ways to check the authenticity of a thing yourself.

Express ways to determine the authenticity of silver at home

• One of right ways– magnet: silver should not be attracted. However, this test alone is not enough: a lot of silver-imitating alloys are also not magnetic.
• To determine the use of sulfuric ointment, which can be bought at any pharmacy. The product should be smeared with a thick layer and let lie down for a couple of hours. Genuine silver or an alloy with a high content of this precious metal will definitely turn black.
• Test with iodine. Under a drop of an alcoholic solution of iodine, silver also turns black, and the higher its quality, the stronger. But here we must act carefully, these manipulations can lead to damage to things, since it will be very difficult to remove the stain.
• Often, silver-plated brass or copper is given out for silver. You can make a scratch in an inconspicuous place: if a reddish or reddish tint appears on the edges of the inscription, this is a fake.
• Silver bends quite easily, and after the cessation of exposure, it does not restore its shape (silver-plated copper and brass are weakly springy, because they have high elasticity).
• Silver has a high thermal conductivity. Thing dropped into hot water heats up instantly. It also quickly takes on the temperature of the human body.
• When wearing fake jewelry remain on the skin dark stripes. This indicates the addition of much cheaper zinc. Jewelry made from such alloys is very fragile and often breaks.
• Silver has specific smell, people with a sensitive sense of smell can determine the authenticity of the product.

All these verification methods are quite superficial, and can only be used for a preliminary assessment. A guarantee that the product is made of silver, and not just silver plated, can only be given by an expert jeweler. To be 100% authentic, you will have to file or carry out calculations with specific gravity.

May 28, 2016 at 8:30 AM PDT

Real silver darkens over time. But it takes years, and besides, its brilliance can be easily restored. For this they use special cream or ammonia. The brilliance of low-quality products disappears forever.

Silver test

One of the most precise methods determining the authenticity of silver at home - a test for silver, which can be bought in specialized stores or via the Internet. Following a simple instruction, with a high degree of probability, you can determine not only the authenticity of the product, but also an approximate sample.

There are electronic devices capable of distinguishing silver, gold, White gold, platinum. However, their cost is so high that a purchase for the purpose of a one-time determination of precious metals at home is not economically justified.

Finally

Counterfeiting of precious metals is one of the most common methods of fraud. The growth in the number of falsifications is explained by the high income of fraudsters and the difficulty of suppressing activities of this kind. That is why the purchase must be taken seriously. Only specialized stores that work directly with manufacturers can guarantee the safety and quality of precious metal products.

November 19, 2014, 17:18

Increasingly, fakes and low-quality goods are found in jewelry stores. On the shelves of shops there are jewelry with precious and synthetic inserts. Sometimes the buyer is deceived, and instead of a gem, he receives an imitation. The topic of artificial minerals excites the whole jewelry world. Even a gemologist will not be able to visually distinguish all the products with a magnifying glass. How to recognize a gemstone without special education?

Artificial stones are:

• synthetic;
• ennobled;
• imitation.

Only in the laboratory can one distinguish a synthetic crystal from a natural one. The composition and structure of minerals are identical. The main physical properties of analogues are close to natural ones.

Gemologists also define refined crystals, which undergo the following processing:

• staining;
• waxing (waxing/oiling);
• coating (coating);
• heating (heating);
• filling (filling);
• irradiation;
• whitening.

These data must be indicated in the certificate that is attached to the stone. In some stores, information is not conveyed to the client. The buyer can purchase an ennobled ruby, the cost of which is 5 $ ct at the price of a natural ruby ​​- 10,000 $ ct. The consumer can go to court, and such a transaction is regarded as fraud.

The Jewelry Confederation has developed a document for trade organizations. According to the prescription, special terminology accepted throughout the world should be used. . How to know if a gem is or not? This information can be obtained from the certificate.

In the civilized world, precious minerals are sold only with a certificate. To confirm the document, you can contact the laboratory.

The most prestigious logo on jewelry- Gubelin. The Swiss brand produces jewelry of the highest quality.

In jewelry stores, a certificate is issued for each stone. The document states:

• size;
• color;
• proportions;
• purity;
• defects;
• cutting method;
• place of extraction.

The stores assure the buyer that all products are checked for compliance. How to determine whether a real stone or not, standing at the window? All grown minerals are ideal.

How to identify a real stone yourself?

Exist simple ways simulation definitions:

• warmth;
• aurally;
• by weight;
• fingernail.

The mineral must be picked up and held. natural material cold and heavy. All minerals have inclusions. The product is considered different lighting. To do this, use a magnifying glass, choosing a model with a magnification of 10 times. When viewed, the crystal is moved up and down to get a clear image at depth.

Gem can be wiped wet wipe. If there is a trace of paint on the fabric, do not buy decoration.

The purity and ideality of the stone is a sign of a fake. Before buying a gem, you should study the following information:

• shades of crystal;
• cutting methods;
• Place of Birth.

Synthetic crystal is determined using an ultraviolet flashlight. If the stone has a bright glow, then it is synthesized.

Natural stone scratches glass. There are ways and signs by which the authenticity of a crystal is determined.

Corundum

The physical properties of natural and synthetic corundums are close. To recognize natural and synthetic rubies, sapphires, the presence of inclusions, cracks is important. How to determine whether stone or glass is in front of you? For this purpose, use a strong magnifying glass.

Natural rubies contain rutile. A feature of natural ruby ​​​​is spotted coloring. Natural sapphires contain gas-liquid inclusions. A sign of their naturalness is zonal coloring.

Features of synthetic corundums:

1. Gas inclusions different size and forms.
2. Curvilinear color distribution.

natural sapphire the color is similar to velvet. Spinel fake will be darker. If a beam is directed at natural sapphire, it will be in the form of a six-pointed star. Natural sapphire cannot be scratched with a fingernail or knife.

Emerald

If natural crystal look through a magnifying glass, you can see cracks with gas-liquid inclusions. Sometimes they are mistaken for air bubbles in a fake.

Synthetic emeralds can be checked by pointing an ultraviolet flashlight at them. If the stone luminesces in an unnatural color, it is synthetic. Natural has a reddish-brown tint under ultraviolet light. This method is not accurate. Colombian emerald will not change its color.

How to determine a natural stone or artificial? natural mineral has clear edges, while synthetic ones are erased. artificial crystal- with a yellowish tint.

Smaller emeralds are glued into one piece. Other crystals are used for fakes. This is how large samples are obtained by gluing a small emerald with synthetic spinel, beryl, quartz.

Quality emerald has saturated color. By the nature of the inclusions, the gemologist determines the deposit of the stone. Emeralds from Colombia are tinted. You can check this at home. The mineral is placed in water with washing powder.

Amber

There are several ways to determine the authenticity of amber:

1. Natural amber will always float on the surface saline solution(4 tablespoons per glass of water).
2. Attach a red-hot needle to amber. It smells of resin - a natural stone, plastic - a fake.
3. If amber is rubbed about natural fabrics, it gets electrified. Finely chopped paper will be attracted to the stone.

For research use ultraviolet filter. Transparent amber will luminesce blue and in green. An opaque copy gives a milky tint, and an untreated one gives a brown one.

Pearl

A natural formation extracted from shells is heavier than a fake. Pearls have an uneven surface, while imitations have a smooth one. If two pearls are rubbed against each other, they cling.

One of the most reliable ways is to run pearls across the teeth. Natural stone creaks. If a pearl is dropped on the floor, it will bounce. Natural pearls you can scratch it and leave no trace. The price of natural, cultivated and imitation is different.

What stones imitate?

For fake jewelry stones glass and plastic are often used. With the help of these materials, such stones are imitated: carnelian, chrysoprase, turquoise and so on. Spinel and glass are used to fake a ruby.

Glued doublets are also used. Stones are combined with glass. How to distinguish gemstone from glass? A fake is easy to recognize with a magnifying glass. Bubbles will be located at the gluing site.

To simulate precious minerals use:

1. Lower quality natural minerals.
2. synthetic stones.
3. Glass.
4. Plastic.
5. pressed crystals.
6. Compound stones (doublet, triplet).

It is difficult to determine the authenticity of jewelry without special knowledge. When buying a gemstone from a jeweler, it is best to contact an appraiser.

Mineral quality assessment

Gemological examination is the study of the authenticity of stones. Quality control of products is as follows. The first assessment is visual. A gemologist examines a mineral with a magnifying glass. During this inspection, marriage is eliminated:

• chips;
• scratches;
• abrasions.

There are characteristic inclusions for each mineral. The gemologist sends the product for additional research if he finds signs of:

• uneven coloring;
• bubbles.

The following devices are used in the centers of expertise and evaluation:

1. Refractometer.
2. Polariscope.
3. Chelsea filter.
4. Jim tester.

Using a polariscope, the extinction of the sample is determined. A gemologist will immediately be able to determine whether it is glass or a mineral.

A refractometer measures the amount of refraction, which is different for each material. An immersion liquid is used for research. Using a pipette, apply a few drops and cover with a protective glass. Readings are taken after 30 seconds. After that, they compare it with the data in the table and determine which mineral was brought for evaluation.

How to distinguish natural stone from artificial? The Chelsea filter helps establish the origin of emeralds, sapphires and rubies. Some gemologists believe that the device has lost its relevance. Synthetic emeralds are difficult to distinguish even with the help of equipment.

The Jim Tester measures the thermal conductivity of a mineral.

The laboratory determines:

• authenticity;
• origin;
• the presence of refinement.

The principle of grading a stone is called the "rule of 4 Cs". These are criteria such as weight, color, purity and quality.

Synthetic stones

Analogues are created specifically for jewelry, while the price of products is lower. Synthesized minerals have:

• maximum purity;
• high optical properties;
• color saturation.

In addition to analogues that have similar properties, scientists have created and artificial stones- Fianites and others.

The production of synthetic products is growing, and technologies are improving. The buyer has the right to choose. Some want to have unique stones, others are only interested in external beauty. The consumer wants to receive the product that is indicated on the tag.

How to distinguish natural semi-precious and precious stones from imitations - fakes.

As you know, progress gives not only pluses, but also minuses to a person's everyday life. People have learned to fake both semi-precious stones and precious ones, and now we will try to figure out how to distinguish a natural stone from a fake.

Aquamarine

All glass imitations feel warmer to the touch, unlike real stone. If the stone is not set in the frame, holding it with tweezers (so as not to heat it from the hands), touch it with the tip of the tongue - the stone should be cold. There are no synthetic aquamarines on the jewelry market. The imitations sold under this name are actually bare spinel or glass.

Diamond

When examining a diamond with the naked eye or with a 10x magnifying glass, it must be taken into account that it is processed in such a way that almost all the light entering the stone through the crown is completely reflected from its back faces, as from a series of mirrors. Therefore, if you look at the light through a cut diamond, only a luminous point in the stone will be visible. In addition, if you look through a diamond that is in a ring put on a finger, then it is impossible to see the finger through it.

The chemist Klaproth determined that a drop of hydrochloric acid does not affect diamond, but leaves a cloudy spot on zircon.

Diamond leaves a scratch on the surface of the glass, as well as on the polished surface of other stones. When a faceted diamond is pressed firmly against the surface of the sample, one can notice that the diamond "clings" to it, leaving a visible scratch that does not disappear if rubbed with a wet finger. For such a test, the least noticeable place is chosen.

To distinguish diamond from spinel and synthetic sapphire, the stones are immersed in a colorless liquid with a refractive index close to the refractive indices of spinel and sapphire (methylene iodide or monobromide monoftlen). Spinel and sapphire simply won't show up in liquid, and diamond will shine brightly. A similar but less distinct effect of the "disappearance" of a fake diamond is given by plain water and glycerin. In the same way, simpler and cheaper fakes for a diamond are isolated - lead-rich crystal glass.

The method of obtaining this mineral was based on the concept of the transformation of graphite into diamond. Even at the end of the XVII century. I. Newton suggested that the diamond is this very solid mineral- should burn. The Florentine Academy of Sciences donated a diamond crystal for the experiment. It turned out that before burning, diamond at a temperature of 110 ° C turned into graphite. Scientists have decided that the reverse transformation into a diamond is also possible. artificial diamonds tried to get many scientists. But there was still no success while the work was carried out without knowledge of the laws of synthesis. Colorless zircon, synthetic rutic, strontium titanite, synthetic colorless spinel, synthetic colorless sapphire are used to simulate diamond.

grenades

Garnets are precious stones that have the power of magnetic attraction. Some other stones are also determined by magnetism. To do this, a stone (previously weighed) is placed on a high cork (to separate it from the metal pan of the scales), which is placed on the bowl. After the scales are balanced, a small horseshoe-shaped magnet is slowly brought to the stone until it almost touches the surface of the stone.

If the mineral has a noticeable magnetism, then the balance will be disturbed when the magnet is 10-12 mm from the stone. Record the minimum weight that is "held" by the magnet. The difference between them by the true weight will characterize the attraction of the stone to the magnet.

Emerald

The characteristic features of synthetic stones are twisted veils.

Synthetic emeralds were only made in the laboratory of Carroll Chatham, a San Francisco chemist, for many years. Now on an industrial scale, emeralds are produced by a number of companies, and methods for the production of synthetic emeralds are constantly being improved, so that synthetic emeralds are practically indistinguishable from natural ones.

Quartz

Quartz can be distinguished from glass by touching the stone and glass with the tip of the tongue. Quartz is much colder.

Ruby

This is the first gemstone that began to be obtained at the beginning of the 20th century on an industrial basis on a large scale. According to recent reports, the production of synthetic rubies has reached one million carats. Artificial rubies are used for jewelry, and the difference in prices between natural and synthetic is very large.

First of all, it must be remembered that pure, densely colored large ones are extremely rare in nature. This fact alone calls into question the natural origin of a large ruby.

Sapphire

If a stone is immersed in a liquid with a certain refractive index, the following color distribution can be observed in it: in a synthetic stone there are always curved, differently colored stripes, in a natural one - the stripes are straight and are parallel to one or more faces.

Topaz

It is exceptionally easy to polish and can sometimes be identified by touch by its characteristic "slipperiness". Synthetic corundum of various shades of pink is used to imitate pink topaz. However, it looks too good to be real.

Crystal

Real rock crystal is always cool to the touch.

Zircon

No stone, with the exception of opal and diamond, can be identified as easily as zircon. With the naked eye or with a simple magnifying glass. Its special brilliance, somewhat reminiscent of diamond and at the same time oily or resinous, combined with a characteristic colors often allow you to recognize the stone at a glance. Using a magnifying glass, it is possible, when observing through upper part stone to see the worn edges of the faces.

Amber

Natural amber is electrified by friction, however, some imitations (made of plastic) are also electrified. But if there is no electrification - a clear fake. The following method for determining imitations of amber is very effective. If you draw a strip along the surface of amber with a knife blade, it will give a small crumb, and an imitation of twisted chips.

Unlike synthetic materials, amber is easily rubbed into powder. Amber will float in brine (10 teaspoons (without top) of table salt per glass of water), and imitations other than polystyrene will sink. After checking, the product should be thoroughly rinsed in running water so that a salt crust does not form.

Turquoise

Crystals made from crushed turquoise with glue are difficult to distinguish from real ones. And only over time, fakes acquire a dirty shade.

Pearl

The secret of pearl cultivation was discovered in China, and this craft flourished there for seven centuries. In 1890, the Japanese adopted the experience of growing pearls and created an entire industry. The Japanese were among the last to develop the cultivation of pearls without a nucleus, in which a piece of the mantle tissue of another mollusk is inserted into cuts in the mantle of a mollusk. Pearls grow quickly, yield is high. If the mollusk, after the removal of the pearl from it, is returned to the sea again, you can again get pearls from it. Such pearls are also called cultured.

Since 1956, the pearl growing industry began to develop in Australia. The word "pearl" without definitions is allowed to be used only for natural pearls. Large pearls are considered collectible and are sold separately at a higher price. 70% of pearls are sold as beads.

Spinel

Synthetic spinel entered the market in the 1920s. Spinel is easily confused with amethyst, chrysoberyl, garnet, ruby, sapphire, topaz. But experts distinguish it very simply - by the absence of birefringence in it.

Synthetic stones with a good reputation can rise in price and be in demand just like precious stones, and rare specimens can even become collectibles. In general, we can conclude that synthetic gems can peacefully coexist with natural ones, rather complement each other than compete. For modern jewelry market artificial gemstones of several types arrive.

Precious stones synthesized (grown); synthesized crystals of compounds of the group of rare earth elements that are not found in nature, such as cubic zirkonia (diamond imitation); imitation of precious stones from famous glass, which are mainly used in costume jewelry and easily "by eye" differ from precious stones in terms of low hardness; as well as doublets - composite gems glued together from two different minerals.