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Many customers ask me how they can be assured that what they are purchasing is really a diamond. Don’t worry. Unless you are buying it from someone off the street this shouldn’t be a concern. As long as you follow my J.Q.S. you will have no problems.

Cubic zirconia is a diamond simulant that looks similar to a diamond. Now keep in mind there is a big difference between a simulant and a synthetic. A simulant is something that looks similar to a diamond-that’s all. It doesn’t have any of the same properties that a diamond has. It’s not as hard, it doesn’t sparkle the same, and it’s not as durable. A synthetic is something that has all the same properties as a diamond. It’s as hard, sparkles the same, and is durable. Don’t confuse a C.Z. with a synthetic gemstone; it is not. It is a simulant. There are no synthetic diamonds on the market that a consumer can buy; there are only simulants. And no matter which simulant you buy, because the stone does not have the same hardness as a diamond it will not last. A simulant is not forever; a diamond is.

The Vanishing Act

Now you see the carbon; now you don’t! There is a diamond enhancement process for removing carbon inside a diamond using a laser. The process is called laser drilling. This is how the process works: they take a diamond that has black carbon inside the stone, and then zap the diamond, hence removing the carbon.

The problem with this process is that a diamond that has been lasered will have a tunnel from the outside of the diamond to where the carbon used to be. Usually the tunnel is not visible with your own eyes, but it is visible with magnification. If a diamond has been laser drilled quite a bit, the stone’s overall durability can be affected. The advantage to this process is if you own a diamond that has a large black inclusion; it could be zapped out, making the diamond visually more attractive. The resale value of a laser drilled diamond is usually less than that of one that has not been lasered. The FTC states that it is an unfair trade practice to sell a laser drilled diamond without disclosing that fact to the consumer.

The Biggest Crime of All

What’s the biggest crime of all? Ignorance! Ignorance on the part of the jeweler and ignorance on the part of the customer. Over 80 percent of all jewelers who sell diamonds are not gemologists and know very little about the quality of diamonds.

Their philosophy is very simple. “Look at all the pretty diamonds and pick the one you like!” The only way to change this is for more customers to become educated, in turn forcing jewelers to become educated so they can compete. You might ask yourself, Why are good quality diamonds so scarce? It’s because there aren’t enough educated customers asking for good quality diamonds. When everyone becomes quality conscious, jewelers will be forced to carry good quality diamonds.

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