13 Tips on How to Recognize If Your Jewelry Is Real or Fake

Lately, fake jewelry is on the rise, with some pieces that look just as good as the real deal. According to research done by the QVC shopping channel’s jewelry department, 80% of women are happy to wear fake diamonds that not only have a convincing appearance but also a lower price point. However, if you don’t like fake jewelry and want the real thing, you should be able to spot them.

We at Bright Side gathered some things everyone should be aware of in order to spot real jewelry items from the fake ones.

1. Put the diamond through a fire test.

There’s a method used to determine if the diamond is real or fake — use a lighter to light the item for about 30 to 40 seconds before dropping it in cold water. If the item stays the same, it’s a real diamond, but if it shatters, it’s probably fake.

2. Breathe out a puff of air on the diamond.

Another way to spot a fake diamond is to breathe out a puff of air. Breathe hot air on your diamond the same way you would if you were fogging up a bathroom mirror. A light fog will form on the surface of the diamond, and if the fog disappears right away, your diamond is real. If the fog takes longer to disappear, the item is probably fake.

3. Put your diamond/opal under UV light.

UV lights are used to test out both diamonds and opals. When placing a real diamond under the UV lights, you should see a blue-colored glow, but not all of them glow under the UV light, so you can check by using other methods. However, when placing a real opal under UV light, you will notice that the stone tends to glow.

4. Take a metal object and try to scratch the surface of your jade.

Jade is a stone that is often used in Chinese culture, and they’re very appealing and beautiful. But due to high demand, you can now easily find many fake versions of jade. One thing to know is that the real kind is very hard and doesn’t scratch easily. So to be sure it’s real, take a metal object and try to make some scratches on the jade’s surface. If you see marks on it, then the jade isn’t real.

5. Drop your gold/diamond in a glass of water.

A real diamond has a high density, and so does real gold. So if you’d like to check, take a glass of water and place your diamond or gold item into the water. If it’s real, they will sink to the bottom, but if the item is floating, then it’s fake gold/diamond. Also, if you see some rust on your gold item formed because of the water test, then you have a fake in your hands.

6. Look for a stamp with 925, 900, or 800 on silver items.

When you have a silver item in your hands, you should look for markings or a stamp on it. According to experts, international sellers of silver will stamp it as 925, 900, or 800. These numbers indicate the silver’s level of purity. Sterling silver has a purity of 92.5% or higher.

7. Use a powerful magnet to attract your gold/silver.

Gold and silver aren’t magnetic, but other metals are. To see if your gold/silver items are real, check if the item gets attracted to the heavy magnet. If it moves, it’s not made of pure gold, or it’s possibly made of something other than silver.

8. Check if you can detect the smell of sulfur or any metallic odor on silver jewelry.

If you have a silver item in front of you, try to smell it first. What you should know is that silver is odorless, so you’re not supposed to detect a noticeable odor. Any scent of sulfur or other metals indicates that the item is not made of pure silver.

9. Take a pearl and gently rub it against your tooth.

Real pearls are made with imperfections, so a necklace made with fake pearls will have pearls of different, imperfect sizes. Additionally, if you take a fake pearl and rub it against your tooth, you’ll feel a smoothness, as if you’re rubbing plastic or glass.

10. Hold your jade under the light to inspect it.

To tell if your jade stone is the real deal, hold it under the light and examine the color of the stone. If it’s real, you’ll notice some color variations throughout the stone. But if the color is perfect and smooth, then it’s probably imitated.

11. Pour a few drops of vinegar on your gold item.

In order to evaluate if your item is made of real gold or not, you can pour a few drops of vinegar on it and wait. If the drops change the color of the item, then it’s not real gold. But if the item is intact and shines even brighter, the item is real because gold is unaffected by vinegar.

12. Inspect your crystal from the inside — it has to be “crystal clear.”

One of the most famous crystals is amethyst, and it’s widely known among jewelers and crystal lovers. If you get your eyes on one and would like to inspect it, check if there is any discoloration present, like sharp errors or stains inside. If that’s the case, then the crystal you have is fake.

13. Hold the jade in your hand and watch its cool temperature.

One other way to spot real jade from fake stone is to feel its temperature. To do the test, put the jade in your hand and feel it. It will get warm with the touch of your hand. Then set it aside for several seconds and feel its temperature again. It will cool down very quickly if it’s real since real jade is cool to the touch and doesn’t warm easily.

Have you ever spotted fake jewelry from the real kind? Are there other tips you’d like to add to this list?