58 November 2013 www.womanthismonth.com The proliferation of imitation stones and the people who try to pass them off as real can be worrisome. Distinguishing a real gemstone from a synthetic one is a skill which every individual should learn. Jewellery is expensive; the last thing you want is to pay a great deal of money for a fake piece. Here are some tried and tested methods to spot a fake. The fog test Put the stone in front of your mouth and fog it like you would a mirror. If it stays fogged for a couple seconds, it’s probably a fake. A real diamond disperses the heat instantaneously so by the time you look at it, it has already cleared up. If it happens to be a little dirty, it still clears much faster than a fake. Ceramic plate test This is an easy way to tell if your gold is fool’s gold. Find an unglazed ceramic plate. Drag your item across the surface. A black streak means your gold is not real, whereas a gold streak indicates your item is genuine. Bear in mind that your item may end up scratched. Tooth and friction test Most fake pearls can be distinguished based on their surface texture. Lightly rub a pearl or strand of pearls along the biting edge of your upper front teeth. Real pearls feel slightly gritty, while most fake pearls feel smooth. The gritty surface texture of a real pearl should give it a notable amount of friction when you rub it against another pearl. Two pearls that offer resistance may be real. The ice test In addition to having the highest electrical conductivity of any element, silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal. If you place an ice cube on a silver coin or bar, the ice will begin to melt immediately and much more quickly and impressively than when it is left in room temperature. Colour test There are various ways to identify a real gem from a fake one. The first thing to look for is whether or not a gem creates a rainbow of colours when held up to the light. Hold a stone up to any kind of light. By placing it close to your eye and tilting it, you should be able to see a variety of colours. That being said, stones that do not produce colour are not always fake. Another way to test a real gem is to conduct a bit of research in terms of other properties and places of origin. REPORT | jewellery & watches Whether you’re buying that perfect gift for a special person or for yourself, you need to know if what you’re buying is the real thing. HOW TO Call a Bluff
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