Whether you’re exploring a bustling market in Bangkok, wandering through the souks of Marrakech, or simply enjoying a local gem shop during your beach holiday, finding that perfect gemstone souvenir can be a thrilling adventure. But how can you be sure that stunning ruby, emerald, sapphire, or diamond you’ve got your eye on is the real deal?
Hi there gemstone lover, I’m Kim, and I’ve been addicted to gemstones since childhood. But my journey took a significant turn during a holiday in Egypt when I was duped into buying a fake ruby. This experience opened my eyes to how challenging it can be to buy authentic gemstones without any know-how and inspired me to start Gemstone Detective. It gave me a purpose!
My mission is to help others avoid the situation I encountered and to empower gemstone enthusiasts to make informed, confident decisions.
Use this as your holiday guide. Here's how you can use your five senses to identify real gemstones from fake ones while enjoying your holiday:
Ruby
Sight: Authentic rubies often have imperfections, such as inclusions or slight colour variations. If the ruby is too flawless or uniformly coloured, it might be synthetic.
Touch: Rubies are hard and should feel cold and heavy for their size in your hand. If it feels too lightweight, it could be glass or another imitation.
Hearing: Tap the ruby gently with your fingernail. A real ruby will produce a sharp sound, whereas glass or plastic might sound duller.
Emerald
Sight: Real emeralds will have inclusions known as "jardin," giving them a garden-like appearance. If the emerald looks too clear, it’s likely artificial.
Touch: Like rubies, emeralds are also cool to the touch and relatively heavy. A lightweight emerald might be a fake.
Smell: Some imitation emeralds, especially those made from certain plastics, can emit a slight chemical or plastic smell when warmed by your hand. A genuine emerald will not have any odour.
Sapphire
Sight: Real sapphires will show inconsistencies in colour and may have minor inclusions. If it appears too perfect, it could be lab-created.
Touch: Sapphires should feel cold and dense. A fake sapphire might feel too warm or light.
Hearing: When gently tapped, a real sapphire will make a sharper, clearer sound compared to a duller sound from imitations made of plastic or glass.
Diamond
Sight: Diamonds have a unique brilliance and reflect light in a way that imitations don’t match. Look for reflections with grayish, rainbow colours. A diamond’s sparkle is unparalleled.
Touch: Diamonds are incredibly hard and should feel cold. If you can scratch it with another material, it’s not a diamond.
Breath: Breathe on the surface of the diamond. A real diamond will disperse the fog from your breath almost immediately, while a fake one will take longer.
By using these simple tricks, you can enjoy your holiday shopping with confidence and go home with beautiful, genuine gemstones.
Happy hunting, and may you find the perfect souvenir to remind you of your adventures!
Kim Rix GG GIA
Gemstone Detective
Be sure. Be smart. Buy with confidence
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