What Does a Fake Sapphire Look Like?

If there exist real gemstones, there’s no shortage of fake ones. But if you are wondering why fake ones even exist in the market, here’s the reality. Real ones are quite expensive and rare, buying them is equal to breaking the bank for some. This prompts manufacturers and dealers to produce and purchase fake ones, which are not only good look-alikes but also cost much less than their real counterparts. 

But that doesn’t mean your jeweler fools you into buying a fake one for a real deal. You have the whole right to know what you are buying, whether it is fake or real. What’s even more disappointing is that we, as buyers, have no way to find out what is real and what is not. Imagine if there’s nobody around to help you out with a genuine purchase, can you be sure about what you are buying? You’ll not be, right? 

Talking about sapphires, they are a precious gemstone variety that is much appreciated for their bright color scheme and brilliance. This is also a reason why sapphires are faked in large quantities. Here’s how you can spot a fake sapphire and save your investment from going down the drain.          

Is Something Bubbling Inside?

Fake sapphires generally have air bubbles inside them so if you look through the crystal with a jeweler’s loupe under bright light and manage to find some bubbles, hand it over back, because it is probably a fake one and your investment is not safe here.

Examine the Light Reflection

How your crystal reflects light is also a good way to determine its authenticity. A real sapphire will reflect light only in its original color but a fake glass will reflect light in more than a single, i.e., in multiple colors. If you succeed in spotting a spectrum of colors glowing out from your sapphire, it’s a red flag. 

How about a Quick Fog Test?

Hold your sapphire in your hand and blow a deep breath on it. If the fog lasts on the crystal for more than three seconds, you have been fooled. It’s not a real sapphire but a fake crystal. On the other hand, if the fog disappears within three seconds, you can bet it’s real. Isn’t that magical?

Search for Natural Inclusions 

Take a magnifying glass and watch for natural needle-like inclusions in your sapphire stone under bright light. If you can spot a few flaws then that’s a sign your sapphire is real and not fake since almost all natural sapphires have some natural impurities that you may not find in a fake one. Sometimes flaws can also help you out in cracking the real deal. 

Listen to What a Reputed Jewelry Says

Reach out to a reputed jeweler whose words can be trusted, they can probably help you distinguish between what’s real and what’s fake. They not only have a trained eye but also have access to several high-end equipment that could test if your gemstone purchase is credible.

Look for Crossing Lines

Some sapphires are treated with glass to fill fractures which are visible as intersecting lines inside the stone. Although such stones are not considered fake since they are real only, they are of extremely low quality so you can’t expect much from these sapphires. 

Still Not Sure of Your Purchase?

If the DIY tests mentioned above are not enough to make you feel assured, the best deal is to ask your jeweler for gem certification from a trusted gemological body. There’s no better way to ensure your deal is genuine and this theory applies to all the gemstones, let alone sapphires. If you are wondering what’s so special about these certifications then let me tell you that the organizations issuing these certificates analyze each gemstone based on specified criteria which is absolutely reliable. 

But the question is where to find 100% certified gems? Well, don’t panic, you need not spend another few minutes searching for a reputed gemstone buyer, GemsNY is here to take away your worries and treasure your trust with a wide range of certified loose sapphire stones in a variety of colors. It’s not only sapphires stocked in the brand’s inventory, you can also find other loose gems such as natural and lab-made diamonds, rubies, emeralds, tanzanites, aquamarines, alexandrites and many more. Check out the online jewelry store for more details.