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Diamonds over 8 mm, in excess of 2 grams in weight are extremely rare. The chances of finding a diamond are 1 in 10,000,000. The chances of finding a diamond
over 8 mm, in excess of 2 grams in weight are 1 in 1,000,000,000. That is one chance in a billion!
OK, so you think you beat the odds and actually found a rough diamond. Now how do you test it to confirm it is a diamond?
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Crystal Form:
Looking at the crystal form is a quick way of differentiating diamond from most of the other minerals that look like diamond.
Diamonds are cubic (isometric) form. The most common mineral that looks like a diamond is quartz and it is hexagonal form. When looking down on the crystals
from the top, with the point of the crystal aimed at your eye, quartz will have six sides and a diamond will have four sides. If you see six sides than you probably
found quartz.
Fracture:
When diamonds break, they will cleave creating smooth, flat surfaces. Quartz and glass will create conchoidal surfaces when they break.
If you see curved conchoidal surfaces (see photo above) then you know your sample is not a diamond.
Test Hardness:
You CANNOT test the suspect diamond by scratching glass.
Many minerals scratch glass. Glass is 5.5 on the Moh's Scale of Hardness. The following list is of common minerals that scratch glass, may look like diamond and
they are much more common the diamonds:
Albite Grossular Quartz
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Beryllonite Marialite Sanidine
Boracite Oligoclase Sillimanite
Corundum Orthoclase Spodumene
Danburite Petalite Topaz
Elbaite Phenakite Zircon
Euclase Pollucite Zoisite
So do not try scratching glass with the suspected diamond. The only hardness test that will identify a diamond is scratching corundum. Corundum, which includes all
rubys and sapphires, is 9 on the hardiness scale. If your suspected diamond crystal can scratch corundum, then there is a good chance that you found a diamond. But
NO OTHER HARDNESS TEST will identify a diamond.
These diamond testers are hand-held devices with a metal probe that is held in contact with the suspected diamond. It generates a small amount of heat and measures
the speed that the heat is absorbed by the crystal. Good testers can differentiate between diamond, moissanite (a common synthetic diamond-simulant), and other
minerals.
You do not have to buy a diamond tester. Almost any reputable jeweler will own one, and testing is quick and easy. So try visiting your local jeweler and ask if he
will test your suspected diamond.
Conclusion
The odds are against you finding a diamond. But if you are not convinced, first look at the crystal shape to see if it is isometric form, make sure the fracture surfaces
are not conchoidal, check if it scratches a corundum crystal. If it passes all of the above, then try a diamond tester to measure thermal absorption.
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Because a GIA certificate will eventually be required anyway, save your money and do NOT buy a diamond tester. Instead send it straight to the GIA for a
certification.
The minerals illustrated on this site were purchased from collectors or wholesale suppliers for resale purposes. The owner of this site did not collect the minerals and collectors should not
assume access is permitted to the property based on inclusion in this site. Please contact the property owner to obtain legal permission before entering private property.
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