How Does A Diamond Tester Work

You may have wondered about some of your jewelry, especially if someone else gave it to you. A handheld device called a diamond tester can do the job for you.

How Does the Diamond Tester Test Your Diamond?

Diamonds conduct heat readily, and most simulants don’t. Hence the principle at work is to place a heated probe on the surface of the diamond. The device will measure the conductivity and give a report. Voila! You have your answer almost instantly.

There’s one other factor at work. This heat test doesn’t detect whether the stone you are testing is moissanite, a diamond simulant. For this test, you need to examine the electrical conductivity of the stone. Modern diamond testers have this capability, so while you’re at it, run the test for moissanite. If the gem passes this test, you have the genuine article.

There’s one other important feature that a diamond tester should have. It should be able to detect metal. This is because if you touch the metal mounting inadvertently, it will reflect a false reading. Modern testing devices include this warning feature, so you won’t make that mistake.

Is Such a Tester Reliable?

As long as you have the three features above, you should get an accurate reading. If you are unsure of the results, however, it’s best to have your jeweler check the diamond for you.

In the end, the jeweler may be the best route if you don’t have very much jewelry to check.