How to know if a sapphire is authentic - 6 tips
Assessment: 5 (1 vote) 1 Commentpor Jorge Juan Joyeros.Updated: January 3, 2022
Azules, púrpuras, amarillos, anaranjados, verdes… Los zafiros pueden tener múltiples colores, aunque generalmente predomina el azul.However, color is not the only thing that can determine if a sapphire is really genuine and not a falsification. Pero ¿cómo saber si un zafiro es auténtico? Rayado test, la luz que atraviesa la gema o la prueba del aliento son algunos de los métodos que te ayudarán a determinar su autenticidad, aunque siempre tienes la opción de recurrir a tu joyero de confianza, como Jorge Juan Joyeros, para confirmar si la gema es auténtica.You want to know more?Pay attention to the next article of Uncomo and learn to detect whether a sapphire is authentic or false.
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- How to check if a sapphire is authentic
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What is a sapphire
Before checking if a sapphire is authentic, you must know the characteristics of this stone. Se trata de una gema azulada perteneciente a la familia de los corindones, uno de los conjuntos de piedras preciosas más valiosas del mundo, junto a diamantes, esmeraldas y rubíes.
Su característica principal es el color azul, aunque existen numerosas variedades que pueden hacer que su color varíe, lo cual también hace determinar su valor, siendo los oscuros más caros que los claros.On the other hand, sapphire is known for being the second hardest stone, just one position below the diamond.
Finally, you should know that this stone is generally in rutilo and hematite deposits.In the African continent are the main sapphire producers, although we can also find deposits in South America, in the Indian area of Kashmir.
How to check if a sapphire is authentic
Knowing the authenticity of a sapphire is possible if you resort to a trusted jeweler.However, then we present some methods that will help you check if it is a genuine or false stone.Take note.
Search impurities
The first check to judge the authenticity of a sapphire is the search for imperfections, defects or impurities.You can do it with the help of a magnifying glass to better inspect the stone. Si se trata de un zafiro natural verás en él pequeñas manchas e imperfecciones que demostrarán las inclusiones de la naturaleza.While some are quite pure and free of imperfections, even being real, the existence of these small impurities are proof that it is an authentic sapphire.
Breath test
Another test that can help you check if a sapphire is authentic is the breath test.It is very simple.You just have to take the stone and breathe on it to tarnish it.Once you get it, tell how long it takes to disappear completely. Si se trata de una piedra natural, verás que en tan solo un par de segundos habrá desaparecido, en cambio si se trata de una piedra tratada o artificial tardará algunos segundos más en esfumarse.
Air bubbles
This check is very simple.If in the stone you observe air bubbles, the sapphire is not authentic. Estas burbujas son consecuencia de la creación de zafiros sintéticos en laboratorios mediante vidrio.Inspect the stone from all angles to verify that there is no bubble that shows its non -authenticity.
Rayado test
Como hemos apuntado, el zafiro es la segunda gema más dura, después del diamante, por ello podrás comprobar su autenticidad a través de la prueba del rayado.If you have two sapphires and you know that one is real you can use it to scratch the second.If the stone that stripes is authentic, you will see that nothing happens, since the stones of equal hardness do not scratch each other.However, if you observe that a striped appears you can verify that it is not a real sapphire.In case it is a synthetic sapphire, you must be careful when carrying out the check, since it could be damaged.
Is light reflected in the sapphire?
Another method that will allow you to detect if a sapphire is false is to verify how the light that is reflected in the sapphire is seen.To carry out this check, we recommend you to be completely dark and focus the sapphire simply with a flashlight. Si la piedra es auténtica, se reflejará la luz del mismo color del zafiro.If it is a false sapphire, that is, if it is glass, you can see that many other colors are reflected.It does not fail!
Zafiro certification
Finally, if you go to a jeweler to check the authenticity of the stone, do not hesitate to request the zafiro certification.During the Gema analysis, they can determine whether a natural or synthetic stone, whether or not it has been worked, as well as its value or other characteristics.
Thanks to the official report, you will get a greater value for the sapphire if you decide to sell it in the future.
How to know if other precious stones are authentic
Now that you know how to find out if it is a really sapphire, you may be interested in reading any of these articles:
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