Yellow/canary diamonds - fakes?

[momhappy]

I had lunch with a few girlfriends the other day and one of the ladies had on a huge, glorious fancy yellow diamond ring on. It was stunning - the color was vivid (a nice bright, sunny yellow) and the size was quite large (I'm guessing about a 4 carats). Her ring sparked a conversation about real vs. fake diamonds and whether or not there are any convincing fake yellows out there (and I don't mean natural diamonds that have been enhanced/treated to make them yellow). I have seen yellow sapphires as yellow diamond substitutes (which don't look like diamonds in my opinion), but I don't think that I've ever seen any convincing simulated yellows - or maybe I have and just didn't know it? Thoughts?

 

[Karl_K]

There are yellow cz and man made yellow diamonds.

 

[ChristineRose]

There's this. It was one of a kind, just for bragging rights. A four carat yellow CZ would be impossible to tell from a yellow diamond without close examination unless the diamond was included or badly cut or an ugly color, or the owner wouldn't be walking around with six figures or their finger.

 

[momhappy]

There are yellow cz and man made yellow diamonds.

Yes, I've seen images of yellow c.'s, but never in person. I've also seen images of yellow moissanites. However, that goes back to my original question - do they look real?

 

[momhappy]

There's this. It was one of a kind, just for bragging rights. A four carat yellow CZ would be impossible to tell from a yellow diamond without close examination unless the diamond was included or badly cut or an ugly color, or the owner wouldn't be walking around with six figures or their finger.

Thanks for sharing - that was an interesting read. I guess maybe there are some decent fakes out there...

 

[Karl_K]

There are yellow cz and man made yellow diamonds.

Yes, I've seen images of yellow c.'s, but never in person. I've also seen images of yellow moissanites. However, that goes back to my original question - do they look real?

yes
real enough to fool even a professional without them looking very closely at the stone.

 

[Christina...]

There are yellow cz and man made yellow diamonds.

Yes, I've seen images of yellow c.'s, but never in person. I've also seen images of yellow moissanites. However, that goes back to my original question - do they look real?

yes
real enough to fool even a professional without them looking very closely at the stone.

I understand that the color...from x distance may appear real....but does the light performance as well? Or does a yellow diamond simulant perform the same as say....a yellow sapphire?

 

[WinkHPD]

There are yellow cz and man made yellow diamonds.

Yes, I've seen images of yellow c.'s, but never in person. I've also seen images of yellow moissanites. However, that goes back to my original question - do they look real?

When good yellow colored CZs are well cut they often look more real than the diamonds that they are imitating which are often cut to retain weight.

Wink

 

[WinkHPD]

There are yellow cz and man made yellow diamonds.

Yes, I've seen images of yellow c.'s, but never in person. I've also seen images of yellow moissanites. However, that goes back to my original question - do they look real?

yes
real enough to fool even a professional without them looking very closely at the stone.

I understand that the color...from x distance may appear real....but does the light performance as well? Or does a yellow diamond simulant perform the same as say....a yellow sapphire?

A yellow sapphire is often beautiful, but it never has the sparkle of a diamond.

Wink

 

[Christina...]

There are yellow cz and man made yellow diamonds.

Yes, I've seen images of yellow c.'s, but never in person. I've also seen images of yellow moissanites. However, that goes back to my original question - do they look real?

yes
real enough to fool even a professional without them looking very closely at the stone.

I understand that the color...from x distance may appear real....but does the light performance as well? Or does a yellow diamond simulant perform the same as say....a yellow sapphire?

A yellow sapphire is often beautiful, but it never has the sparkle of a diamond.

Wink

Thanks wink!

edit:....forum policies??

 

[momhappy]

Yes, yellow sapphires are lovely, but from what I've seen, they don't have the same sparkle.

 

[ChristineRose]

The forum permits talking about this stuff in the context of whether or not it's possible to detect a synthetic or a simulant. Gets kind of iffy sometimes.

By the way, there is usually no way to tell a (real) lab grown diamond from a mined diamond without very specialized equipment, unless of course the lab grown diamond is included or has a poor color. The lab grown whites tend to be less than DEF though. Even the ugly stuff is possible to fake if you really want to. The optics are 100% identical. Very small and very large or very white diamonds are almost certainly mined.

 

[momhappy]

^Ah, okay - I was not aware of the policy - not sure if this discussion falls within those guidelines? I guess that I was not interested in specifics (real vs. fake) - just generalities about what was out there because I think it's interesting.

 

[Christina...]

The forum permits talking about this stuff in the context of whether or not it's possible to detect a synthetic or a simulant. Gets kind of iffy sometimes.

By the way, there is usually no way to tell a (real) lab grown diamond from a mined diamond without very specialized equipment, unless of course the lab grown diamond is included or has a poor color. The lab grown whites tend to be less than DEF though. Even the ugly stuff is possible to fake if you really want to. The optics are 100% identical. Very small and very large or very white diamonds are almost certainly mined.

If you stated this info because my edit questioning forum policies, then I'd like to clarify and say that I was NOT questioning momhappy's thread but that I had posted something to Wink and then thought it would be better to reach out to him as a vendor than here on these boards....thus questioning if I myself was violating PS policy....not momhappy.

 

[GeorgeStevens]

Could be a fake. Could be real. Like anything, there are good fakes and lab-grown diamonds and bad ones. There are some truly awful lab-grown diamonds, and there are some that even GIA has trouble telling from real. It's potentially a big problem in colored melee parcels. Two things to keep in mind. First, a yellow diamond isn't necessarily more expensive than a white diamond. Go price them yourself. Second, as you know, a diamond can be cut to look larger than it actually is. It's actually pretty hard to tell the difference between 2.5ct I2 and 4ct FL from a distance when they're not right next to each other.

 

[CharmyPoo]

If fake looks like real or better, why do we buy diamonds? I sometimes wonder that ... I have some gorgeous CZ and moissy and most people can't tell.

 

[GeorgeStevens]

Why do you buy a real Rolex, a real handbag, a real anything? Everyone has their reasons. I think ultimately people will be able to tell a fake person (as distinct from a fake stone). Maybe you can get away with one or two fake things, but most people don't know when to stop. You're wearing a $20,000 diamond but live in a run-down house and have no manners - yeah, that's a fake diamond.

 

[ChristineRose]

If fake looks like real or better, why do we buy diamonds? I sometimes wonder that ... I have some gorgeous CZ and moissy and most people can't tell.

Why do you have CZ and moissy? Why do you have jewelry at all? Because we are social creatures and we use jewelry to communicate to one another. There is no real difference between CZ and diamond visually but there is a difference socially. Some people wear their CZ proudly, some people try to pass them off as diamonds. It's all about people and what we say to them.

Also, CZ do wear out pretty quickly. That's not the symbolism you want at your wedding.

 

[treasurehunter]

CZ lacks the luster of diamond as its not as hard it cannot get the same sharp facets luster therefore scintillation is off.
CZ has strong fire while diamond has moderate, so in CZ you see red flashes of fire but not a balanced one like diamond with flashes of blue , red etc

So yes there is a point in buying a diamond

 

[momhappy]

Could be a fake. Could be real. Like anything, there are good fakes and lab-grown diamonds and bad ones. There are some truly awful lab-grown diamonds, and there are some that even GIA has trouble telling from real. It's potentially a big problem in colored melee parcels. Two things to keep in mind. First, a yellow diamond isn't necessarily more expensive than a white diamond. Go price them yourself. Second, as you know, a diamond can be cut to look larger than it actually is. It's actually pretty hard to tell the difference between 2.5ct I2 and 4ct FL from a distance when they're not right next to each other.

This thread is not about questioning the authenticity of the yellow diamond that my friend was wearing. The point of this thread was just to find out if colored simulated diamonds were common and if they "pass" as the real thing (and under what circumstances).
I'm pretty sure my friend's diamond is real and quite frankly, I don't really care if it is or not - it's gorgeous either way and if it's a fake, then it's a darn good one (and good for her for pulling it off)

 

[treasurehunter]

I think it depends on whose viewing it sure it may pass to the untrained eye but it won't have the same sparkle as a diamond or blue to red flashes of fire , Why buy a diamond if you just want to show off to your friends then get a CZ and if you want a truly beautiful stone that plays with light like no other material a diamond is for you .

 

[momhappy]

If fake looks like real or better, why do we buy diamonds? I sometimes wonder that ... I have some gorgeous CZ and moissy and most people can't tell.

I can't speak for everyone else, but for me, authenticity matters. I don't buy fake handbags, shoes, etc. and the same holds true for jewelry. I think that there's nothing wrong with simulated diamonds if that's what someone prefers, but for some of us, there's meaning in owning the real thing.
The discussion is interesting (and certainly nothing new to PS). I was just curious about how common simulated/manmade fancy colors are & people's opinions of them. I'm not shopping for one and I again, I don't care what my friends choose to wear.
My husband knows that I've had a (real) natural, fancy, vivid yellow diamond ring on my wish list for years. I haven't found a setting that jumps out at me yet, although DBL sure has some pretty ones

 

[CharmyPoo]

Thanks to some of the new comers response to my question. Interesting to see these opinions.

 

[WinkHPD]

CZ lacks the luster of diamond as its not as hard it cannot get the same sharp facets luster therefore scintillation is off.
CZ has strong fire while diamond has moderate, so in CZ you see red flashes of fire but not a balanced one like diamond with flashes of blue , red etc

So yes there is a point in buying a diamond

I am looking at a well cut CZ as I type.

Hmmm, sharp facet edges, not the rounded ones normally seen on a cheap generic CZ.


Hmmm, scintillates like crazy.


Hmmm, lots of red, blue, yellow flashes of scintillation, just like the diamond I am also looking at under the same lighting.


Hmmm, I know many professionals in my trade who have been fooled by well cut CZs. Could it be that cutting matters in any stone, not just diamond? Could it be that there are many myths about CZs that simply are not true.

You are correct that CZ does not have the adamantine luster of a diamond, but there are very few people who know how to look for and judge luster and the ability to do so while a gem is on someone else's hand is very difficult. Throw in some color and it becomes even harder to judge with only the unaided eye.

Wink

 

[partgypsy]

Thanks Wink. That's what I was thinking, but I'm not the expert here.

For me, it is a mind thing. Czs can look beautiful, but when I'm wearing them I know they are czs. Somehow wearing diamonds feels different to me, while other people may not care. As Kenny says, people vary.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I have several wink CZs old mine cut and they are simply gorgeous. I have been looking for a diamond that looks the same but can't. My husband can't even tell the difference.

 

[treasurehunter]

Hmmm, lots of red, blue, yellow flashes of scintillation, just like the diamond I am also looking at under the same lighting.


Hmmm, I know many professionals in my trade who have been fooled by well cut CZs. Could it be that cutting matters in any stone, not just diamond? Could it be that there are many myths about CZs that simply are not true.

You are correct that CZ does not have the adamantine luster of a diamond, but there are very few people who know how to look for and judge luster and the ability to do so while a gem is on someone else's hand is very difficult. Throw in some color and it becomes even harder to judge with only the unaided eye.

Wink

CZ has strong fire and diamond moderate can you notice a difference side by side ?
CZ has more red fire I was taught at the GIA ...

 

[WinkHPD]

I would love to discuss this with you, but I believe that we are beginning to push the boundaries of this forum and I respectfully wish not to discuss this topic any further.

Wink

 

[momhappy]

Thanks to all of the replies. I got my answer and after doing a bit more research, I've found some interesting information on yellows. I guess it never occurred to me that there were good alternatives out there, but now I know otherwise. Thanks for the input everyone

 

[spicyitalian]

The differences between a well cut CZ and a well cut diamond? I don't believe the general population can tell the difference. Going into fire , dispersion and brilliance is way to technical for most people. So, yes, unless you have some training or deal with jewelry, noticing differences is difficult and its in the mindset of people who buy jewelry that makes the purchasing decision and not so much on the performances between these 2 kind of material.