Selling a Diamond? Here’s the Paperwork You Need to Know About

 

Selling a diamond is very different from selling an ordinary piece of jewellery. A diamond can be worth thousands, tens of thousands, or considerably more, but its value depends on characteristics that cannot simply be judged by looking at the stone.

If you are thinking about selling a diamond, one of the most important questions you should ask is:

“Do I have an independent diamond grading report for my stone?”

If the answer is no, obtaining an independent report before you sell can be one of the smartest steps you take.

What paperwork do you need to sell a diamond?

There is no single piece of paperwork that every seller must have in every situation. However, the more information you can provide about a diamond, the easier it is for a potential buyer to establish exactly what they are purchasing.

Ideally, you should have:

• An independent diamond grading report or certificate
• Your original purchase invoice, if available
• Any previous valuation or insurance documentation
• Details of the jeweller or supplier from whom the diamond was purchased
• Any previous laboratory report
• Information about whether the diamond is natural or laboratory-grown
• Any documentation relating to treatments or enhancements
• The original jewellery purchase paperwork, if the diamond is still mounted

Not having these documents does not mean you cannot sell your diamond.

However, it can make the process more difficult.

A buyer may have to conduct their own examination and testing before being prepared to make an offer. Until the diamond’s identity and quality have been independently established, there may be uncertainty surrounding its value.

What if I don’t have a diamond certificate?

This is extremely common.

Many people inherit diamonds, purchase jewellery years ago, lose the original paperwork, or simply were never given an independent grading report when they bought the diamond.

You may have a valuation from an insurance company or jeweller, but it is important to understand that a valuation and a diamond grading report are not the same thing.

A valuation generally provides an estimated monetary value for a particular purpose and point in time.

A grading report describes the diamond itself.

It can document characteristics such as carat weight, colour, clarity, measurements, cut, polish, symmetry, fluorescence and other identifying characteristics. DCLA also identifies whether a diamond is natural or laboratory-grown and records relevant treatments or enhancements.

That distinction becomes particularly important when you are trying to sell.

Why an independent diamond report matters

Imagine trying to sell a car without knowing its exact model, engine size, year or service history.

The buyer may still be interested, but they have less information and therefore more uncertainty.

Diamonds work in a similar way.

A reputable independent laboratory removes much of that uncertainty by providing an objective assessment of the stone.

Instead of telling a potential buyer:

“I was told this is a 1.50-carat G colour VS1 diamond.”

you can provide an independent laboratory report documenting the diamond’s characteristics.

That gives the buyer something they can examine, verify and compare.

DCLA reports include a unique certificate identification number, detailed diamond characteristics and are securely archived, with an online certificate verification service available.

Why certification can help you sell internationally

One of the biggest advantages of having a recognised independent laboratory report is that you are no longer relying solely on your own description of the diamond.

A properly documented diamond can be presented to jewellers, dealers, insurers and potential buyers in different markets with a much greater level of confidence.

This is particularly important if you are considering selling outside Australia.

DCLA is an internationally recognised Australian diamond grading laboratory, established in 2001 to provide certification in Australia according to International Diamond Council (IDC) standards. DCLA states that its reports are produced in accordance with IDC and CIBJO standards and that the laboratory is internationally accredited and recognised.

DCLA is also listed on RapNet and IDEX, giving its reports additional recognition within the international diamond trade.

The result is simple: a properly documented diamond is easier for a potential buyer to understand, verify and compare.

Why choose DCLA?

If you have a diamond without a report, having it independently graded by a recognised laboratory can give you a significant advantage when you eventually decide to sell.

DCLA has been operating since 2001 and was established specifically to bring internationally compliant diamond grading to the Australian market.

The laboratory grades diamonds according to International Diamond Council standards and uses advanced testing technology to identify natural and laboratory-grown diamonds, detect treatments and assess the diamond’s characteristics.

Just as importantly, DCLA operates independently.

The diamond is assigned a unique identification number when it enters the laboratory, with customer information removed from the grading process. This helps ensure that the grading assessment is independent and not influenced by the commercial interests of a buyer or seller.

Consistency is important when selling a diamond

Diamond grading is not simply about putting a number on a stone.

Small differences in colour, clarity, cut and other characteristics can have a significant effect on market value.

This is why consistency and recognised grading standards matter.

A report from an independent laboratory gives the market a common reference point.

Instead of different buyers relying on different descriptions, they can refer to the same documented characteristics.

That can be particularly valuable when a diamond is being offered to buyers outside your local market.

A certificate is not a valuation

There is one important point every diamond owner should understand.

A diamond grading report is not a valuation.

The report describes the diamond; it does not guarantee what somebody will pay for it.

The eventual selling price depends on many factors, including current market conditions, the diamond’s characteristics, demand, the buyer, and whether the stone is being sold privately, through the trade or as part of a jewellery piece.

However, knowing exactly what you have puts you in a much stronger position when discussing price.

What happens if the diamond is still in a ring?

If your diamond is mounted in a ring or other jewellery, the laboratory may need to examine the stone carefully and, depending on the setting, remove it to provide an accurate grading assessment.

DCLA notes that accurate grading of the diamond itself can require the stone to be loose. Simple claw settings may sometimes be removed in the laboratory, while more complex settings such as bezel settings may require additional consideration because removal can potentially affect the jewellery.

This is another reason to have the diamond assessed professionally before you begin the selling process.

Don’t rely on paperwork produced by the seller

An important principle when buying or selling diamonds is independence.

A document produced by a retailer, dealer or other party with a financial interest in the diamond is not the same as an independent laboratory grading report.

The purpose of an independent laboratory is to assess the diamond objectively rather than to sell it.

DCLA specifically recommends checking that a diamond report comes from an independent laboratory rather than from a merchant or retailer with a financial interest in the stone.

Your diamond may be worth more than you think — or less

One of the biggest mistakes diamond owners make is assuming that an old valuation or the price originally paid tells them what their diamond is worth today.

Neither necessarily reflects today’s market.

The diamond market changes, and the price originally paid for a piece of jewellery can include manufacturing, design, retail margins, branding, GST and other costs that may not be recoverable when the item is sold.

Before selling, it is therefore important to establish exactly what you own.

What is the diamond?

Is it natural or laboratory-grown?

What is its carat weight?

What are its colour and clarity grades?

How has it been cut?

Is it treated?

Does it have an identifiable laboratory report?

Once these questions have been answered, you can approach the selling process with considerably more information.

Have a diamond but no certificate?

Don’t assume you have a problem.

If you have inherited a diamond, lost the original paperwork, bought an older diamond without certification, or simply want to establish exactly what you own before selling, an independent DCLA grading report can provide the documentation you need.

With DCLA’s international recognition, IDC-based grading standards, secure report records and verification system, your diamond can have documentation that is meaningful beyond simply having a piece of paper in your hand.

Before you sell your diamond, know what you have.

A professional, independent diamond grading report can give you the confidence to approach the market with accurate information and can make it easier for potential buyers to assess your stone whether they are in Australia or looking at the diamond from an international market.

DCLA Independent Diamond Certification Since 2001

If your diamond does not have a current independent grading report, DCLA can assess and certify the stone, providing a detailed record of its characteristics and identity.

Don’t sell your diamond based on what you think it is worth.

Get the diamond independently assessed, documented and certified first.

From rare treasure to 'never-ending supply': What happened to diamonds?

 

The price of diamonds has plunged and supply has surged, disrupting one of the world’s most enduring marketing stories.

Once upon a time, a diamond engagement ring was a powerful symbol of social status: the bigger the rock, the greater its cachet.

Today, ring owners posting in social media forums will often voice a different sentiment: “Does this look too big?”

The diamond industry has undergone an unprecedented shake-up in recent years due to the exploding popularity of lab-grown gems.

The price of a one-carat natural diamond has more than halved since the start of 2022, according to US industry data.

Last month, De Beers — the company that helped define the diamond industry and monopolised it for decades — suspended production at South Africa’s biggest diamond mine, citing a need to cut costs amid challenging market conditions.

It’s the latest sign that the once-booming industry is at a crossroads as collapsing diamond prices force mining behemoths to close mines, delay new projects and suspend production.

At the heart of the upheaval is a physically identical product that has upended one of the most successful luxury marketing stories ever told.

Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds — chemically and visually identical to those found deep underground.

But rather than forming inside the Earth over a billion years or more, lab gems are created by scientists using one of two primary methods — High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) — to recreate the conditions under which carbon crystallises into diamond.

It takes a matter of weeks.

How did the story of a gem forged over billions of years, and sold for generations as a symbol of rarity and exclusivity, change so dramatically in just a decade?

A history of diamond-making

After years of experimentation, the first proven human-made diamonds were created in the 1950s.

At the time, there was little concern that they could become serious competition for natural diamonds.

The early synthetic stones were small, brown and of poor quality for use in jewellery, instead used for industrial purposes such as manufacturing.

It wasn’t until the 1970s that General Electric, the American company that pioneered synthetic diamond technology, produced the first gem-quality lab diamonds.

But the technology was still too expensive to make lab diamonds commercially viable for jewellery, and the stones weren’t graded highly under gem colour and clarity standards.

A ‘diamond seed’ is a tiny, microscopic slice of diamond.

As the technology continued to improve, a turning point arrived in 2007: the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the world’s leading independent authority on gem-grade diamonds, officially recognised lab diamonds.

The GIA began issuing reports for lab gems that year, but they represented only a tiny fraction of diamonds submitted for grading — around 0.05 per cent.

A decade later, lab-grown diamonds still only accounted for a small share of the global market.

But in the last few years, they’ve erupted into the mainstream.

Paul Zimnisky, a leading independent diamond industry analyst based in New York City, says the influx of lab gems has dramatically altered the global market.

“The technology to make those diamonds has rapidly improved, and the price to make them has come down substantially,” Zimnisky tells SBS News.

As the price has come down, that’s when I’ve really seen consumer demand pick up for the man-made diamonds, and that I would say happened within the last five years in a big way.

In 2016, a one-carat natural diamond would retail in the US for around $9,380, while a lab-grown stone of the same cut and clarity would cost $7,820, according to Zimnisky’s data.

Today, the natural diamond retails for $4,900 while the equivalent lab stone can be bought for around $850 or less.

Zimnisky estimates lab-grown stones now account for around a third of the global diamond jewellery market.

Credit: Paul Zimnisky data and analysis

In the US, the world’s largest consumer market for diamonds, six in 10 engaged couples opted for a lab diamond last year, according to annual survey data from wedding planning website The Knot.

That was a 239 per cent increase from the site’s 2020 survey.

At the same time, as lab diamonds are shifting consumer trends, they are also changing global manufacturing and production flows.

With production costs declining, manufacturers in China and India have expanded at an unprecedented scale.

In China, which dominates the global production market, the central province of Henan has become known as the nation’s “diamond capital”. In the city of Zhecheng’s many factories, hundreds of machines work around the clock to produce millions of carats each year.

Today, even experts say they can’t distinguish between a natural or lab-grown diamond without specialised equipment.

“The only way to tell the difference is either through the laser inscription, which is usually engraved on the girdle of the diamond, or through a certificate which is associated with the diamond,” Michael Cohen, managing director of the Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia, tells SBS News.

“Other than that, you need to put it to a laboratory to actually know the difference. It’s not possible to actually see it visually through a microscope, through basic testing, even your countertop retail test.”

But De Beers has been working to change that.

The London-headquartered multinational has developed a suite of advanced screening machines, costing from around $7,900 to more than $35,000, which allow diamond sellers to distinguish between natural and lab-grown diamonds by analysing microscopic signatures left behind by their different growth processes.

The technology forms part of the company’s broader effort to persuade consumers that a diamond’s origin, rather than its composition, is an important part of its story.

The rise of the big diamond

As larger diamonds have become more affordable and visible on social media, demand for smaller stones of one carat or less has slowed.

Designs that were once reserved for celebrities and the ultra-wealthy are now well within reach for many middle-income earners.

And it’s not just the price that’s more attractive: ethical concerns over the origin of gems have been offset by the lab-grown model, which does not rely on mining or supply chains that pass through conflict zones.

On Reddit forums, it’s now common to see everyday people asking whether a diamond looks “too big” or ostentatious on their finger.

At the same time, some owners of natural diamonds have posted on social media worried that people will assume their ring is lab-grown as large diamonds become increasingly prevalent.

It reflects a generational change in consumer sentiment — one that is fast becoming an identity crisis for the natural diamond industry.

De Beers launched its own lab-grown jewellery brand in 2018 but shuttered it last year to focus on its original product.

It has outlined a plan to invest in emotionally driven campaigns that emphasise the rarity and origin of natural diamonds.

Cohen says the company realised it was giving lab-grown diamonds credibility by selling them under the De Beers banner, but its exit did little to slow demand.

Jana Bowden is a professor of marketing and consumer behaviour at Macquarie University, and says much of the identity crisis faced by major brands stems from the historical emphasis on a diamond’s exclusivity.

“Diamonds have always been seen as an absolute status symbol,” she says.

“So much of this has been driven by the perceived rarity and exclusivity of the diamonds, and of course the controlled supply of diamonds through the market, and particularly De Beers as being the pinnacle brand with the most control of the market and supply.”

From rare to abundant: The ‘forever’ diamond

At its peak in the 1980s, De Beers controlled nearly 90 per cent of the global diamond market.

Its tight control of the world’s diamond supply allowed it to stockpile excess diamonds and manage how many entered the market at any time, helping to keep prices elevated.

Through its marketing, the company famously built the idea that a diamond is rare, “forever”, and the ultimate expression of love, turning diamond engagement rings into a social norm.

It also molded societal expectations around how much an engagement ring should cost.

“Isn’t two months’ salary a small price to pay for something that lasts forever?” a 1980s De Beers ad asked.

Bowden says historic luxury brands like De Beers built lasting perceptions in consumers’ minds.

Really, we’ve been taught and we have learnt how to incorporate diamonds into our lives. This is not something that existed prior to the clever marketing campaigns.

Although diamonds are now far from rare, Bowden says many of those perceptions persist — but the market is splitting in two.

“Interestingly, the legacy branding that’s come from the original, traditional mining of diamonds is also now naturally transferred to lab diamonds as well. So consumers still have that association with exclusivity or a milestone.”

Bowden says the lab-grown diamond market is increasingly appealing to younger consumers, who are often more financially constrained and ethically motivated than older generations.

A three-carat natural diamond (left) and a three-carat lab-grown diamond (right) side by side. Source: Getty / Picture alliance

Ms Elangovan, 33, who asked to omit her first name to protect her privacy, tells SBS News she has accumulated more than 10 lab-grown and natural diamonds in her jewellery collection over the past decade or so.

While she’s fascinated by the history and rarity of a natural diamond, she can no longer justify the price when she can buy a “virtually flawless” lab equivalent at a fraction of the price.

“When I look at it, I’m like, ‘Oh, this existed millions of years before me, and it probably would [for] millions of years after me,” she says of natural diamonds.

“So on that point, labs can’t compete.”

But ultimately, she says she’s thrilled to be living in an age where beautiful jewels are accessible to more people.

“I’m intrigued [that] someone can just recreate millions of years of process in a lab,” she says.

“It’s a fascinating industry. I’m just happy I’m alive now, so I can have really pretty jewellery at a very affordable price and ethically sourced.”

Can the mined diamond industry recover?

The natural diamond industry is now facing headwinds from multiple directions.

Changing consumer spending priorities, skyrocketing operational costs, geopolitical uncertainty, and declining diamond yields have all contributed to mines closing or suspending production in recent years.

Some mines were approaching the end of their lifespan regardless, but plummeting diamond prices and the enormous cost to open new mines have made it harder to justify investment in new projects.

“I think the natural diamond industry has to collect itself and come up with a strategy to further differentiate its product from lab-grown diamonds,” Zimnisky says, adding that the industry must give consumers a compelling reason to pay 10 times as much for a natural stone.

He notes that De Beers is currently up for sale by its parent company, Anglo American, with a potential deal expected this year.

The new owner’s arrival will be “an interesting catalyst” for the industry, he says.

I think they’re probably going to pretty aggressively try to kind of reignite interest and demand and emotional appeal for natural diamonds.

For now, unless prices double or triple over the next decade, Zimnisky doesn’t expect to see significant investment in new mines or the reopening of suspended operations.

Cohen, who has worked in the industry for more than 40 years, says there’ll now be a “never-ending supply” of lab diamonds. But he expects prices may eventually increase as the significant energy required to produce them becomes more expensive — which could potentially create new ethical concerns for consumers.

He believes diamond mining will eventually come to an end, but the market for natural diamonds will endure.

“The biggest supply of diamonds will no longer come from the mine, but it’ll come from the second-hand markets,” he says.

“The diamonds don’t get destroyed. As they say, a diamond is forever.”

Credit sbs.com.au

Natural or Laboratory-Grown? How Can You Tell What Diamond Is in Your Ring?

 

Buying a diamond is a significant investment, and for many people, understanding exactly what they own is just as important as the beauty of the stone itself.

Today, consumers have more choice than ever. Alongside natural diamonds, laboratory-grown diamonds are widely available and can look virtually identical to the unaided eye. Both can be beautiful, durable and suitable for jewellery — but they are not the same type of diamond, and their values, origins and market characteristics can be very different.

So, if you already own a diamond ring, or you are considering buying one, how can you tell whether the diamond is natural or laboratory-grown?

The short answer is: you generally cannot tell reliably by looking at the diamond or using a basic diamond tester.

Why Natural and Laboratory-Grown Diamonds Look So Similar

A laboratory-grown diamond is not simply a diamond imitation.

Unlike cubic zirconia or many diamond simulants, laboratory-grown diamonds have essentially the same chemical composition and crystal structure as natural diamonds. They are created using advanced technology that replicates some of the conditions under which diamonds form naturally.

The two main laboratory-growing technologies are:

• HPHT — High Pressure High Temperature
• CVD — Chemical Vapour Deposition

Because laboratory-grown diamonds are genuine crystalline diamond material, many traditional diamond testing instruments will identify them as diamond.

That is where the confusion can begin.

A tester telling you that your stone is a diamond does not necessarily tell you whether it is a natural diamond or a laboratory-grown diamond.

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What Can a Basic Diamond Tester Tell You?

Many jewellery stores, pawnbrokers and consumers use handheld diamond testers.

These devices are useful as a first screening tool. Depending on the type of tester, they may measure properties such as thermal conductivity or electrical conductivity to determine whether a stone behaves like diamond.

For example, a basic thermal diamond tester may indicate:

“Diamond.”

That can be useful information — but it does not necessarily mean:

“Natural diamond.”

A laboratory-grown diamond can also test as diamond because it is diamond.

The limitation is important

A basic diamond tester is generally designed to distinguish diamond from certain simulants. It is not a definitive origin test.

This means a consumer should be cautious about relying on a handheld tester as proof that a diamond is natural.

Some more advanced screening instruments can identify characteristics associated with laboratory-grown diamonds and can help separate natural diamonds from laboratory-grown stones. However, screening is still different from issuing an independent grading report.

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Can You Tell by Looking at the Diamond?

In most cases, no.

Natural and laboratory-grown diamonds can both display:

• Excellent brilliance
• Fire and scintillation
• Similar colour grades
• Similar clarity characteristics
• Similar cuts and proportions
• Exceptional hardness

To the unaided eye, even an experienced jewellery professional may not be able to determine the origin of a diamond simply by examining it.

This is particularly important when buying a second-hand ring, inherited jewellery or a diamond without documentation.

The fact that a diamond looks beautiful does not tell you whether it is natural or laboratory-grown.

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What About a Loupe?

A jeweller’s loupe can reveal inclusions and other characteristics inside a diamond, and an experienced gemmologist may sometimes recognise features that suggest a particular origin.

However, a loupe is not a substitute for laboratory testing.

Laboratory-grown diamonds can contain distinctive growth features, and natural diamonds can contain a wide variety of inclusions and characteristics. Some observations can raise suspicion or indicate that further testing is required, but visual examination alone should not be treated as definitive proof of origin.

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What About the Laser Inscription?

One of the most useful things a consumer can check is the laser inscription on the diamond’s girdle.

Many diamonds accompanied by a laboratory report have a microscopic inscription on the edge of the stone corresponding to the report number.

If your diamond has a report, a jeweller or gemmologist can use magnification to examine the girdle and compare the inscription with the report.

However, consumers should understand that an inscription alone is not proof of a diamond’s identity. It needs to correspond with the actual laboratory report and the characteristics of the stone.

If there is no report, an inscription by itself provides very limited protection.

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Why an Independent Diamond Laboratory Report Matters

This is where an independent gemmological laboratory becomes extremely important.

A professional laboratory can examine the diamond using sophisticated equipment and gemmological techniques that go far beyond a basic handheld tester.

Depending on the laboratory and the examination required, testing may assess characteristics such as:

• Natural or laboratory-grown origin
• Diamond quality
• Colour
• Clarity
• Cut and proportions
• Fluorescence
• Inclusions
• Treatments
• Growth characteristics
• Other identifying features

The result is an independent report that documents the characteristics of the stone.

This creates something extremely valuable for the consumer:

A documented identity for your diamond.

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Why This Protects You When Buying a Diamond

Imagine purchasing a diamond ring today for a significant amount of money.

The salesperson tells you that the centre stone is a natural diamond.

You take the ring home, but there is no independent laboratory report.

Years later, you decide to sell, upgrade or insure the ring.

How do you prove what the diamond actually is?

This is where problems can arise.

Without independent documentation, you may be relying on:

• The original seller’s description
• An old invoice
• A valuation
• Your own understanding of the stone
• A basic diamond tester
• A verbal representation of the diamond’s origin

None of these provides the same level of independent evidence as a recognised laboratory report.

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A Valuation Is Not the Same as a Diamond Grading Report

This distinction is often misunderstood.

A valuation primarily addresses the monetary value of an item for a particular purpose, such as insurance or estate planning.

A diamond grading report documents the gemmological characteristics of the diamond.

These are different services.

For example, a valuation might state that a ring has an estimated replacement value of a particular amount. It does not necessarily establish, to the same level of gemmological certainty, whether the centre diamond is natural or laboratory-grown.

For consumers buying a significant diamond, having the diamond independently examined and documented can therefore be extremely important.

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Natural Diamond or Laboratory-Grown Diamond — Why the Difference Matters

There is nothing inherently wrong with choosing a laboratory-grown diamond.

For some consumers, a laboratory-grown diamond may provide the opportunity to purchase a larger or higher-specification diamond for a particular budget.

Others specifically want a natural diamond because of its geological origin, rarity, history and established place within the natural diamond market.

The important point is choice and transparency.

A customer should know exactly what they are buying and what they are paying for.

A laboratory-grown diamond should be represented as laboratory-grown.

A natural diamond should be represented as natural.

The consumer should never have to guess.

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What Should You Do Before Buying?

If you are purchasing a significant diamond, DCLA recommends asking a few straightforward questions:

1. Is the diamond natural or laboratory-grown?

Do not rely solely on verbal assurances.

2. Is there an independent laboratory report?

Ask to see the original report and check that it corresponds with the diamond.

3. Does the diamond have a report number inscription?

If so, have the inscription checked under magnification.

4. Does the report describe the actual diamond?

The report should correspond to the stone’s identifying characteristics.

5. If there is no report, can the diamond be independently examined?

For a valuable diamond, independent verification can provide significant peace of mind.

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What If You Already Own a Diamond Without a Report?

Don’t panic.

If you have an engagement ring, inherited diamond, family jewellery or a diamond purchased many years ago without documentation, it does not automatically mean there is a problem.

You can have the diamond examined by a suitably qualified gemmological laboratory.

Professional testing can help establish whether the stone is natural or laboratory-grown and document its characteristics.

This can be particularly valuable if you are considering:

• Selling the diamond
• Upgrading your jewellery
• Obtaining insurance
• Estate planning
• Dividing an inheritance
• Purchasing a replacement
• Establishing what you actually own

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The Bottom Line: Don’t Test the Diamond — Verify It

A basic diamond tester can be useful.

A loupe can be useful.

An experienced jeweller can be useful.

But none of these should be confused with a comprehensive independent laboratory examination.

A diamond tester can tell you that a stone behaves like diamond. It does not necessarily tell you whether that diamond came from the earth or was grown in a laboratory.

When the origin and quality of a diamond matter, independent laboratory testing and documentation provide the strongest form of consumer protection.

DCLA — Independent Diamond Expertise

The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA) provides professional diamond and gemmological services designed to give consumers, jewellers, insurers and industry professionals greater confidence in the diamonds they buy, sell and own.

Whether you are purchasing a new diamond, checking an existing engagement ring or looking to understand the characteristics and origin of a family diamond, independent examination can give you something a simple tester cannot:

documented confidence in what your diamond actually is.

When it comes to a significant diamond purchase, don’t simply ask, “Does it test as a diamond?”

Ask the more important question:

“Can I independently verify exactly what this diamond is?”