A screening device separates natural diamonds from laboratory-grown diamonds and simulants. Most answer Pass (natural) or Refer (send to a laboratory).
In more detail
GIA's DiamondCheck and iD100 are examples. A referred stone may still be natural. Depending on how it tests, a screener may pass a simulant, so know what your device covers.
Related terms
- Thermal diamond tester: A thermal diamond tester measures how fast a stone draws heat from a hot tip. Diamond conducts heat very well, so it reads “diamond”.
- Electrical conductivity tester: An electrical conductivity tester checks whether a stone conducts electricity. Many moissanites conduct, and most near-colorless diamonds do not.
- Raman spectroscopy: Raman spectroscopy is a laboratory method that identifies a material from how it scatters laser light. Diamond shows a peak at 1332 cm⁻¹.