ShareThisYou possess that uncanny knack of spotting knock-off designer watches and fake brand-name purses. You've tried with all your might to keep that secret power locked up, but once in a while, you unleash it. You can't help it. It's like the predator sniffing out her prey. What can you say? It's a gift.But for some inexplicable reason, your keen animal instinct is amiss when it comes to diamond sightings. Perhaps you're blinded by the bling. Well, don't be bamboozled, my friend. Even a girl's best friend can become her worst enemy if it's playing her for a fool.Seemingly shiny stones can sometimes cloud your vision and win your heart only to leave you disappointed in the end. But there are methods of investigation to make sure you go home with a stud and not a dud.FIRE & DESIRE Before you let your emotions get the better of you, use your head. A diamond's fire and brilliance is unmatched by any synthetic stone. Some man-made, lab-generated gems fool even the expert eye, but remember, real diamonds sparkle, dance and dazzle. And they don't even need to be coerced into doing it. They naturally light up like tiny fireballs. First thing is first, look for that fire.DUE DILIGENCE Be your own super sleuth. Check the reputation of jewelers and retailers before you buy. You'll get a sense of a business' trustworthiness by doing your homework. Start with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org), an excellent source, because it logs all complaints made against businesses and assigns grades for the best and the worst.THE REAL DEALAsk for a guarantee of authenticity when you purchase your jewelry. A lab report maps out your diamond's unique characteristics like facets and flaws. The certificate should come from a trusted gemological society like the American Gem Society or the Gemological Institute of America. It's added assurance that you're getting what you pay for.IMPERFECT IS PERFECTDiamonds are forever, and that's no lie. They're the hardest gemstones known to man. Chips and scuffs need not apply. But they do have internal imperfections. Little specks or markings are what make them unique. Consider them as unique as fingerprints and beauty marks. No synthetic stone can compete with what nature has craftily made on its own.SCOPE IT OUTWhen you're on the hunt for a genuine diamond, you can't judge a book by its cover. Always ask a jeweler if you can look through their loupe or gemscope to see a stone's visible and not-so-visible characteristics. If you don't see any of those unique markings, it's possible you're dealing with a dud.A diamond is a huge investment. Get it appraised to ensure you've gotten your money's worth. And remember to take a good look at a merchant's return policy in case you're faced with any unpleasant discoveries down the road. With all this information, spotting a genuine gem over a synthetic stone should be a piece of cake. Now, if only you can tell the difference between the good guys and the jerks.(Helen Malani is the chief shopping expert for Shopzilla.com, an E.W. Scripps company and the largest comparison-shopping search engine on the Web. Got something to say about shopping? E-mail askhelen(at)shopzilla.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.net)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
How to choose the stud, not the dud
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