FAKES BREAK HEARTS

This is the post that would have been done on 9th March.

This is absolutely disgusting! It seems that Joe Public have to check and re-check everything so as not to fall prey to the devious amoungst us.

Regards

Nikki

Fakes break hearts this Valentine's Gems look like the real deal

February 07, 2007 Edition 1

Barbara Cole

THERE is a growing increase in the number of fake stones on the market and men with ideas on buying something sparkling and romantic for Valentine's Day should be on their guard - particularly if they want to buy the genuine article.

And it doesn't just apply to dazzling diamonds either, said local gemologist, Jeremy Rothon of The Gem Lab.

"Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, tanzanites and coloured diamonds too … some of the fakes are so good, that even reputable jewellers are being hoodwinked," he said.

Rothon said that while there was nothing wrong with buying synthetic (man-made) stones as they could be made into some beautiful jewellery, often fake stones were fobbed off as the genuine (natural) things.

And unsuspecting buyers were paying high prices for something which could be worth less than R100.

Rothon said a one-carat extra-fine blue sapphire (the real thing and not made up into a piece of jewellery) could cost a buyer R29 500, while a more sophisticated extra-fine quality artificial stone could be R2 800 and "the most common ones seen around town now" were R80 each.

A one-carat fancy blue diamond (the natural thing) could set the well-heeled back R1 million, while a one-carat synthetic blue diamond would be a mere R42 000, small change compared to a million rand.

Getting worse

Fakes have been in circulation for more than 100 years, but the problem seems to be getting worse, said Rothon yesterday.

Of the 43 stones that he has evaluated for jewellers and private clients this year, 32 have been fake.

It's enough to make big men cry and they have indeed been reduced to tears when they have discovered they have been ripped off.

"It's devastating to find out you have effectively been robbed," said Rothon.

But it doesn't mean that the original jewellers that victims bought their dud diamonds from were in on the scam. They too could have been taken in.

"Jewellers buy diamonds in good faith and sell them in good faith," explained Rothon.

However, there were always some unscrupulous jewellers who knowingly sold fakes or dealt with known crooks who had previously sold them synthetic stones, which largely came in from the east.

There is no easy test to tell the fake from the fabulously genuine either.

And the only way people and jewellers themselves can find out if a stone is natural or synthetic is to turn to a qualified gemologist for a scientific test.

"The only way to test the difference between natural and synthetic is through a microscope and even then it is quite difficult," said Rothon.

For a R60 outlay though, it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

If the gem is genuine, a laboratory will issue a certificate. No certificates are issued for synthetic stones.