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How to Find Real Gems

In parts of the world such as Africa and the Far East, it's possible to find real gemstones in the beds of rivers, or to unearth them in fields. For most people, though, the hunt takes place in yard sales and second-hand stalls, where they attempt to spot occasional real gems among heaps of paste, or glass, costume jewelry. A lot can be done with sharp eyes, some common sense and a U.V. torch.

Things You'll Need

Ultraviolet torch
Electronic gemstone tester

Instructions

- 1
  Judge a gemstone by its setting. Examine the reverse of the mount to look for any impressed hallmarks -- a mark to show that the piece is real gold or silver. Is the mount smoothly finished or are there awkward seams and burrs? If the piece is not well-crafted out of precious metal, it is unlikely to be adorned with a real gemstone.
- 2
  Take the gemstone into a dark corner or put it in the shade of your coat, and shine an ultraviolet torch on it. Paste jewelry won't fluoresce, but real gemstones will. UV torches are available from home security websites or stores. Although this test can be awkward to carry out in the field, it's informative and the U.V. torches are not expensive.
- 3
  Test the gemstone with an electronic gemstone tester. Available from online jewelers' accessories stores, these devices are handheld devices with a penlike probe attachment that you touch to the gem you wish to test. A gemstone tester can differentiate between a wide variety of colored stones; the downside is that they can cost several hundred dollars to purchase. For most people, a U.V. torch will seem like the better bargain.

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