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I found a clear, colorless stone (at the beach, in my backyard, etc.) that I think might be a diamond because it scratches glass. How can I find out for sure?
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Answer: The stone you found could be a number of things. Many minerals form, in their purest state (without chemical impurities that would add color), as a colorless crystal. The scratch test alone is not proof enough to determine if a mineral is a diamond or not. Anything that has a hardness the same as or higher than glass, which is a 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale of hardness (resistance to scratching), can scratch glass. There are other gemological tests that need to be performed to be able to provide a positive identification.
Our GIA Gem Trade Laboratory provides gem identification services for a fee. You can call them at (800) 421-7250, ext. 7590, for information on how to submit the stone and for the rates. You can also have a gemologist in your area help you identify the stone. To find a GIA graduate gemologist, you can search the GIA Alumni Directory online. If you don't have Internet access, you can look through your local yellow pages and see if there are any jewelers in your area that advertise that they have a gemologist on staff. Or, you can look for jewelers that belong to the American Gem Society (AGS) because they will often have a gemologist on their staff. You can also try contacting a local gem and mineral club to see if anyone there can help you with the identification.
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