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Is the diamond in my engagement ring real, or is it fake?

He did it:

He bought a ring, got down on one knees, and asked that question.

Did you say yes?

Of course you said yes! Look at that ring!

But now, it’s been a few weeks, a few months, and you can’t help but wonder:

Is my diamond real, or is it fake?

It looks real. You think. But you just want to know. You can rest assured that, if your diamond engagement ring came from Midtown Jewelers, the rock you got is solid.

But if you need to know for sure, there are a few ways to tell if your diamond is real, or if your guy took a more… cost-effective method toward purchasing your engagement ring. (You’ll still love him anyway, right?)

Test your diamond engagement ring with a little hot air.

The fog test is a great way to tell if a diamond is real, or an impostor. With the setting-mounted stone in front of your mouth, blow: Like you would fog a mirror. If the stone fogs, and stays fogged for more than a few seconds, it’s probably not a real diamond. The properties of a real diamond make it so that the heat from your breath disperses immediately, and fog is hard to come by.

Check the setting and mount of your diamond engagement ring.

Speaking from experience, as Reston’s go-to fine jeweler, a real diamond is not going to be set in a cheap metal. If you can find any of the following stamps on your ring (10K, 14K, 18K, 585, 750, 900, 950, PT, Plat), you can be sure that it’s real gold or platinum, and probably a real diamond. But if you find a C.Z. stamp instead, I’m sorry to say your center stone is Cubic Zirconia.

Use a jeweler’s loupe to inspect the diamond in your engagement ring.

Or bring your ring to Midtown Jewelers, and we’ll inspect it for you.

Mined diamonds are naturally imperfect — no two are the same, which is part of what makes them so special and sought-after. These imperfections are called inclusions, and they can be seen with a loupe. Your Reston fine jeweler will inspect the stone for small flecks or minerals or color changes that indicate a real diamond.

Synthetic, lab-grown diamonds are, typically, perfect. Why? Because they’re grown in a sterile lab, instead of in the earth. A stone that appears perfect is probably a fake, but it may not be. The best way to find out if that diamond in your engagement ring is real or fake is to visit Midtown Jewelers in Reston, and have an experienced fine jeweler inspect it for you.

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Did You Forget Mother’s Day? Come to Reston; Visit Midtown Jewelers!

Uh oh. You forgot Mother’s Day, didn’t you?

You realized too late — after she’d gone to bed — the significance of the day, so there were no gifts; no flowers; no special plans to be had. She’ll forgive you. Of course she will. But even if she doesn’t say so, she’s probably a little sad, a little hurt that her child or her husband forgot such an important day.

No, sorry, there’s no way you can go back in time to right this wrong, but you can make it up to her. Here, a few tips to help you recover from your Mother’s Day mistake.

Put pen to paper.

You feel absolutely terrible. She’s done, and does so much every day to support, and care for your family, and you were so wrapped up in everything you had to do, you missed your opportunity to say thank you. Well, lucky for you, you get a second chance. Take the time today to write out your feelings for this wonderful woman in your life: Write a poem, or an essay, a letter, or even a postcard to show her much you care.

Step in front of the camera.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Mom will appreciate a professional family photograph so much; she might even forget that you forgot Mother’s Day. These days, everyone is busy, and it can be so difficult to bring everyone together, and that’s exactly why you should do just that. Arrange for the family to meet at a portrait studio, or hire a local photographer who’ll come to you, and say, “Cheese!”

Make her feel fabulous.

Yeah, you forgot Mother’s Day, and yeah, she’s probably pretty upset about it. But what mom can stay mad when there’s a pedicure, or a massage involved? None. So get on the horn, and make her an appointment at her favorite local Reston day spa. Better yet, surprise her. Tell her to leave an afternoon open for lunch, and then casually slide a card across the table, with a gift certificate for her spa day inside.

Buy her something shiny from Midtown Jewelers.

Nothing says, “I’m sorry, I messed up.” like something pretty and shiny from Midtown Jewelers. As Reston, Virginia’s preeminent fine jeweler, we’ve got just the thing: That diamond anniversary band she’s been eyeing; the emerald earrings she’ll love; the pearls she’s been not so subtly hinting at.

Visit Midtown Jewelers today, and you’ll be forgiven tomorrow.