Some time in your life you might come across jewelry or single stones, either as an heirloom, gift or by some other means, and you might wonder if those diamond-looking jewels are real!

While there are many beautiful stones that look like diamonds, you'll still want to know if what you have in your possession is real or not. If your jewels are not in a setting, the process of determining their authenticity is easier because you can see the whole stone.

Keep reading for some easy ways to tell if your diamond is real or fake!

A diamond is the hardest mineral on earth. The only thing that can cut a diamond is another diamond. If you suspect you have a fake on your hands, and you don't mind possibly ruining the stone, rub the stone with sand paper.

A fake will scuff up no problem while a real diamond will not. Kind of a scary method, however!

Diamonds are very dense. Place a diamond, without a setting, into a glass of water. If it sinks to the bottom right away, it could be real. If it floats or hangs out in the middle of the glass, it's not real.

However, some stones will also sink so pair this test with another!

Diamonds bend light in such a way that they sparkle grey and white within the diamond. This is called brilliance. It will also reflect rainbow light onto surfaces when held up to the light, called fire.

If you look directly at your diamond and you see rainbow colors throughout, and not the grey and white brilliance, it's probably not real.

Because a diamond has a high refractive index, it bends light all over the place. If your stone isn't in a setting, try placing it over a page in a book or newspaper. You should not even see black letters through a real diamond!

Most, if not all, natural diamonds have some flaws in them. Little spots of different colors and even the way it's cut won't be perfectly symmetrical. This is known as the clarity of the diamond. More expensive diamonds will have less flaws.

So, if you do notice imperfections, you could have the real deal!

Real diamonds conduct heat extremely well- if you breathe onto a diamond and the fog from your breath disperses quickly, it could be real! Fake diamonds will retain heat for longer. It's best to use this method against a diamond you know is real.

This test is also ideal for a stone within a setting.

The only true way to determine if the jewels you have are real or not, is to take them to a diamond appraiser. A professional gemologist will quickly be able to determine their authenticity. Just make sure the gemologist is legitimate and accredited!

Hold the magnifying glass up and inspect the diamond through the glass. Check for imperfections. If it does have imperfections, it's real, and if not, it's most likely a fake.

Turn off the lights and use a black light. Hold the diamond in front of the light, which should reveal blue florescence. A strong color of blue means the diamond is most likely authentic. If you see green, yellow, or gray, it means the diamond is not the real deal.

A loupe is a small magnification device used by jewelers to examine small details up close. Loupes don't have handles attached and the frame is conical. You can purchase your own online.

Examine for inclusions, slight color changes, and flecks, which would indicate that the diamond is real. Lab created diamonds are usually flawless, so if it doesn't have any imperfections, it's fake.

If you think you have a set of jewels that could be real, definitely go through this list of tests! If they happen to be in a setting, the setting should be a quality metal- that's also an easy indicator of a quality stone.

But the best way to tell is having a professional evaluation!