Diamond selector II, copy Chinese tester

Summary

The cheapest diamond tester, Chinese-made. It's better quality than super-cheap testers you see on eBay and Amazon...but it's still one of the cheapest. 

There is also an original (Japanese-made) Diamond Selector II, see the article, Diamond Selector II testers - genuine or fake?

• Just right for anyone who shudders at the thought of spending £35.00 on a tester, let alone £350.00;  for anyone who says, "I will use it so rarely that want to spend as little as possible" 
• Standard format, nearly everyone who has used a diamond tester is familiar with how to use this one
• Adjustable sensitivity, so you can (within limits) use it in cold conditions
• It does not test for Moissanite (a manmade stone that is not diamond) - Moissanite shows up as diamond on this tester.
• Guarantee: 6 months

See also, everything you need to know about testing diamonds in the Guide to buying diamond testers. 

Operation

Turn it on, wait about 30 seconds for it to warm up, carefully set the sensitivity according to the chart on the tester (this can be fiddly), place tip in the centre of the stone, note how high (and at what speed) the LEDs light up.

Technical

PHYSICAL

Size: 6¼"X1½"X¾" 155X38X20mm

Weight: 105g

Tests stones down to about 0.03ct (3pt) in size

Operating temperature: recommended between 18 and 27 degrees C (64 to 81 degrees F), not reliable at lower or higher temperatures. 

RESPONSE TIME

Warm-up time about 30 seconds

Testing time 2 or 3 seconds   

Warm-up time between tests anywhere from 3 to 8 seconds depending on the temperature

POWER

Power: one PP3 battery (supplied)

Battery life: un-tested, but possibly a few hundred tests

Auto-shut-off: none, i.e. if you forget to turn it off the battery goes flat

Low-battery indicator: none, if the lights fade or flash erratically, or if you get incorrect readings - try changing the battery. 

ACCESSORIES / PRESENTATION

Carrying case

Stone-holder

Poorly-written instructions

RELIABILITY

I haven't tested this on thousands of stones but, generally, I would expect the Chinese Diamond Selectors to give a correct result 70% to 80% of the time (excluding Moissanite, which will always show up as diamond). 

Developed a fault in the guarantee period (6 months): 10%

Disclaimer

All equipment and materials must be used in conjunction with the user's skill, knowledge and experience. Under no circumstances shall QUICKTEST be liable for direct or indirect loss sustained in connection with any item. It is your responsibility to regularly check equipment against known samples, to ensure that it is working correctly.