Gem and jewelry “fakes” and “cons” have been around for centuries. If you’ve been conned into buying a fake gem, know you’re not alone. Sometimes a gem can be innocently mislabeled, as in the case of the Black Prince’s Ruby
, which is a spinel set in the imperial state crown of England. Yes, the highlight of the crown is an imposter! If your lab report comes back describing your gem as a simulant, lab-created, or of much lower quality than you thought, you may have some options. Speaking directly to the jeweler is your first course of action. A good jeweler will do their best to fix the situation.