What are the different types of diamond clarity treatment?
These include clarity treatments such as laser drilling to remove black carbon inclusions, fracture filling to make small internal cracks less visible, color irradiation and annealing treatments to make yellow and brown diamonds a vibrant fancy color such as vivid yellow, blue, or pink.
What is the history of diamond treatment?
From the earliest, most basic paints and coatings to the most sophisticated high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) annealing processes, the history of diamond treatments paral- lels that of human advancement, as one technologi- cal development after another was called upon to serve the “King of Gems” (figure 1).
Do diamond treatments affect the value of a diamond?
While diamond treatments can increase a stone’s Color or Clarity, the presence of such enhancements may affect the diamond’s value – particularly if the price reflects its appearance after treatment.
What is HPHT treatment for diamonds?
HPHT treatment uses machines that are essentially the same as those used to grow synthetic diamonds. The HPHT process can turn some brownish diamonds colorless or transform these brownish stones into other colors like yellow, greenish yellow or green. This process is also associated with pink, blue, and orange-yellow diamonds.
Which factor normally counts most in setting a diamond clarity grade?
The face-up view normally counts most in setting the grade because that's how the diamond is seen when it's set in jewelry. In most cases you should tell the customer the diamond's clarity grade and explain it.
Which clarity characteristic might have its appearance altered by treatment?
Which type of inclusion might have its appearance altered by treatment? The diamond's face-up view.
Which GIA color grade can be described as essentially colorless?
You can develop similar explanations for other systems, but you might present GIA grades like this: The D grade is absolutely colorless. The next two grades, E and F, are essentially colorless. The differences between D, E, and F are so slight, only experts can see them even when diamonds are unmounted.
Which setting style protects the diamond with a metal collar that wraps around it?
A bezel setting uses a kind of elevated collar that wraps the rim of a gemstone or diamond with a complete metal edge. This type of setting protects a gem better than other kinds of settings. Metal is wrapped around the stone's girdle, leaving only its table and crown visible.
Are clarity enhanced diamonds worth anything?
An enhanced diamond is generally going to sell for 30-50% less than a “natural” diamond of the same carat weight and quality specifications. You'll also get a colorless, eye-clean diamond which otherwise would be very expensive.
What is diamond treatment?
Diamond treatment usually involves improving the total quality of the diamond by modifying the inclusions and/or enhancing or changing the colour. Some treatments are stable and permanent while others may not be that stable and can suffer damage during setting, wear, cleaning and repair. Fracture Filling.
What letter is the best quality diamond?
In the letter-grade diamond color scale, D (colorless) is the highest and best grade, and Z is the lowest. Diamond used to be graded like gemstones on a range that included AAA, AA, A, and B, so the new scale started at D to avoid confusion.
What does IG mean in diamonds?
Even the largest jewelry insurance underwriter writes: “The most reliable diamond certificates (also called diamond reports) come from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS). These are the most respected labs, known for their accuracy and professionalism.
What is diamond quality VVS GH?
VVS means Very Very Slightly Included. It is a measure of diamond Clarity, which grades the visual appearance of a diamond, and how many flaws or blemishes there are. A VVS grade means the diamond has super small inclusions, difficult to notice even under 10x magnification.
Do bezel set diamonds sparkle less?
Bezel Setting Designs: Full and Partial Because full bezel settings cover the entire circumference of the diamond, they let less light in than most other ring types. This means that a diamond may appear slightly less sparkly in a full bezel setting than it would in a traditional prong setting.
Does bezel make diamond look smaller?
Bezels, like halo settings, enhance the size of the center stone. You'll want to remember when picking out your diamond that the stone will look a bit bigger when set — you'll get used to it. Bezels perfectly hug the shape of your diamond, making them perfect for showing off the size!
Do bezel set diamonds look bigger?
Bezel setting: In this setting style, a band of metal surrounds the diamond's girdle. As a result, the diamond's circumference may appear to be larger.
What is the most common diamond treatment used to enhance clarity?
Fracture filling: Infusing molten leaded glass-like substance into a diamond’s fractures – is the most common diamond treatment used to enhance clarity.
What are the treatments for enhancing diamonds?
Sometimes this process will be followed by annealing. Irradiated diamonds are sensitive to heat and jewelry repair procedures, recutting, and repolish ing can change their colors. Annealing:
What is HPHT treatment?
High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT): HPHT treatment uses machines that are essentially the same as those used to grow synthetic diamonds. The HPHT process can turn some brownish diamonds colorless or transform these brownish stones into other colors like yellow, greenish yellow or green.
Why are diamonds treated?
A relatively small percentage of gem-quality diamonds are treated and they are treated for two reasons: to improve clarity or to alter color.
What color does annealing produce?
It has been reported to produce pink, red, and purple colors as well.
Can annealing change the color of diamonds?
When annealing is used by itself , it can change the color in a series – generally blue to green to brown to yellow. The treatment is stopped when the desired color is reached. If heat is later applied to an annealed diamond during routine jewelry repairs, it can drastically alter its color.
Can diamond filler be retreated?
If the filler melts and leaks out, there is a possibility that it can be retreated. If the filler turns dark, it cannot be made colorless again. Fracture filling can make a diamond look more attractive, but also slightly lower its color.
What is the purpose of radiation on diamonds?
Unlike other color-treatment methods that are used to make a diamond look colorless, treating diamonds with radiation is meant to turn them into fancy-colored stones. See: Selection of eye-clean diamonds vetted for quality. The results of irradiation are permanent.
How to make a diamond look better?
Coatings. Another method to make the color of a diamond look better is to cover the stone with a dye or thin film that masks the tint of the diamond and can even make fake stones harder to detect. (Text continues below ad.) The coating is not permanent and can usually be removed with water or alcohol.
What is the process of turning a diamond into a colorless stone?
High-pressure, high-temperature treatment (HPHT) One of the techniques used to turn diamonds with a brownish tint into colorless stones is heating them under high pressure. HPHT treatment is permanent, and the color of stones treated this way does not revert to its original state.
What color are diamonds?
Most diamonds found in the earth are not perfect – they have yellow and brownish tints or they have visible internal flaws that make a stone look unclean. These problems, however, can be treated using a variety of enhancement methods. Advertisement. Advertisement.
Can you use fracture filler on a diamond?
For this reason, fracture filling is required to be disclosed.
Does laser drilling weaken diamonds?
Although laser drilling does not significantly alter the structure of a diamond, too many drill holes can actually weaken it (this happens when the treated diamond has had a lot of inclusions removed). This is why it is always good to know whether the stone you are about to buy has been enhanced using this method.
Why is glass injected into diamonds?
A glass-like substance is injected into the fracture to make it less visible and to improve the stone’s apparent clarity. Because the filling may be damaged or removed during routine cleaning and repair, the technique is controversial in diamond treatment.
What is the color of a 6.61 ct diamond?
Left, prior to annealing, this diamond’s color was considered fancy yellow brown. Right, after annealing, this diamond’s color grade is “L” (faint yellow).
What does HPHT mean in diamonds?
HPHT stands for a high-pressure, high-temperature. This treatment is an effective tool for changing the color of certain diamonds, making them colorless, pink, blue, green, yellowish green, or yellow. Outside of a well-equipped grading laboratory, this form of diamond treatment is virtually undetectable.
Does diamond treatment affect the value of a diamond?
While diamond treatments can increase a stone’s Color or Clarity, the presence of such enhancements may affect the diamond’s value – particularly if the price reflects its appearance after treatment.
Does GIA report diamonds?
GIA will issue reports for treated diamonds that have been laser drilled or HPHT processed, disclosing the presence of treatments on the report. As a further precaution, GIA also laser-inscribes the girdles of diamonds it identifies to be color treated. HOW TO CHOOSE A DIAMOND.
How does HPHT affect diamonds?
A small number of otherwise gem-quality stones that possess a brown body color can have their color significantly lightened or altogether removed by HPHT treatment, or, depending on the type of diamond, improve existing color to a more desirable saturation. The process was introduced by General Electric in 1999. Diamonds treated to become colorless are all Type IIa and owe their marring color to structural defects that arose during crystal growth, known as plastic deformations, rather than to interstitial nitrogen impurities as is the case in most diamonds with brown color. HPHT treatment is believed to repair these deformations, and thus whiten the stone. (This is probably an incorrect conclusion, the whitening due to destruction of stable vacancy clusters according to one of the researchers). Type Ia diamonds, which have nitrogen impurities present in clusters that do not normally affect body color, can also have their color altered by HPHT. Some synthetic diamonds have also been given HPHT treatment to alter their optical properties and thus make them harder to differentiate from natural diamonds. Pressures of up to 70,000 atmospheres and temperatures of up to 2,000 °C (3,632 °F) are used in HPHT procedure.
What are the inclusions in diamonds?
Diamonds may also have other inclusions such as air bubbles and mineral deposits such as iron or garnet. The size, color, and position of the inclusions are factors in determining the value of a diamond, especially when the other gemological characteristics are of a higher standard.
What is diamond enhancement?
Diamond enhancement. Diamond enhancements are specific treatments, performed on natural diamonds ( usually those already cut and polished into gems ), which are designed to improve the visual gemological characteristics of the diamond in one or more ways. These include clarity treatments such as laser drilling to remove black carbon inclusions, ...
Why are diamonds better after enhancement?
This is because enhanced diamonds are originally lower quality before the enhancement is performed , and therefore are priced at a substandard level. After enhancement, the diamonds may visually appear as good as their non-enhanced counterparts.
How to change the color of a diamond?
Generally there are three major methods to artificially alter the color of a diamond: irradiation with high-energy subatomic particles; the application of thin films or coatings; and the combined application of high pressure and high temperature (HPHT).
What is diamond fracture filling?
The fracture filling of diamond is often the last step in the process of diamond enhancement, following laser drilling and acid-etching of inclusions, though if the fractures are surface-reaching, no drilling may be required. The process involves the use of specially-formulated fillers with a refractive index approximating that of diamond.
What happens if a diamond fracture is visible?
If these fractures are visible and damaging to the beauty of the diamond, it will have much lower demand and won't be as salable to jewelers and the general public , making them candidates for fracture filling and thus visually improve the appearance of the diamond.
