improve diamond color?

[elmo65]

May be a stupid question-- have an E color stone now, but first stone was a L or M? (is uncertified) I would love to put into a RHR but the color does not seem like I could set in white. Right now is in gold. Is there a treatment where I could improve the color? If so, how much is it and how do I do it? I don''t think I have heard of anything...

 

[JohnQuixote]

Elmo, not a bad question at all.

General Electric has a process called High Pressure High Temperature Treatment (HPHT). It was first used to produce fancy colored gemstones, but now is used to treat some yellow/brown diamonds to sell them for a higher price. At first it was suggested by the developers that - since the process is permanent - disclosure of such treatment should not be required. This attitude created a bit of an uprising.

The Federal Trade Commission requires that HPHT be disclosed. GIA Grading reports state "HPHT Annealed" or "Artificially Irradiated" on their reports when this is detected, and insists that such diamonds be laser-inscribed as such. GE inscribes "GE POL" on their enhanced diamonds (they are selling their own line, called Bellataire).

The process remains controversial. Many view such treatment as an unnatural enhancement, like clarity enhancements (laser drilling & fracture filling). GE''s position is that they are restoring diamonds to their colorless state.

I have not heard of opportunities for the public to submit their own diamonds for treatment. You should be aware that such treated diamonds are, logically, valued at far less than their all-natural color counterparts.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

HPHT bleaching only works with the <1% of diamonds that are type II

It is best to set low colored diamonds in thickish yellow gold bezels.
And recutting to ideal or even BIC helps by brightening the stone from face up (but no change side on)

 

[JohnQuixote]

Here is a GIA Journal article with details on the topic.

 

[michela002]

A non-treatment alternative to put your stone into a RHR might be to mix it up with some coloured side stones. You could have a look at it next to a variety of colours and see which colours make your stone look that bit whiter in comparison. The contrast between coloured and your stone might make it look white enough for you to like it in white gold/platinum.

Also, just as an aside, I spotted in the Dunklings Jewellers (Melbourne, Australia) catalogue that "L-N" is considered (by them) to be the "classic" e-ring colour.

Lol! I found it amusing. So your colour is classic. Go you!

 

[bluedawg]

Hi!

I have an inherited K colored pear that I plan to set in platinum. I am going to put sapphires around it and create a more antique-looking ring overall. I am currently working on a design idea to take to the jeweler. I hope it works.

If you look at faycullen.com you will see many pics of K, L, M stones set in platinum. There is even a P! I haven''t seen these in person, but I have seen some estate pieces with warmer diamonds set in WG or platinum and it''s nice.

 

[kittykat]

I have an M diamond set in white gold and it only has a warm tint in direct subnlight. Otherwise, I ask myself all the time how it could possibly be an M because it looks pretty white to me.

 

[Kaleigh]

I''m not sure that I am spelling the name of the company right that sells clarity enhanced diamonds Yehuda?? How do they enhance their diamonds??

 

[JohnQuixote]

Clarity Enhancement/Fracture filling was developed by Yehuda in the 80s but did not become common until the 90s. In this process small cracks, or feathers, in a diamond are filled with a molten, glass-like resin that has the same optical properties as the diamond. This makes the cracks almost invisible to the eye and improves the diamond’s clarity grade. The weight and color are not affected, but you can often see this type of treatment in what is called the "flash" effect: When the diamond is tilted back and forth there are unique color changes that occur in a flashing manner.

Clarity enhancement may allow a buyer to get a larger, cleaner diamond than he/she could normally afford. However there are durability issues: Repeated cleaning, re-polishing or repair procedures for jewelry that expose the diamond to heat might damage or remove the filling. There are companies other than Yehuda that offer treatment, but Yehuda is best known and offers, to wit, the strongest guarantee: If the treatment is damaged or falls out they will fix the diamond for free.

Most labs will not certify clarity enhanced diamonds and the ones that do note it on the grading report.

(And just "FYI:" Whiteflash does not sell treated diamonds)

Here is a link to a glossary definition with some good photos by R&T.

 

[AdaBeta27]

Some L & M look great in white metals if they tend to face white or pale yellow. Some like my M show a slight greenish tint in white metals, which I did not like. I had my M t in white head on yellow engraved shank and it looks either white or ivory in all lights now so I am happy. Look at yours against white metal in several different lighting tpyes. In jewelry store halogen or other incandescent mine showed some green tint. Under fluoescent office or display case lighting it faces up white and would have been acceptable in white metal if that was the only lighting I''d tested it with.