| Author | Topic: Bellataire Diamonds - Opinions?? |
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Rookie911 rough rock Posts: 2 |
I have started to see more articles on Bellataire Diamonds. As a first time diamond buyer, should I consider these stones? Any comments/feedback would be much appreaciated. Thanks. |
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Cut Nut cut rock Posts: 141 |
Interesting topic. 1. you will probably pay way more than you would for a better looking stone you could track down (with some effort). here are some bits about the subject from my website - they changed the name from pegusus (didnt fly) to belataire:- 'Genetically Modified' Diamonds GE Bleached Pegasus Diamonds The gem industry was confronted with an ethical dilemma. Legitimate gem dealers are required to disclose any treatments on invoices, but GE maintained the process duplicated nature and could never be detected thus disclosure was unnecessary. The issue would have remained un-resolved but for gemmologists discovering a number of tests to identify Pegasus diamonds. |
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oldminer cut rock Posts: 55 |
I hate to give a dissenting opinion, but I have had the opportunity to examine many Bellataire diamonds. Generally speaking they are superbly cut fancy shapes, rather than rounds. They tend to be H and better in color although some may be quite a bit darker and even fancy colors. The clarity on most is also quite good, from IF through VS2 although, again some are lower in clarity. All should have a laser inscription on their girdle identifying them as Bellataire or GE-POL. Many are characterized by "graining" comments on the GIA reports that come with these diamonds. This is some degree of cloudiness which may or may not seem visible to most observers. Some have no graining, many do, and some have enough that you can detect it with naked eye examination. If you do not pay a premium for such a stone, I'd say it they are excellent diamonds. They are not really worth more money regardless of great sales pitches that can be employed. Bought in a competitive environement they can be an excellent stone. I see no durability problem or deterioration problem. The color improvment is a permanent situation. Eventually someone other than GE-Kaplan will have this process perfected. At that point some of these treatments may be less costly. We cannot predict much about future diamond values anyway, so why worry, be happy! Would I fear buying one? No, if it fullfilled my budget and quality parameters better than any competing stones, then I would not have any hesitation. I would not seek one out intentionally, but I would not avoid considering one for possible purchase. [This message has been edited by oldminer (edited 05-16-2001).] |
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Wizard rough rock Posts: 4 |
Different strokes for different folks - are you the type of guy that buys man-made fibre clothing or natural materials. Personally I prefer natural materials and so my advice is to go for a diamond that mother nature produced with all it's inherent beauty or faults. As an optician, I operate equipment that coats glass or other materials with various coatings in a vacuum at high temperature. It would be quite easy to change the crystaline structure of carbon ( diamond ) by applying different cooling rates ie. creating strain in the material. The effect of strain would be to change Huygens angle ( polarisation ) at various places throughout the diamond and hence change the refractive angle of light passing through the material under strain - ie. fire of the diamond. |
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oldminer cut rock Posts: 55 |
Bellataire diamonds are natural diamonds that have been pressure cooked to give us more of what we think we want. I also prefer purely natural, but there is a definite market for these altered stones that cannot be denied. They are a very high grade product. Many totally natural color diamonds are cut miserably and the Bellataire stones are nearly all fine examples of the cutter's skill. Your technical understanding of what may have taken place is way beyond the normal consumer's concept of these hi-tech treatments. It might make you more cautious about treatments, but most people will know only the little that they are told which is so very positive. Salesmanship in action. ------------------ |