CE how long do they last?

[sleepymom]

OK, I know just about everyone on this board hates CE diamonds my question is this, how long would a CE diamond last as a solitaire E-ring with normal daily use and what would it really look like if the filling was to come out? Would it just look like an inclusion or would it look like a big hole? Does anyone have any pics of a CE diamond that has lost it''s filling?

 

[valeria101]

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On 8/27/2004 1:50:28 PM sleepymom wrote:



Does anyone have any pics of a CE diamond that has lost it's filling?----------------

That, I would like to see myself - but wouldn't a non-treated diamodn look just like that?

As far as I know, the filler can be re-applied and it is not all that fragile to begin with. Unless the original inclusions of the dimoan were so extensive that they would compromise it's durability, I would not fera too much of it's lifespan. As with any gemstone with serious inclusions, each piece would have it's own story.

If you want one, you should be able to find a reasonable piece

 

[oldminer]

The filling should last for years. If it was filled properly once, it can be cleaned and re-filled again by the people who do it. There are some fillers which decay more rapidly and done by fly-by-might operators. It is impossible to tell if your filler is a durable one done by a legitimate firm or phonied up in a garage somewhere. USe the advice that follows from Denver Appraiser about a couple trusted firms.




Diamonds that accept filler require open, surface reaching inclusions. By their very nature, these diamonds are more prone to future damage when worn as they tend to be material with flaws large enough to weaken them structurally. While I have never seen one that has fallen apart, I have never seen one I would want to invest a lot of money into. Some look okay and would make nice earrings or pendants. I would not want to use one in a ring because rings take a lot more abuse when you wear them.




These fillers are UV sensitive and will decay faster if you wear them while getting the perfect tan or if you live in the sunny parts of the world. You can expect eventual deterioration even if the diamond is kept in a bank vault, but the "good" filler will last many years or decades if kept unused and in the dark. Sounds strange to do this with jewelry. No doubt, these fillers are somewhat sensitive to ultrasonic cleaners and heat, too. Moderation in cleaning would be smart.




These diamonds do sometimes look excellent and offer a viable alternative. Only some people will accept their downside. If you understand what you are buying, then you can buy with a reasonable degree of confidence. Do not buy laser drilled or clarity in-filled diamond as an "investment". They are quite illiquid, much more so that good old, regular, natural diamonds.. So be aware and careful in choosing.




Be very careful about buying this kind of stuff on E-Bay and similar places. There is so much fraud. I'd think 95% of the clarity grades given to consumers on E-Bay for clarity enhanced diamonds are total fabrications and wishful thinking. The GIA will not grade CE diamonds, so the grades are not from the GIA, only from someone making a claim of what these stones grade after treatment. The treatment changes the look, but does not change the low clarity.......

 

[denverappraiser]

The two major companies that make CE diamonds, Yehuda and Goldman-Oved both offer a lifetime warranty against the fill coming out or changing colors. Make sure to keep your warranty information and your proof-of-purchase because they will only repair their own products and I know of no way to tell them apart without these documents.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[niceice]

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On 8/27/2004 2:29:35 PM denverappraiser wrote:

The two major companies that make CE diamonds, Yehuda and Goldman-Oved both offer a lifetime warranty against the fill coming out or changing colors. Make sure to keep your warranty information and your proof-of-purchase because they will only repair their own products and I know of no way to tell them apart without these documents.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver----------------

We haven't seen a CE in quite some time, but it used to be possible to determine which company had treated the diamond based upon the color of the flashes that resulted from the treatment. Was it Yehuda that flashed purple / blue and Oved that flashed orange / green or vice versa? Something like that...

Anyway, the treatment seems to be durable under normal circumstances, but you'd better tell any jeweler who is handling the diamond that it is treated or you might get it back without the treatment in which case it will likely look pretty messed up. When Yehuda first started to advertise their product we ordered a three carat diamond from them and promptly hit it with the torch to burn out the treatment and sent it back to them to see whether they would actually back up their warranty statements - Hey, what did we care, we hadn't paid the invoice yet... Anyway, they returned the diamond to us a few weeks later with a note instructing us to keep our torch under 1400 degrees and that was that... Interesting stuff, it's fine by us for stuff like pendants and earrings, fashion jewelry, etc. as long as the buyer "clearly" understands that they are buying a diamond that is part glass, treated, etc. but you'll note that we're not volunteering to sell the stuff.

 

[denverappraiser]

Robin & Todd,

Thanks for the clue on how to tell the difference. I once cooked one when I was working at the bench in a trade shop. It started out kind of pretty, in an SI3ish sort of way, and ended up really really ugly. We asked the store that sold it where it came from and then sent it off to Oved to be fixed based on the warranty. They said it was Yehuda. So we sent it to Yehuda, they said it was Oved. Everyone was saccarine nice about it but somehow we ended up paying to get the damn thing fixed so that customer was made happy. It left us a bad taste for the whole CE business. I suppose that they have a place in the market but I don't blame you for not selling them. In the case of that particular stone, it really did look much better when they were finished with it.

Neil Beaty, GG ISA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[CaptAubrey]

clarity-enhanced diamonds are really like meatloaf--it depends heavily on what you start with and what goes into them. you really can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

 

[niceice]

Interestinly enough, we had a customer bring in a damaged Oved stone into the store and we sent it to Yehuda for treatment because we thought it was theirs (which is when how to tell the difference was explained to us) and Yehuda opted to repair the treatment at their expense to demonstrate their commitment to customer service and to the concept of the treatment process itself... There was no charge to us or the consumer.

Sounds kind of interesting when the treatment burns out, doesn't it... Hiss... Sizzle... Pop. And all of the sudden the stone looks Yucko!