Enhanced diamonds

[harry]

I have been reading a lot about purchasing diamonds and many people have warned against paying "full price" for clarity or color enhanced diamonds. My question is when I''m at the jewelry store, how do I know for sure that the stone he''s showing me isn''t a clarity or color enhanced diamond? Is there some type of proof that I can ask for?

Harry

 

[niceice]

----------------
when I'm at the jewelry store, how do I know for sure that the stone he's showing me isn't a clarity or color enhanced diamond? Is there some type of proof that I can ask for?
----------------

The GIA Gem Trade Laboratory will not issue diamond grading reports on diamonds which have been clarity enhanced. The AGS Laboratory will issue a report, but will indicate that the diamond has been treated under the "comments" section of the lab report, i.e. "laser drilled / fracture filled" or just "fracture filled" as both are options... Most other laboratories (which we won't use because their paper holds no value to us) will do the same. Stick with GIA or AGS graded diamonds and you should be fine...

 

[Giangi]

Hi R&T,

The AGSL issues report for fracture filled diamonds??!! Really?? I thought EGL was the only 'big' who did that... Am I wrong?

 

[mike04456]

----------------
Is there some type of proof that I can ask for?
----------------

The grading report, as R&T said, is a good place to start, but you should also ask the jeweler point blank if they carry clarity-enhanced stones. The reaction you get should tell you a few things. Most jewelers, in fact, will not carry them at all.

Clarity enhancement is easy to detect under magnification, if you know what to look for, so it's not going to slip past a competent jeweler. There aren't too many who would knowingly sell an enhanced stone as a natural one, since it's unquestionably fraudulent. If you stick to established retailers with good reputations, you're not likely to see a clarity-enhanced stone. But do make sure to check the report anyway.

 

[niceice]

----------------
On 2/28/2003 3:19

0 PM Giangi wrote:

Hi R&T,

The AGSL issues report for fracture filled diamonds??!! Really?? I thought EGL was the only 'big' who did that... Am I wrong?----------------

We "think" they do... We seem to recall seeing one at some point in the past and being rather shocked about it... We KNOW that EGL, PGS and Global do and that the disclosure on the Global reports is really difficult to ascertain... We may be wrong about the AGS, but we don't think so... Somebody will have to call them and ask to be certain...

Hey, here's another way to determine whether a diamond has been clarity enhanced... Just ask the jeweler to put that puppy at the tip of the blue flame while it's burning at about 1400 degrees and if you hear a hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssss POP! It was enhanced

 

[Giangi]

Hey, here's another way to determine whether a diamond has been clarity enhanced... Just ask the jeweler to put that puppy at the tip of the blue flame while it's burning at about 1400 degrees and if you hear a hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissssssss POP! It was enhanced
_______________________________________

VERY, VERY good method

!


Yes, you're right about PGS, GGL and all EGL branches, but I don't know if AGS does this service. I know for sure that IGI and HRD don't grade fracture filled stones.

Giangi