GIA color grade - potential artificial process?!

[tripleX]

Hi all,

I just stumbled across this GIA cert from an online inventory.

The colour is listed as D*. It then goes on to say "Whether the color of this diamond is of natural origin or the result of an artificial process cannot currently be determined."

Has anyone ever seen this before on a GIA cert? Of course I wouldn't touch this stone in a million years.

Curious for your thoughts. This comes from a large Indian manufacturer ($1bil revenue). They know the origin of the stone too.

Thanks!

 

[Diamond Girl 21]

I took the GIA lab class in 2017. I recall that they do test for enhancements during the grading process, but I have never seen this. It sounds like they weren't confident in the results. I would definitely stay away from this one.

 

[Karl_K]

@John Pollard ping

 

[Karl_K]

Sir John isn't someplace where he can log in to the forum but this is what he says.

@John Pollard said:
"The labs have recently had a hard time disqualifying certain natural Golconda diamonds from being synthetic: The purest natural diamonds are so nitrogen-free that testing implies they must have been grown by man. I wonder if this example falls into that category? It’s also possible, in the spirit of Moore’s Law -applied to gemology- that a new treatment type is in play. But that’s a wild guess. "

 

[tripleX]

Sir John isn't someplace where he can log in to the forum but this is what he says.

@John Pollard said:
"The labs have recently had a hard time disqualifying certain natural Golconda diamonds from being synthetic: The purest natural diamonds are so nitrogen-free that testing implies they must have been grown by man. I wonder if this example falls into that category? It’s also possible, in the spirit of Moore’s Law -applied to gemology- that a new treatment type is in play. But that’s a wild guess. "

Thanks so much to you and Sir John! I might ask this manufacturer what their thoughts are and report back. They’d have cut the rough so should know?

 

[Karl_K]

Sure ask them.
They cant be happy because it should reduce the price to mmd.
In my book if the lab cant say for sure its natural then its not ..even if it is mined and someone swears no treatment there is no proof..

 

[LilAlex]

Finally a gem so perfect it can pass for man-made!

 

[yssie]

Oh that’s different!

I’ve certainly seen this notation on greens, but never before in a stone in D-Z

@kenny probably recognizes it from the FCD world too...

 

[kenny]

FWIW, I have never seen such a comment (color origin cannot be determined) on an FCD report from GIA.
However I am not positive that such a thing is not possible.

To be sure you'd have to consult GIA directly.

 

[Karl_K]

FWIW, I have never seen such a comment (color origin cannot be determined) on an FCD report from GIA.
However I am not positive that such a thing is not possible.

To be sure you'd have to consult GIA directly.

I think the fcd equivalent would be undetermined.

@Rockdiamond

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

In 1999 Lazare Kaplan and GE announced they had sent Type II natural diamonds to GIA that had been put thru HPHT treatment that bleached them. And GIA could not tell.
At the time this caused a big bun fight as the Chairman of LK was also the chair of GIA and they had been doing this deceptively.
They claimed the process replicated nature and since no one could tell the difference - they could be sold as natural - they were all very large diamnds.
After months GIA worked out how to tell.

 

[tripleX]

Sure ask them.
They cant be happy because it should reduce the price to mmd.
In my book if the lab cant say for sure its natural then its not ..even if it is mined and someone swears no treatment there is no proof..

It’s interesting because the price was slightly higher than other equivalent stones - as in it wasn’t the cheapest. Who knows!

 

[tripleX]

In 1999 Lazare Kaplan and GE announced they had sent Type II natural diamonds to GIA that had been put thru HPHT treatment that bleached them. And GIA could not tell.
At the time this caused a big bun fight as the Chairman of LK was also the chair of GIA and they had been doing this deceptively.
They claimed the process replicated nature and since no one could tell the difference - they could be sold as natural - they were all very large diamnds.
After months GIA worked out how to tell.

Very interesting! I shall ask the manufacturer and report back!

 

[Karl_K]

It’s interesting because the price was slightly higher than other equivalent stones - as in it wasn’t the cheapest. Who knows!

What someone asks for something and what it is worth is 2 seperate things.
There is no way a pro would pay full mined price for it.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

After writting that I had lunch and opened my Australian Gemmologist Journal.
Guess what - a 14 page article on the very topic.
If you want the entire article please contact them - I have been begging them to put articles on line!
(see - I don't just make crap up hahaha)

 

[tripleX]

After writting that I had lunch and opened my Australian Gemmologist Journal.
Guess what - a 14 page article on the very topic.
If you want the entire article please contact them - I have been begging them to put articles on line!
(see - I don't just make crap up hahaha)

Thanks Gary