"Possibly clarity enhanced" from a jewler?

[d1sturbanc3]

I purchased a diamond ring off an auction for my gf as engagement gift, and it's a good deal even if the diamond was "clarity enhanced." I took this to a respected jeweler, well rated on several review sites, for resizing. We aren't diamond aficionados.

The ring was appraised by a "GIA graduated gemologist," and it didn't say anything about enhanced. The seller didn't say anything about enhanced.

The jeweler stated that the diamond was "possible clarity enhanced" on the paper he gave me. I asked him if he knew it was enhanced, and he said "I can't be sure." I asked if he can tell if I paid for an appraisal, and he said no

My questions is:
a) Should a well qualified jeweler be able to tell if the diamonds are enhanced or not?

b) What's the best way to determined if the diamonds are enhanced with the least cost?

Thank you!!

 

[denverappraiser]

There's a list of qualified appraisers under the resources tab at the top of the page. For the most part, CE is pretty easy to spot but there are a few exceptions. That said, there are plenty of jewelers out there who can't do it. ANY selling jeweler should be prepared to answer this question about what they're selling and 'possibly CE' is a cop out of an answer.

Appraisers each set their own rates but any one of them should be happy to give you a price if you phone or email them.

 

[d1sturbanc3]

To clarify, the the jeweler which I was talking to wasn't selling the ring; I obtained the ring under an auction. I was bring in an outside ring for him to resize. He looked at the ring under a scope.

Should one be able to tell if a diamond is CE under scope? Are there any specialized equipment that are needed?

 

[Hera]

Did you buy it on ebay? If so, did you check the listing to see if it said it was CE? If not, you may be able to do a return as a Not as described.
The issue with CE stones is that sometimes the process isn't permanent. I would get it appraised.

 

[d1sturbanc3]

No off an actual auction. Thanks for the response. As stated, it has been appraised, by a "Gemological Institute of America Graduate Gemologist" at a respectful jewelry store. It did not say CE.

My main question is the process of determining if a diamond has been CE.

1.) How does a jeweler determine that? Is it as simple of looking at it with a scope? Are there specific instruments?

2.) If it is CE, it should have stated on the appraisal, correct?

 

[Hera]

No off an actual auction. Thanks for the response. As stated, it has been appraised, but a "Gemological Institute of America Graduate Gemologist" at a respectful jewelry store. It did not say CE.

My main question is the process of determining if a diamond has been CE.

1.) How does a jeweler determine that? Is it as simple of looking at it with a scope? Are there specific instruments?

2.) If it is CE, it should have stated on the appraisal, correct?

1. I'm not an expert but I believe sometimes you can see tiny drill marks. I think this is going to vary as there are several different types of clarity enhancement methods. Some of them are permanent and some of them are not.
2. Yes, it should have been stated on the appraisal.



And because the method might not be permanent, should you find it was misrepresented, I would contact your credit card company and try and do a chargeback.

 

[d1sturbanc3]

Thanks... I'm don't think the diamonds are CE; that they are not enhanced, as I believe the appraisal from the first Jeweler would have stated it. I believe that the second Jeweler is screwing around with me with a "possibly" CE statement.

I'm just blown away that a professional jeweler can say something is "possibly" CE.

To clarify, and please some experts help me and make sure that I'm understanding this correctly.

If a diamond was CE, a professional jeweler, appraiser, should be able to recognize it easily, correct? To all appraisers, have you ever stated something is "possibly" CE? Or that you can't determine if a diamond was CE after looking at it under a scope?

 

[Hera]

Ah, some jewelers can get a little miffed that you bought it elsewhere instead of buying it from them. They want to sell you a diamond so sometimes,they'll trash the diamond you bought. Just get it appraised to be sure.

 

[arkieb1]

He could have been messing with you just to see if he could get you to purchase a stone from him instead. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. There is a list of wonderful appraisers which you can find on here, if you are in doubt send it to a really good one. Generally a GIA certificate and the first valuation would state that the stone had been treated or enhanced in some way if it was. The only reason this could in theory change is if someone had the stone treated or enhanced after the GIA certificate was issued. Again this doesn't happen often, but it could happen. If it comes from a large auction place the stone could also have been switched so the stone that you have is not the same one as on the certificate. This is again uncommon, but not unheard of.

If it was me I would send it to a respected appraiser just to make sure.

 

[denverappraiser]

It's a problem to use absolutes in gemology but the standard test for glass filling is with a microscope and to look for a colored flash effect that comes from the refracting light at the fill. As mentioned above, it's not generally all that difficult. The way GIA, Gueblin and similar labs do it is with a $100,000 spectroscope that not only shows that a foreign material is in there but gives the recipe for the fill used. Very cool stuff. That works better but, obviously, it's a problem for smaller businesses.

Claiming to be a GIA graduate tells you next to nothing. I've got nothing against GIA (well, not much anyway) and I'm a GIA graduate gemologist myself but there are a fair number of dummies with that same credential. To make it harder, there's a fair number of people who claim to be GG's who are nothing of the kind. I would add that there are some highly skilled gemologists out there who have never taken so much as a seminar from GIA, much less their entire program.