Romancing the Stone!

[ello]

My friend recently forwarded this link to me about laboratory formed diamonds. It''s making the diamond industry very nervous. The diamonds are virtually indistinguishable from natural minded diamonds.
Will the distinction between man-made diamonds and natural ones eventually disappear? These diamonds are even mistaken as real diamonds by professional diamond evaluators...

It''s a long article but a very interesting read!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6920717/site/newsweek/

All the best,
Ries

 

[pqcollectibles]

If you'll search past threads for Gemesis or Apollo, you'll see this has been discussed before. There was even a thread up yesterday about the article where several of the experts commented.

The diamonds can be diffentiated. It takes special analytical equipment that not every jeweler or appraiser will have, but it can be done.

 

[valeria101]

Syntetics look real allright, but they are not. All other precious stones come as high quality syntetics that need special equipment and serious training to tell apart.

As far as I know, none of the makers of syntetic colorless diamonds has announced commercial production comming up. Experimental samples have been around for years.

Color enhanced (HPHT) diamonds are hard to come by at all. Clarity enhancement (fracture filling like the Yehuda company does, or lased drilling) appeard to have caught a bit more and there are more stones with these relatively low-tech enhancements around.

Every year there are a couple of news-waves about diamond syntetics, but it''s the same news

 

[pearcrazy]

I''ve looked into the Gemesis yellow diamonds and I don''t find their prices good at all. I think they are going to have to get the price down a whole lot more before they become a significant threat to the diamond industry.

 

[denverappraiser]

Date: 2/10/2005 11:48:42 PM
Author:Ries
.... It''s making the diamond industry very nervous. The diamonds are virtually indistinguishable from natural minded diamonds.
Ries

Ries,

I''m not sure I agree.

There has been widespread reporting about angst within the diamond industry over this topic. Unfortunately this is not the same thing. It''s true that the reporter found some self-professed experts that had difficulty identifying their synthetics. I''m sure there are other dealers that will have problems as well. All of us make mistakes and some of us are idiots. Most actually learn pretty fast when their money is on the line. This is not new. When Moissonite was released a few years ago there was similar forecasting of doom within the diamond business. The introduction of CZ in the 80''s had a similar effect on the news people. There have been very similar reports surrounding the introduction of new synthetics in emeralds and rubies, complete with interviews with from fooled experts. In both cases it has actually improved the market for natural stones instead of the expected death of the industry. Making mountains out of molehills is what these people are paid to do. Anything less doesn’t result in the sale of magazines.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver