Will this Hurt a Diamond???

[K-Span]

Hello Everyone,

This may be a very stupid question & tried to find the answer on the web with no luck. So, where else would I turn but here.

Question:

- Will a Green Laser, like a 7" handheld tube laser, hurt a diamond in anyway what so ever if you aim it from the top for a long period of time? & if so how much time would it take to cause damage, if any?

Again, This may be the worse question every asked, but rather know then not

Thanks everyone

 

[JulieN]

green is pretty low energy....seriously doubt you could hurt anything.

might want to wait for someone else?

 

[shel]

I shined a red laser pointer through a diamond and it was OK. Granted, red is lower energy than green, but not by much. A carbon dioxide laser might not be safe though (infrared heat).

 

[gladyskristen]

I''d imagine that any non-cutting laser will not harm a diamond.

 

[denverappraiser]

No.

Depending on the intensity of the laser, you may have a risk to your eyes from the reflections but the stone will be fine.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[avlis]

first of all, FYI, laser color has nothing to do with laser power, it it only a product of the laser wavelength. i have worked with 1500watt green (copper vapor) lasers and 15000 watt red (dye) lasers, its all about the power.

diamonds are very good conductors of heat, so i would think you are safe with anything under 100mW of laseer power, probably even up to 500mW, but thats where you are really going to have to start watching the reflections. your eyes will be damaged long before the diamond is damaged.

 

[shel]

Date: 7/14/2007 10:06:23 AM
Author: avlis
first of all, FYI, laser color has nothing to do with laser power, it it only a product of the laser wavelength. i have worked with 1500watt green (copper vapor) lasers and 15000 watt red (dye) lasers, its all about the power.

I think we''re talking about different kinds of light energy. I was referring to the energy that Einstein elucidated in explaining the photoelectric effect. So gamma rays have more energy than X-rays > ultraviolet > violet > green > red > infrared, etc.