The advent of synthetic stones has added to diamond collectors’ options, yet many consumers are still loyal to earth-mined diamonds. The trouble is, trying to get the desired color, size and clarity can make natural diamonds an expensive prospect. Clarity-enhanced (CE) diamonds offer a solution for shoppers who want a snazzy yet reasonably priced stone.
Enhancement technology, invented in the 1980s, can successfully treat lower-clarity diamonds so they appear higher in clarity. Stones suitable for treatment are ones with inclusions — especially of the feather type — that either reach the surface or are accessible via laser (see box below). The result is not perfection, but it can look that way.
Who buys, and why?
There is no one consumer type for CE diamonds, according to wholesaler Humie Leshem, owner and president of Leshem Color and Clarity Enhanced Diamonds.
“Our customers are privately-owned mom and pop retailers, [or independents with] two to five stores by the same owner,” he says, but CE stones “appeal to a variety of customers — budget-minded millennials wanting an impressive ring, and affluent consumers who already own pricey diamonds but want some gorgeous, showy jewels to flaunt in their social circles.”
Online retailer Best Brilliance, which specializes in CE diamond bridal jewels, reaches younger consumers who do their homework online before shopping, says president and CEO Guy Mendel. “Our customers know the prices of natural diamonds and find our CE diamonds to be perfect for getting the size and sparkle they want within their budget.”
These consumers follow social media and know the styles celebrities wear. Clarity enhancement means those on-trend styles are within the average buyer’s reach, and in bigger carat sizes — making for rings they can proudly display on social media themselves.
A basis for comparison
Shoppers may know nothing about CE diamonds when they enter a store, but the retailer can quickly discover what is most important to that customer, be it quality, size or appearance. Clients may be disappointed when they see how many carats their money can buy in untreated diamonds, but when the retailer places a CE diamond next to an unenhanced one of the same price, it gives them a choice.
“No customer should leave the store without making a purchase,” Leshem declares, calling CE “a good alternative diamond that translates into a positive shopping experience for the consumer. CE diamonds are here to stay.”
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - March 2019. To subscribe click here.