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Press Release: At AG&J, we are deeply involved in research and development in the area of synthetic diamonds. Our work stretches from development of production systems and treatments to detection and identification methods. Since our team represents both the fields of production and identification, we profoundly understand the dynamics and complexity of problems that lead to the confusion in today’s marketplace. We anticipated these problems for many years and consequently started to work on their solution in 2008. During the fall of 2012, AG&J became the first lab in the U.S. to offer low cost melee parcel identification and screening. In the spring of 2014, we are going to offer the first worldwide service for diamond identification of mounted diamonds of any size, color or shape. Due to our experience in this field, we feel obliged to express our opinion on the recent flood of “solutions,” “systems,” findings, terms and press releases related to synthetic diamond identification. First, to clarify again: Identification of a diamond means to identify the origin of growth and the origin of color. Therefore, these are the outcomes that result from identification: Natural growth, natural color,
Natural growth, treated color,
Synthetic growth, as grown color,
Synthetic growth, treated color.
There are more treatments but we omit them here for the sake of brevity. Screening of a diamond, on the other hand, means only to determine if a diamond is natural or if it has to go to a laboratory for further identification. There it can then be decided if the stone is natural, synthetic, treated or if it is a simulant. From our experience the percentage of colorless to near colorless stones of a parcel that have to go to a laboratory varies widely, anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent. Colored diamonds cannot be screened and have to go to a laboratory entirely. Identification of diamonds for the time being can only be done in relevant laboratories; in this, we agree with what the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) recently stated. Currently, there are two methods used for screening: UV-VIS-NIR absorption (also used in De Beers AMS) or FTIR absorption measurement (used, for example, in GIA’s Thermo-DiamondCheck). In our opinion, the UV-VIS-NIR absorption method is superior, as nitrogen in the ppb range can be detected. Also, while De Beers states clearly that its AMS system can only screen near-colorless to colorless diamonds, GIA does not state if its DiamondCheck can only screen near colorless to colorless or also colored diamonds. Recently, in several press releases, it was reported that the DiamondCheck system can identify synthetic and HPHT treated diamonds, which is absolutely not possible. Screening cannot be done by using PL or Photoluminescence only. Using PL as a screening method can in many cases give insufficient identification results. It is therefore not a suitable primary method for screening diamonds, but can be used as a second/additional method for identification. In our opinion, cost and speed are really behind the current discussion about screening or identifying synthetic diamonds. As usual, it is about the money. The old approach of certifying stones, as practiced in most labs, is good but slow and expensive. The new approach includes technology and automation, with a minimum amount of human interaction and is both fast and cheap. AG&J is offering its services in the new way. Today, we are able to offer full identification (any size, any color, any shape) for only $1.50 per stone and we will soon be able to offer full identification for only 60 cents per stone. Laboratories working the old way without full automation cannot offer services for these low costs. Ultimately, when using screening machines, the stones that cannot be detected as natural (10 percent to 30 percent in our experience) must at some point go to a laboratory. It depends on the business model of a customer; they should decide whether it makes sense to purchase their own screening system or to send the diamonds to a modern laboratory in the first place. While suitable regulations must be implemented to control the identification and labeling of synthetic diamonds, in the end it should be ethics and professionalism that guide us in our work. About AG&J
Analytical Gemology and Jewelry is a gemological laboratory located in New York’s Diamond District, specializing in the identification of diamonds and their treatments. The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including a Renishaw Raman with multiple lasers, and applies proprietary procedures for sophisticated gemological analysis. For more information, visit their website at www.agandj.com
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