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• • • CONSUMER HELP • • •
Click on the GIA Logo below to learn about
GIA Grading and the 4C's.
Diamonds
a.
Getting Worth Of What You're Paying For
When
purchasing a diamond, always get a "plot" of the stone and a
second opinion from an independent "certified" Gem Laboratory.
Be sure to ask for a diamond grading report from a nationally
recognized gem lab, such as the G.I.A. (Gemological Institute
of America) or one of the United States branches of the E.G.L.
(European Gem Lab). The diamond grading report should include
a detailed description of the diamond's color, dimensions, exact
weight, and clarity grade.
b.
"Enhanced" Diamonds
Many people are unaware that a number of techniques are used
to improve the clarity of diamonds - by removing or hiding imperfections.
Two very common techniques are laser drilling and fracture filling.
Laser
Drilling
Many diamonds come
from the earth with tiny black carbon specks inside them. Even
if they are hard to see, they tend to scatter light and reduce
the brilliance of the diamond. About 25 years ago, high powered
laser beams were first used to "burn-out" these impurities.
To reach the "inclusion," a laser drill is used to create a
tiny hole reaching deep inside the diamond. Often the laser's
heat will vaporize the speck. If not, acid is poured into the
hole, usually dissolving the spot or bleaching it to a less
noticeable white color. Naturally, this process is irreversible.
And, since it has become an "industry-standard" procedure, it's
not always disclosed by diamond sellers. However, at Jacques
Jewelers, we'll always tell you about any treatment used to
enhance a diamond sold at our store. The holes are so small
in diameter, it's very difficult to see that the diamond has
been drilled. Still, looking at the side of the stone in very
bright light may show some thin "threads." Reliable diamond
grading reports will always indicate when the stone has been
laser drilled. The Federal Trade Commission has recently revised
the "Trade Practice Guides" for the jewelry industry, and surprisingly,
has omitted laser drilling from its list of diamond treatments
that must be disclosed to the public. Normally, the FTC requires
disclosure if the treatment: (1) is reversible (i.e. not permanent),
(2) requires special care and handling (different from an untreated
gem), and (3) substantially affects the diamond's value. Laser
drilling is permanent, and the treated gems don't require any
special care. However, drilled diamonds are worth less than
undrilled ones of otherwise equal size and equal grade. When
you're spending your hard-earned money on a diamond, you deserve
to know the truth about what you're buying.
Fracture
Filling
Sometimes, a chemical
substance is used to fill small cracks in a diamond. The effect
of this treatment can be very dramatic, turning a very "ugly"
diamond into one that is remarkably brilliant.
However, all other
things being equal, a treated, clarity-enhanced diamond is worth
far less than one that is naturally beautiful. There's nothing
inherently wrong with gem enhancement, as long as you know what's
been done to the stone, and you're not paying for one thing
and receiving another. This makes it important to know how to
detect fracture filling. Luckily, the "dispersion index" of
filler material is different from a diamond. It's close, but
different enough so that you can detect it's presence by rotating
the diamond under a bright light. At certain angles, the filler
will create a "flash effect." Two companies in the United States
supply most of the fracture-filled diamonds sold: Goldman-Oved
Diamond Corporation and Yehuda Diamond Company. Fortunately,
they are the "good guys," working to ensure that their products
are not misrepresented to consumers. However, there are reports
of hundreds of thousands of fracture-filled diamonds (especially
small ones) being surreptitiously released into the jewelry
distribution channel. You must be extra-vigilant when the true
source of the diamond being shown to you is unknown. This goes
double for fractional-carat stones.
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