Identification Of Synthetic Diamonds

AMISH SHAH

FOUNDER AND CEO OF ALTR CREATED DIAMONDS SHARES HIS INSIGHTS GATHERED AT JCK, LAS VEGAS.

1. Your reaction on the JCK 2022.

The JCK 2022 was the first show after 2019 that was important for this trade to restart the social interaction that vendors and retailers had and were missing out on. While the electronic means of communications were a good support line, in an industry where design and feel evoke emotions, nothing supersedes meeting in person and feeling the magic of fine jewelry on yourself.

2. What worked for the LGD industry & ALTR ?

Today’s consumers are not only socially conscious, and environmentally responsible, but have enabled their right to choose through education and acceptance of created diamonds. This organic growth that was revolutionized by ALTR has bought the category to a staggering number of almost 15% of the engagement category. While ALTR was the only created diamond brand in the entire JCK in 2016, there are almost 150 companies with 258 booths exhibiting this year. What started as a taboo conversation in the trade has emerged today garnering pride and respect. Just six years ago it was almost impossible to get a booth as a lab grown diamond company in any trade show

globally. To have been the first expo in the category to allow a respectable launch of a created diamond brand, and then to expand further with a lab grown pavilion for the loose diamond wholesalers highlights the open mindedness of the management at JCK that paved the way for a respectable positioning for ALTR and the entire category. Even today expos around the world have still not embraced the future of this business.

At ALTR we have always focused on what is next for the category, brand, retailer, and most importantly the consumer. We started with education which empowered the consumer and enabled the retailer to offer an experience and product that connected with the consumer. This has evolved in the last six years from loose diamonds, to finished bridal, to fine jewelry, to couture.

3. What was unique about the show this year ?

“Change waits in the shadows of today, until it doesn’t and then it becomes unstoppable, inevitable suddenly long held beliefs turn antiquated and the improbable becomes reality.”

4. Outlook for the next six months.

In a continuously changing environment, keeping in mind the various factors that affect a consumer’s decision, we are focused on further penetrating the consumer market by strengthening our communication, conversation, and confidence through processes and products that relate to consumer values of being socially responsible, environmentally conscious, geopolitically accountable, and most importantly economically mindful.

IDENTIFICATION

OF SYNTHETIC DIAMONDS

Reena Shukla Director

LAB-GROWN DIAMOND AND JEWELLERY PROMOTION COUNCIL

In view of some recent alerts on the possible entry of Synthetic Diamonds in to the Indian diamond industry, it is important to reassure the Gem & Jewellery industry that Gemmological Institute of India an institute sponsored by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, is fully equipped in terms of knowhow and instrumentation to identify diamonds of all types and treatments. There are two methods used for manufacturing of synthetic diamonds.

1. HPHT (High Pressure

High Temperature)

Method 2. CVD (Chemical Vapor

Deposition) Method

HPHT synthetic diamonds are mostly yellow in colour and they are Type 1 b. On the other hand CVD synthetic diamonds are Type IIa and Brown, colourless and pale pink in colour. Brown CVD synthetic diamonds can also be converted into colourless diamond by HPHT treatment. Therefore it is very important to understand the CVD synthetic diamonds.

In our opinion CVD manmade synthetic could even be checked at the offices of the traders to certain extent.

The principal to check is very simple. All the CVD Diamonds are Type IIa, whereas a very small percentage of natural diamonds are Type IIa. To check the Type IIa diamonds the following instruments are available.

1. Diamond Spotter –

Indicates whether diamond is Type IIa or not. 2. D Screen – Indicates whether the diamond is

Type IIa or HPHT treated. 3. Diamond Sure –

Indicates all Natural diamonds as “Pass” and

Synthetic diamonds as

“Refer for further test”.

In case the diamond is Type IIa it would be advised to refer it to laboratory for further advanced identification. Gemmological Institute of India laboratory is fully equipped with the following instruments to identify all types of synthetic diamonds:-

1. FTIR 2. UV-VI Absorption 3. Raman Luminescence

Spectra 4. EDXRF 5. Diamond View

FTIR spectra for Natural / Synthetic Diamond.