Types of Diamond Treatments.

Note: The FTC requires that all treatments to diamonds be revealed to the customer at the time of purchase. Adamas India Inc. does not buy or sell and refuses to trade in enhanced or treated diamonds, unless requested by the customer. We would like to educate our customers and the general public to let them know that there enhanced and treated diamonds available in the market. There is a possibility that they might be buying a clarity enhanced or color enhanced diamond. Education is the key to unlocking ignorance - "Caveat Emptor". Please visit our online store to view our selection of diamonds. The information on this website can be used freely with a reciprocal link and due credit. We will be glad to answer all your questions. Please email us all questions. You will receive a prompt and professional reply within 24-48 hours.

Diamond Treatment refers to all natural diamonds that have been altered by human inteference. This usually involves in improving the total quality of the diamond but is not limited to just the diamond clarity or diamond color.

Fracture Filling:

This type of clarity enhancement in diamonds is usually done on lower clarity I 1 to I 3 clarity diamonds, since these diamonds are highly included (several eye visible inclusions) and are highly susceptible to breaking and chipping during regular wear and tear. Fracture Filling literally means filling the cracks, fractures of the diamond. It involves a glass-like material which has similar optical properties to that of diamond. It is known to imprive the diamond clarity by almost two grades. Typical characteristics of fracture filled diamonds are bright flashes of a single color, when viewed parallel to the fracture plane. For fracture filling to be effective the inclusions must reach the surface of the diamond ie break the diamond surface. It effects the entire diamond and is not contained to just one fracture. Fracture filled diamonds cannot be left in the jewelry ultrasonic for longer periods of time.

Laser Drill Treatments:

Laser Drilling is a process of lightening a dark inclusion, more commonly known as "carbon spots", within the diamond by targeting a laser beam to that specific inclusions. It is a repeat process since a diamond can have more than one inclusion. This results in several drill holes. They are clearly visible when viewed perpendicular at 10x magnification as a single tube within the diamond. The tube opening can be easily spotted at the surface and resembles a nail hole. In recent years with scientific improvements, this process has been fine tuned. This renders the drill hole and the tube as natural inclusions at lower magnifications. They are visible only at 200x - 1000x magnification. Laser drilling a diamond is a permanent form of diamond treatment.

Coating:

This is the oldest form of diamond treatment. The surface of the diamond has been coated or there are color paint marks on the girdle or diamond pavilion. The refractive nature of the diamond spreads the color within the diamond. It is not a permanent form of treatment which easily detected under magnification. Cleaning the diamond usually removes the coating or makes it easily visible.

Irradiation:

Radiation from high energy particles is used in creating color centers in diamonds. The most common colors caused by irradiation are different hues of Blue and Green. For a long time, bombarding the diamond with radioactively charged particles from cyclotron generators were used to irradiate diamonds. This left concentrations of color at the culet (tip) of the diamond and/or facet junctions. Nowadays, the most commonly used technique is electron radiation.

Irradiation & Annealing:

Heating the diamond after bombarding it with charged particles results in the modifying the bluish green colors to yellows, oranges and sometimes pinks, reds and purples.

Heat Treatment, Graphite Treatment:

Low quality (extremely included) diamonds are heated in a vacuum to form graphite deposits within the fractures, resulting in black diamonds. Majority of the black diamonds found in the diamond market are treated.

High Pressure High Temperature(HPHT):

A very minor class of diamonds Type II A and on some rare occasions Type Ia B are subject to this form of treatment. These lower color brown diamonds are exposed to pressures of upto 70,000 atmospheres and temperatures of upto 2,000 Degree Celsius. This results in improved white color or completely different color.

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