Small Diamonds Analysis

Small diamonds analysis, or the ability to quickly and efficiently identify and authenticate melee sized diamonds, has been a challenge for the jewellery industry. Gem quality synthetic diamonds became commercially available in the late eighties. Since then, the production and quality have steadily increased. The increased use of synthetic diamonds in jewellery and their marketing to consumers make accurate identification and disclosure even more important, so buyers can make informed decisions.

The melee market is a high-volume business, and India is a major manufacturing hub. Melee are produced in factory units, where cutting and sorting is still a labour-intensive process. The final product is typically sold in parcels of 100 carats or more to jewellery manufacturers.

While there are gem laboratories that can reliably identify synthetic melee, they lack the ability to conduct rapid, high volume small diamond analysis. Their processes involve the individual analysis of each stone, certainly before mounting. In a complicated piece with hundreds of melee, this can be prohibitively expensive or time-consuming. The same is true for melee parcels. Let’s just say, small diamond checking to detect simulants and synthetics is extremely important to the trade. A synthetic diamond mixed into a packet may not be identified until later, deceiving dealers, jewellers and consumers and potentially eroding the trade pipeline.

Small Diamonds Analysis – What’s the Solution?

Recently, the Gemological Institute of America® (GIA®) has introduced an automated system that can analyse and sort natural melee diamonds from synthetic. The automated solution has the capability of analysing nearly 2,000 stones per hour; which reduces the time required to screen large parcels of melee diamonds.

GIA has also developed a diamond detection machine that allows jewellers to test their inventory, including mounted jewellery pieces. This desktop instrument, the GIA iD100™, is easy-to-operate and can be used by jewellers to give their consumer additional confidence in their diamond jewellery purchase. However, given the growing sophistication of synthetic gem production, in-store instruments alone cannot provide a comprehensive solution to detect all types of synthetic diamonds and treatments.  That’s why trade members often rely on a dual solution which includes the use of independent and trusted gemmological laboratories like GIA for their small diamond analysis needs.

Increased industry awareness, combined with diamond testing, may deter the spread of undisclosed synthetics. This will benefit both sellers and buyers of polished diamond goods, and ultimately benefit the consumer.