Panel Members

• Sonny Pope (Suncrest Diamonds, USA) – producer of HPHT diamonds
• Dusan Simic (AG&J, USA) – consultant to processing/growing facilities
• Gail Brett Levine (NAJA, USA), appraiser
• Mikko Åström (MAGI, Finland) – advanced instrument manufacturer
• Branko Deljanin (CGL-GRS, Canada) – diamond researcher
• Gaetano Cavalieri (CIBJO), President of World Jewellery Organization

Moderator

• John Chapman (Gemetrix, Australia) – diamond consultant

Summary

The round-table opened with a discussion on the locations where treatments are occurring. Sonny Pope, CEO of Suncrest Diamonds in the USA, suggested India and Israel as the prime locations, though Dusan Simic (AG&J, USA) added that while there are a few in India, there are also some in Russia, but the United States is where most facilities are located. There are a few facilities which are not publicly known– even Dusan doesn’t know about them. In the United States, there is only one irradiation facility which is in New Jersey in addition to that of Suncrest. On whether the treatments are for value enhancement or ‘cheating’, Dusan suggested that any cheating would only be short term as labs rapidly become aware and find detection methods. He cited the example of a 6-carat light pink diamond that had been further coated pink and sent to a lab where it was identified as natural. It was the first such stone to receive the treatment, and thereafter such stones have been detected.

With treatments taking place in order to increase the value of the stone, appraiser Gail Brett Levine was asked the price of treated diamonds. She replied that it was relatively easy, as Richard Drucker (Guide Magazine) has a price list for treated diamonds.

The moderator asked the panel about the prevalence of treated diamonds. Brett Levine remarked that about twice a week she sees irradiated or HPHT treated diamonds. Branko Deljanin from CGL-GRS labs commented that in New York he sees many more treated diamonds than in Canada. Mikko Åström said he sees lots of enhanced diamonds, but that is largely due to the nature of his work selling spectrometers to detect treatments and synthetics.

The discussion on to the need for markings to clearly identify treated diamonds, with the suggestion of a suitable laser engraving. David Fisher from De Beers Research remarked that laser inscriptions are not cast in iron unlike the De Beers Forevermark which ensures the naturalness of a diamond and is very difficult to replicate.

Branko Deljanin added that the trade does not want permanent markings for either traceability or synthetic / treated because it does not want 100% transparency in selling diamonds so that people can benefit if diamonds are not detected by a lab. Some segments of the trade would remove laser inscription ‘HPHT treated’ and sell diamonds in Asian markets as natural color diamonds.

With the propensity of treated diamonds it was asked whether labs are generally suitably equipped to detect treatments. Mikko Åström said that there is a huge increase in the quantity of gem labs, but many don’t have a clue about how to detect treatments. The moderator asked if more communication between labs would improve their capabilities and preservation of the industry. Gaetano Cavalieri (CIBJO) suggested that the problem is that the main purpose of many labs is to teach gemology to jewelers and after they receive their diploma, they set up a lab without enough money and knowledge.

An audience member asked if anyone knew the outcome of an incident last year where a large quantity of stones was recalled by the GIA because of a claimed treatment that temporarily changed the color of the diamonds, but the panel was unable to offer insights into the treatment.

The moderator asked whether the public is aware of diamond treatments. Brett Levine said that she often comes across treated diamonds and the owners are surprised because they never knew of the possibility of treatment. Branko Deljanin remarked that consumers are aware of synthetic diamonds through publicity such as in ‘Wired’ magazine, but he has never seen a consumer article on treatments. Gaetano Cavalieri said that ultimately the most important thing is to make money and most traders are not worried about how, though he added that he believed that there is a great deal of morality in the industry.

Sonny Pope said people want reports to say “irradiated” or “HPHT” but he wished that the reports would merely report if a color or treatment is permanent or not.

With new treatments coming onto the market periodically, the moderator sought ideas of what the next generation of treatments would be? Sonny Pope ventured that Suncrest is having greater success at making light pink in a single step for stones with the right nitrogen content. He added that a significant technical advancement would be achieved if low-clarity stones could be HPHT treated.

Despite the general consumer ignorance of treatments, the moderator asked if some treatments are more acceptable than others, such as HPHT treated type II brown diamonds. Gaetano Cavalieri opined that as long as treatments are not reversible then they are acceptable, after all everything is treated, such as carpets and shoes.

Egor Gavrelko (IGE lab Spain) in the audience asked why an inexpensive instrument has not been developed for detecting mounted melee, to which Branko remarked that for mounted diamonds, fluorescence is the only option, while Dusan Simic said it could be done if one used a reflective IR system, a Renishaw PL spectrometer, plus other spectrometers totalling almost $500,000. Egor Gavrelko remarked that every fancy color is suspicious. But Sonny Pope pointed out that it is not profitable to treat small diamonds, as whites and pinks would be more expensive than natural stones

Morning Sessions (Day 2 – May 8) | Natural, Treated, and Synthetic Diamonds

Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri (CIBJO, Italy)
CIBJO Blue Book on Treated and Synthetic Diamonds

The primary means through which CIBJO has advanced its harmonization programme is through Blue Book series. The new standard describes a treated diamond as a “diamond having undergone any human intervention other than cutting, polishing, cleaning and setting, to permanently or non-permanently change its appearance.

Dr. David Fisher (De Beers Technologies)
Progress in the Detection of Diamond Treatments

Measurements that were thought to be impractical for gemmological laboratories to engage in 20 years ago are now routinely carried out with gemmologists now requiring skill in running spectrometers and interpreting spectra.

This presentation will review developments in the area of diamond treatments, focussing on the main challenges from those treatments that produce colour changes, namely high pressure high temperature (HPHT) and irradiation.

Dusan Simic (AG&J)
HPHT Treated IIa Diamonds – ID Challenge for Labs

Part ONE of the Lecture will present one of the most complicated treatments on type IIa diamonds for both producers and gem lab identification experts. In Part TWO of the Lecture the author will explain and discuss potential treatments of “fraudulent replicas” and how the problem could increase with developments of growth methods and treatment options.

Dr. Alan Hart (British Museum of Natural History)
The British Museum Natural History Gem Collection

Museum displays have been important in realizing diamond collections utility and benefits to research and public engagement. Results will be presented on research of the Koh-I-Noor diamond from a model in the British museum collection which has resulted in some surprising inference regarding how old Mogul cut stones were cut.

Afternoon Sessions (Day 2 – May 8) | Gems, Jewellery, and Appraising

Jean Claude Michelou (Senior Adviser to the UNICRI, UN)
Traceability of Gemstones – An Unavoidable Path

Today, the reputation of the origin of a stone is tied to the perception of premium value, in addition to its color and quality classification . These factors contribute to value recognition by consumers. Furthermore, retailers are requiring assurances of ethical and legal provenance – and that is a trend that is likely to increase.

Mikko Åström (MAGI)
Practical Applications of Portable FTIR in Gemmological Laboratories

FTIR (Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectroscopy) has become a mandatory tool in the modern gemological laboratory. It is routinely used for testing some of the most important gems such as diamond, emerald, corundum, alexandrite, jade, amethyst, amber and turquoise. Demonstrations will be made of the use and interpretation of FTIR spectra for the most important gemological applications on natural, treated and synthetic diamonds and gems.

Lisa Elser (Customgems)
Roughing It – Do’s and Don’ts of Buying Rough Gemstones Overseas

Many people want to buy gemstones at the source, but are unsure where to do so and not be taken advantage of.  Lisa will be showing photos from her travels to mines and gem markets in Madagascar, Tanzania and Sri Lanka where she buys Tourmaline, Garnets, Sapphires, Zircons and other gems, and will show examples of her own gems.

Jeffery Bergman (Primagem)
Phenomenal Prices – Market Value of Phenomenal Gems

Jeffery will discuss market values of phenomenal gems including how origin affects value of stars, cat’s-eyes, color-change gems and opals. The recent discoveries of huge deposits of hydrophane opals in Ethiopia has dramatically changed the opal market worldwide. A pricing comparison with Australian material will be presented along with facts, fears & fairy tales about Ethiopian hydrophane opal stability and treatments.

Rui Galopim de Carvalho (Independent Gemmology Consultant)
Portuguese Royal Jewellery

Since the Portugal’s foundation in 1143 many artifacts were manufactured for the Royal House, particularly in the early 16th century and late 18th century, when the Brazilian diamond and gemstone connection was active. The continuous alliances by marriage, particularly during the Philippine or Habsburg dynasty (1580-1640), when Spain ruled Portugal, left precious testimonies of Iberian jewellery in the country.

Round Table | Diamond Treatments in the 21st Century

Sonny Pope (Suncrest Diamonds)
HPHT Processing – Improving Color and Value of Off Color Diamonds

Why should semi-precious stones have all the fun?  Talk about the future in HPHT and how it is so much more than just processing for colorless diamonds.

Process of HPHT will be introduced and explained the science on what is happening in the diamonds. HPHT processing of man-made HPHT-grown and CVD-grown diamonds and reasons it is effective would also be covered.

With representatives from CIBJO (Gaetano Cavalieri), Suncret Diamonds (Sonny Pope), MAGI (Miko Åströmm), MLLOPIS (Manolo Llopis), Analytical Gemology & Jewellery(Dusan Simic) and CGL-GRS lab (Branko Deljanin).

Moderated by John Chapman, consultant from Gemetrix, Australia.

Day 1 (May 7): Basic to Intermediate Diamond Workshop

Grading & Screening of Natural and Synthetic Diamonds

Instructors: Manuel Llopis Lopez (MLLOPIS), George Spyromilios (IGL), Branko Deljanin (CGL-GRS)
Class Size: Min 10, Max 30.
Audience: For gemmologists and individuals with limited or no trade experience

Morning (Basic Program)

• The use of loupe and microscope in diamond grading
• Explaining clarity scale and description of each grade
• International grading systems for grading colour
• Fluorescence and its influence on colour grade
• How cut affects appearance and brilliance of diamond
• Explaining the cut grade, symmetry, proportion, table size, polish, etc

LAB: Samples of natural diamonds of different quality and shapes to be graded

Afternoon (Intermediate Program)

• Types of natural & synthetic diamonds based on impurity content
• HPHT and CVD method of growing diamonds
• Methods of screening diamonds for synthetic origin
• Loupe: Metallic inclusions, cubo-octahedral zoning, “pinpoints” in one plane
• UV Lamp: Fluorescence reaction, phosphorescence
• Polariscope: Strain and patterns in HPHT and CVD-grown diamonds

LAB: Samples of Ia, IIa, IIb, Ib diamonds (natural and synthetic origin) for testing with standard gem instruments

Pre-Conference (May 6): Advanced Diamond Workshop
Day 3 (May 9): Advanced Diamond Workshop

Treated and Synthetic Diamonds – ID with Standard and Advanced Instruments

Instructors: Branko Deljanin (CGL-GRS), George Spyromilios (IGL)
Class Size: Max 30.
Audience: For gemmologists and individuals with trade experience

Synthetic Diamonds (9:00-12:30)
Standard and Advanced Instruments

1. Types of diamonds based on impurity content
2. Causes of colour in diamonds (natural and artificial)
3. Methods of type detection and instrumentation
   • Typing by FTIR method – in gem labs
   • CPF method – instructions and set up on microscope (filters or portable polariscope)
4. HPHT-grown diamonds, growth and characteristics
5. CVD-grown diamonds, growth and characteristics
6. Testing and ID of lab-grown diamonds (UV lamp, microscopy, CPF, spectrometers)
7. Screening and testing of mounted diamonds of synthetic origin
8. Grading and disclosure of natural and synthetic diamonds at gem labs

Diamonds Treatments (13:30-17:30)
Standard and Advanced Instruments

1. Clarity enhancements – unstable (fracture filling)
2. Clarity enhancements – stable (traditional lasering, KM laser drilling)
3. Processes for colour treatments of diamonds, natural and synthetic
4. Color enhancements – unstable (Coating)
5. Color enhancements – stable (irradiation, annealing, HPHT, multistep treatments)
6. Testing and screening methods for treated diamonds with standard instruments
7. Identification methods for treated diamonds with advanced instruments at labs
8. Post treatments of HPHT-grown (irradiation) and CVD-grown diamonds (HPHT)
9. Certification of treated diamonds at gem laboratories

Practical Lab with 50 Treated and Synthetic Diamonds

• Microscopy: Metallic inclusions for synthetic origin and graphitization for HPHT treated
• UV lamp: Using colours of fluorescence as an indication of treated/synthetic
• Polariscope: Absence of strain in HPHT-grown and presence of ‘columnar patterns in CVD-grown diamonds
• Use of Advanced Instruments: Screening and identification with Visible-Near-infrared, Infrared and Photoluminescence spectrometers.

Standard (portable polariscope with portable light, UV lamp) and Advanced Portable instruments (VIS-NIR, PL and FTIR spectrometers) will be available for purchase during the conference.