A synthetic diamond has been identified by the DCLA, on the heels of the recent discovery of numerous treated diamonds in Australia.

The man-made diamond, a near-colourless 0.54ct round brilliant cut diamond, was submitted to the DCLA Laboratory for authentication by an Australian diamond merchant unconfident of its origin.

With subsequent examination, the diamond was identified by the DCLA as a diamond created by a company in Canada, Advanced Optical Technologies Corporation (AOTC). Identifying features of this diamond include no fluorescence and a light blue hue, as well as a tiny dark grey inclusion with metallic lustre, pictured above at high resolution 50X magnification.

AOTC produces synthetic coloured diamonds (primarily yellows and blues) as well as colourless “white” diamonds using a high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) process. There are several other overseas companies also producing synthetic diamonds on a wide scale using this process, while others use a newer process using chemical vapour deposition (CVD) technology. To date, however, there has been no fully disclosed importer of synthetic diamonds in Australia.

In terms of identification, synthetic diamonds (also known as man-made diamonds, lab- or laboratory-created diamonds, and lab- or laboratory-grown diamonds), have the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as natural diamonds do, making them impossible to identify without advanced testing.

Examination with a microscope may sometimes show indicators, or ‘clues’, that a diamond is synthetic, but these are indicators only; neither presence nor absence of these indicators is conclusive. Both natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds may show very similar characteristics, thus advanced testing is required for conclusive identification.

Some visible clues of synthetic diamonds that valuers should be aware of are those of dark grey or black inclusions with a metallic lustre, as seen in this particular HPHT-created diamond, inert fluorescence under long-wave UV light, cloud inclusions, internal or surface graining, stronger short-wave to long-wave fluorescence, phosphorescence, and colour zoning, among others. Natural diamonds will also show these characteristics however, which is why identification of a diamond’s origin requires an educated and trained gemmologist, skilled in handling the necessary equipment in a qualified laboratory.

Buyers and valuers should also be aware that synthetic diamonds created by synthetic diamond producers like AOTC are laser inscribed on the girdle for identification and disclosure purposes, ie. “AOTC CREATED” and should be accompanied by a synthetic diamond report for full and clear disclosure – however, this inscription can be removed and a diamond should always be verified.

DCLA will not issue diamond grading certificates for synthetic diamonds.

Transparency is the degree to which a material transmits light, directly relevant to the cloudiness or haziness of the material.

Diamonds of any clarity, fluorescence and cut can in fact have Very Good or Excellent Transparency, making them attractive stones. Diamonds of any clarity, fluorescence and cut can also have Good or Medium Transparency – light return can be interrupted by multiple features of a given diamond.

The DCLA Transparency Grading System will now take all of these features into account to provide an even more comprehensive assessment of a diamond.

DCLA Transparency Scale:Excellent – Completely transparent, no light interruption, no haze or cloud
Very Good – Transparent, minimal light interruption, very light haze or cloud, difficult to detect
Good – Transparent, slight visible haze or cloud, detectable
Medium – Semi-Transparent, marked light interruption, moderate haze or cloud, easy to detect
Poor – Semi-Transparent, very little light passes through, heavy haze or cloud

Effective September 15 2008, all DCLA Diamond Certificates will include the diamond transparency.

In addition, the DCLA has also split the traditional Finish grade on our Diamond Certificate into the dual features of Polish and Symmetry. This will provide a fuller, more detailed expression of the overall diamond make to both consumers and the trade.

Check if the certificates are in fact recognised, check the claims made by the seller.

If they are BOGUS certificates shop somewhere else.

See this link for more information on scams. http://www.diamondhelpers.com/ask/0040-scams.shtml

Mike Cohen
Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia
http://www.dcla.com.au

The knight in shining lab coat
The Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia (DCLA) is here to protect you when you buy your sparkling rock. Their expertise lies in grading diamonds according to the 4Cs (which determine the quality and value of a diamond), so you know what you’re getting and can make sure that you don’t get ripped off. Additionally as an independent grading laboratory the DCLA provides you with an unbiased, accurate, expert grading which meets the international standard – and a certificate to go along with it!

Paper trail
It’s not hard to understand why a diamond certificate is important – it is reassurance! But why should you get one from the DCLA? Well a diamond grading report is only as good as the laboratory it comes from, and the DCLA is recognised internationally by The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB), The International Diamond Council (IDC) and The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) to name a few. Plus it has a few rather impressive advantages:

By the rules
At the DCLA all diamonds are graded to a recognised standard of reference – internationally recognised grading rules and diamond master sets for colour comparison (IDC Masterset and CIBJO C2 AU Masterset). Which means that you will know everything about your diamond, from its clarity to its cut, beyond a carat of a doubt!

Faking it
The laboratory has the equipment and skills necessary to ensure proficiency and enable the detection of simulants, synthetics and treatments. In fact the DCLA has the only equipment of its kind in Australia (DTC DiamondSure and DiamondView) to detect and exclude treated and synthetic diamonds. So you can be sure that your rock is a genuine girl’s best friend.

In the works
All of the diamond graders employed by the DCLA are internationally qualified (Multiple graders). Laboratory principals are third generation in the industry and have vast experience from mining, rough diamond pricing, manufacture (marking, sawing and polishing) through to grading polished diamonds. And, just to be meticulous, the DCLA provides constant grading conditions – multiple graders anonymously grade each diamond independently of each other.

Easy peasy
To put the icing on the cake, the DCLA is a local laboratory – so you can verify your diamond at any time you like. Plus for extra protection, as the owner of the diamond, you can also register it at http://www.dcla.com.au/registry or have it laser inscribed. The DCLA have a Photoscribe cold laser inscriber – the only laser guaranteed not to damage your stone!

Website: http://www.dcla.com.au and http://www.independentlycertifieddiamonds.com

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CHEAP GOLD OR DIAMONDS.

Gold is traded every day at world gold prices, the same is true for diamonds, they trade on the Rappaport diamond list, this list is not available to the public because it is a true wholesale list.

BUT all diamonds have a price.

If you are told it is a cheap diamond what it actually means is that it is an inferior diamond, it has been misgraded or misrepresented. SIMPLE AS THAT.

The next time you get offered a cheap diamond or cheap gold ask your self WHY.

Michael Cohen

Diamond Certification Laboratory of Australia
Suite 1, Level 1
133 Castlereagh Street
Sydney, 2000
Tel: 02 9261 2104
Fax: 02 9261 4263
http://www.dcla.com.au
info@dcla.com.au

Some diamond merchants will offer what they term “In house appraisals/certificates” in an attempt to justify the color/clarity grade, as well as the dimensions and characteristics of their loose diamonds. These reports are analogous to the fox guarding the hen-house and will not provide you with any guarantees on the accuracy of the purported diamond color or clarity grades. Additionally,this type of an “appraisal” may very well be inflated causing you to pay higher premiums than is justified.

Independent Grading Laboratories

You should always insist on certified diamonds that have been graded by an independent and unbiased grading lab. This kind of certification is the only way to confirm that you are getting what you paid for with the size, color, clarity, dimensions, and properties of the loose diamonds.

Are all Independent Grading Laboratories Created Equal?

The answer is an emphatic NO!

There are Independent Diamond Grading Laboratories out there whose grading standards, criterion, and competence are lacking. These laboratories are known for routinely grading diamonds at 1-2 Color/Clarity grades higher than actually warranted. You are paying “more” for “less”.