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 Post subject: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 10:56 pm 
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This is a repost taken from Bonnie Wolff's Facebook Post
Thought you all might like to read it

INTRA-LABORATORY ALERT
Undisclosed submissions of colorless to near-colorless
CVD synthetic diamonds to IGI
Dear Colleagues,
During the past weeks, a few hundreds of CVD synthetic diamonds were submitted to
IGI laboratories in Antwerp and Mumbai, with the clear aim to have these man-made
diamonds certified as natural diamonds.
In each case the synthetics had very similar characteristics and may therefore have
had a common origin. IGI readily identified these as synthetic diamonds.
The purpose of this lab alert is to warn members of the gemological community, and
urge them to be particularly vigilant.
The CVD synthetics submitted in unusually large numbers were as follows:
Mostly F to J Color, Clarity VVS – VS. Internal characteristics were feathers,
pinpoints, small dark crystals. The inclusions are strikingly similar to natural
inclusions, hence, microscopic observation is insufficient to conclude.
Sizes ranged from 0.30 ct to 0.70 ct.
Polish, Symmetry and Cut were either “Excellent” or “Very Good”.
Bruted or faceted girdles.
They were all type IIa and were referred as such by DiamondSure.
When tested using DiamondPlus all the synthetics gave a “refer CVD” result.
When viewed in DiamondView they showed bluish green fluorescence and blue
phosphorescence, with characteristic striations.
The synthetics showed moderately strong photoluminescence from H3 and
nitrogen-vacancy optical centres (zero-phonon lines at 503 nm and 575/637 nm
respectively).
They also exhibited photoluminescence at 737 nm that is attributed to siliconvacancy
centres.
Absence of any laser inscription.
Due to the recent volumes of man-made stones submitted, IGI management decided to
liaise and consult with the Belgian Federation of Diamond Bourses (BFDB), DTC
Research, and the AWDC. Additionally, IGI decided to share detailed scientific
information with other gemological laboratories around the world, as we now suspect
that the volumes of colorless synthetic diamonds being released on the global markets
have increased noticeably, and may perhaps already be prevalent throughout the
diamond centres.
Trading in misrepresented or undisclosed products, whether inadvertently or not, could
cause irreparable damage to the industry’s reputation. Furthermore, such irresponsible
practices could undermine the integrity of the diamond supply chain, damaging both
trade and consumer confidence.
These recent events emphasize the importance of having ready access to methods for
detecting synthetics. Parcels of stones containing unusually high proportions of type
IIa’s should be treated with particular caution.
In most cases we know of, the parties who submitted these stones to IGI purchased
these undisclosed synthetics at prices that were equivalent to prices of natural
diamonds.
CVD synthetic diamonds are undetectable when using only traditional diamantaires’
tools such as loupes and microscopes. Therefore, gemologists’ expertise is of
paramount importance.
All 18 IGI labs worldwide have the ability to detect synthetic diamonds as well as all
diamond treatments. Gemological laboratories like IGI are continuously being
challenged due to rapidly evolving technologies. The laboratories’ role in preventing
undisclosed man-made materials from being traded as natural stones is therefore
taking on an increasingly vital role.

This is a repost from Bonnie Wolff
Thanks for the Alert Bonnie

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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Tue May 22, 2012 10:58 pm 
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I hope IGI had the balls to contact the dealers and cutters and bar them from using their labs for 5 years and I hope IGI also sent the vendors names to a Central Watch List Data Base that all Labs can access so that all labs could and should void doing business with those cutters and vendors. This is the only way to stop this crap from happening. Nip it in the bud now!!!

And if such a data base is not currently in place then it needs to be formed now and until then send those names of vendors and cutters to each lab by direct email.


I hope all of my gemological and appraiser friends and colleagues will take an In-Dept Synthetic Diamond Detection class to learn the Tell-Tale Signs that will raise the Red Flag when looking at diamonds and I also hope you all will refer to my very simple and easy article on how to convert your microscope to that it can become a Polarized Microscope as that will help you in detecting Synthetic Diamonds. Also learn how to test diamonds for U.V. Transparency as that is another detection tool.
Please get educated and stay current.

Diamond Cutters and Diamond Dealers should be required by law to test their material (Diamonds) before passing them along the supply line/chain and they should also be required to sign a legal binding document that they accept full responsibility that the material (Diamonds) are Natural and Not Synthetic!!!
There is no excuse for ignorance in this day and age!!!
If you don’t know what you are cutting and polishing and or selling then you should not be in the business.
It’s that simple and that direct.

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La Shawn Bauer, G, G, GG, ASG/AGA, CGL/AGA, CGL/IJO, CDG/IJO, RMV, CM/NAJA



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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Wed May 23, 2012 10:24 am 
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Here are a couple tools which may be useful in light of these events:
-SSEF Diamond-Type Spotter
-Portable Longwave/Shortwave UV Lamp (UVP)

This will tell you whether or not you have a potential CVD diamond. Most diamonds produced by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are Type IIa (Colorless and Near Colorless and a few pinks), therefore, if you have a diamond that tests positive, more tests are needed. Such as, determining the nature of the inclusions.
Side note: Blue CVD Diamonds are type IIB.
-JCK's article on identifying CVD Synthetic Diamonds


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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Wed May 23, 2012 11:52 am 
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I’m currently in the process of putting together a photo essay article and Step-by-Step Instructions on how you can build your own L.W. / S.W. U.V. Diamond Transparency Detection tool for under $100.00
Yes!!! Under a Hundred Dollars, U.S.
It is very, VERY EASY!!!! Just about anyone can build it with simple hand tools.
I’m sure I will make a lot of people very, very, mad, upset and unhappy for showing you how to do this on the cheap.
OH WELL!!!

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La Shawn Bauer, G, G, GG, ASG/AGA, CGL/AGA, CGL/IJO, CDG/IJO, RMV, CM/NAJA



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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Thu May 24, 2012 9:58 am 
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Below is the actual trade alert from IGI
Clik on the link if you can not read it directly
http://www.diamonds.net/News/FilesRep/D ... 0Alert.pdf
[pdfview]http://www.diamonds.net/News/FilesRep/Docs/IGI%20Trade%20Alert.pdf[/pdfview]


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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Thu May 24, 2012 12:53 pm 
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complete news :?


Synthetics Specifically ‘Made to Defraud’ - Antwerp IGI Lab Discovers over 600 Undisclosed Synthetic :
Quote:
It started in New York. A respected diamond merchant bought in the market a parcel containing about 1,000 of what he believed were – and were offered as – natural polished diamonds in sizes ranging from 0.30 carats to 0.70 carats. The colors ranged from F to J – colorless or near-colorless. They were of high quality and the buyer decided to submit the stones to the IGI laboratory in Antwerp for certification.....

read the rest of the article: http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/English ... ign=en_121

The Mystery of Two Gemesis Companies Under One Hat
Quote:
The alert by the DTC to its sightholders notes that the undisclosed synthetic diamonds submitted to the IGI and other labs have characteristics similar to known Gemesis laboratory-grown materials, a conclusion based mostly on scientific literature. Diamond Intelligence Briefs has therefore made an effort to investigate whether, for all practical purposes, it could be possible that non-disclosed polished made from Gemesis-grown synthetics could be available in the market. Our investigation led us in strange directions. Chaim Even-Zohar’s report follows:.....

read the rest of the article: http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/English ... ign=en_121

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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Thu May 24, 2012 5:59 pm 
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WOW!!!!

Thanks Roshanravan for the up-date and for the other articles that you posted

It was an interesting read and the more you read the stranger and scarier it got.

Everyone is asleep at the wheel and asleep at the switch.

And to think this is just the Tip of the Nasty Iceberg that will instantly become a World-Wide Nightmare because currently there is no way for large scale mass-detection and testing for melee diamonds under 1/4 ct (0.25ct.) The costs are currently prohibitive to make it economically feasible.

This New Nightmare that we have only once just talked about amongst ourselves within the trade has now materialized and it will make “BLOOD DIAMONDS / CONFLICT DIAMONDS” look like a simple walk in the park!!

The Consumers are going to be pissed beyond belief!! Once they catch wind of this and believe you me I’m sure the New York Times and other news papers have already been alerted along with the major T.V. News programs and investigative reports and we will now have to play defensive and apply damage control instead of having the foresight to have had clear cut plans in place because we all knew this was coming 25+ years ago and the jewelry industry sat on their lazy ass and did absolutely nothing to prepare for this eventuality. We all knew in advance. It was a matter of when it would happen and not if it would happen.

Why is it the Jewelry Industry continues to repeatedly shoot itself in the foot over and over again?
EPIC FAIL !!!

Therefore as of today (05-2012) All melee diamonds are basically suspect Synthetic Diamonds and should be treated and classified as such. The point is moot because the supply line / supply chain has become infected and there is no way what-so-ever to calculate the amount of infiltration of Synthetic melee has already been dumped into the diamond market and into the consumer market. Spot sampling to reassure the consumer or retailer or wholesaler is a BIG SICK JOKE!!!

Now the other side of the coin!!!

All of the Large Gem / Diamond Grading Labs are having a private party and High Fiving one another because now once the public gets wind of this NO ONE will be able to sell a diamond over 1/4 ct. (0.25ct) without a Diamond Grading Report to prove that it is NATURAL and NOT SYNTHETIC.
Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Lab Reports will instantly now be needed just to sell any diamond over a 1/4 ct. (0.25ct.)

Think about it the Labs are now assured permanent job security, additional increased workload and demand for the foreseeable future.
This will be like a Year Round Christmas Bonanza for them.

This is a total mess and once more the Jewelry industry will bury their heads in the sand and spew forth calming words saying that everything is under control and everything is just fine. Yeah and I have a very famous bridge I can sell to you real cheap.

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La Shawn Bauer, G, G, GG, ASG/AGA, CGL/AGA, CGL/IJO, CDG/IJO, RMV, CM/NAJA



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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 10:32 am 
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obviously that had to happen

by the way, concerning synthetic CVD diamond types, these are mainly type IIa and some type IIb have been produced by doping with boron. However, I guess type Ib could also be produced by doping with nitrogen, right?
And as I mentionned in a thread I just opened, HPHT annealing treatment can be used to convert type Ib into type Ia.

So I wouldn't be surprised if in the future synthetic HPHT and synthetic CVD diamonds of all types (Ia, Ib, IIa and IIb) would be encountered. Your opinion?


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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 10:45 am 
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Have you thought about running this by Tom Chatham?
I'm sure he can answer these questions with authority.


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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 10:56 am 
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Lashawn, Barbra, et al,

What do you think about the Diamond Spotter by SSEF? Is it a reliable tool and would it be helpful in this case? http://www.ssef.ch/products/ssef-instru ... d-spotter/

Thanks

J-

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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 11:00 am 
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Hola Jason,

the spotter is useful to discriminate IIa and the even rarer IaAB from other diamond types, those 2 are transparent to SWUW wavelenght. i'd say in this case it could be useful in combination with UV reaction observation as explained in the articles above.
ciao
albé

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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 11:03 am 
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Barbra, can you send me a pm with Tom Chatham email?


Last edited by cascaillou on Fri May 25, 2012 11:07 am, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 11:06 am 
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Hi Alberto,

Thank you! I am curious, would the spotter be useful on melee or is it designed for larger stones?

J-

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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 11:14 am 
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definitely made for larger stones................ i tested even 5 points but wasn't easy at all.................an alternative (far more expensive, around 1900 euros) is the Comdiam D-screen which can test even 1 point stone..... maybe i'm wrong but i read recently a post by LaShawn where he said he would soon post a description of a DIY spotter which could go for less than 100$............. however, all those machines are NOT rocket science: the stone must be placed in the middle between an SWUV source and a SWUV reacting material. If the material will react that means SWUW were able to pass the stone........... so you have a IIa or IaAB stone.....

ciao
albé

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 Post subject: Re: CVD Synthetic Diamond Alert
PostPosted: Fri May 25, 2012 11:41 am 
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have a look to this brilliant and very cheap method described By Christopher Breeding in the nice article "The "type" classification system of diamonds ans its importance in gemology", G&G - summer 2009.

Image

ciao
albé

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