New Tech Identifies Fancy Colored Lab Growns
March 06, 24
(IDEX Online) - Technology developed by the IGI lab can now definitively identify lab grown fancy colored diamonds from their natural counterparts.
It says most screening devices use photoluminescence to successfully distinguish colorless stones.
But they can't cope with colored lab growns, which are often treated with irradiation, heat and pressure, which alter their fluorescence and phosphorescence.
IGI (International Gemological Institute) says that after extensive study, it has established a common set of procedures for each color category.
Using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infra Red) Spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and other advanced techniques FTIR and photoluminescence spectroscopy, it says it can now separate fancy-colored natural diamonds from lab-growns, whether loose, in parcels, or mounted in jewelry.
"We had a few cases in recent times where there has been a contamination of natural fancy-colored pink diamonds mixed with lab-grown pink diamonds," said Tehmasp Printer, CEO of IGI.
"We strive to ensure that consumers have the right to accurate and authentic information about the diamonds they are purchasing."
Pic shows a raman spectrometer, used for non-destructive chemical analysis, at IGI.