History
In 1982, Zvi Yehuda, a famous Israeli Scientist, discovered a way to enhance the appearance of diamonds by inserting a microscopic amount of a clear glass-like material into a feather of a diamond. The material has the same optical properties as the diamond. When light travels through the stone the light flows through the material just as through a diamond. When light tries to travel through a feather that has not been enhanced, the light hits the feather and refracts in different directions, which is why we see the feather. It is much like when we get a crack in a windshield. The material is so light and microscopic that even the GIA has said it adds ZERO weight to a diamond.
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Wear and Tear
Normal wear and tear can not harm clarity enhanced diamonds. However, if the diamond is exposed to high heat or strong acids the enhancement can come out. Ultrasonic cleaning, steam cleaning, or boiling water will not affect the enhancement. It should be cleaned like any other gemstone, with water and soap or non-Ammonia jewelry cleaner. The same jewelry cleaner that is OK for pearls is ok for enhanced diamonds. Only direct heat of a torch or strong acids can damage the treatment.
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How to Detect
ENHANCEMENT
The best way is by looking for the "Flash Effect". This can be seen under normal 10x loop magnification. The flash effect is a vivid color flash where there has been treatment. Bright pink is the most common followed by a very vivid blue. This effect is best seen when rocking the diamond back and forth.
Sometimes a black background can help you see the flashes better. To be truly sure a diamond is filled, best to send it to a lab. Professional Gem Sciences in Chicago is a very inexpensive, fast, reliable lab for detecting filled stones. I use them often. PGS lab: 312-920-1541
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Misleading Inclusions in Unfilled Diamonds
Sometimes an untreated thin feather can display an iridescent range of colors. However, this tends to be more of a rainbow effect where filled diamonds are more one solid vivid color. Also, the flash effect in filled stones is usually seen when looking parallel to the break, whereas natural iridescent colors from a feather in an unfilled diamond are seen best when the viewing angle is perpendicular to the break.
Natural brown stains in diamonds may be confusing, but remember they need to flash a vivid color to be filled.
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PRICING?
If a you need to APPRAISE a clarity enhanced diamond, try to figure about 40% off of what the price would be if the diamond was not treated. If you see a lot of flash to the eye you might need to decrease the value 50% and conversely if the enhancement is almost undetectable and the diamond is stunning, then 35% less might be closer to the appropriate value.
The cost of having a diamond clarity
enhanced is very cheap!!
It should only cost you $40-$70. Many jewelers are scared to sell or work with clarity enhanced diamonds because they are worried about the filling coming out. So what? If it comes out it is super cheap to re-fill it. Also most dealers of CE diamonds will re-fill it for free.
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