Perfect "fake diamonds" threatens global trade

The daily newspapers are reporting a new fraude in the diamond
industry. Be warned! 

I read a story in the paper that said the world’s gonna end on
December 21st, so really the whole thing is moot.

Dave Phelps

As for "perfect" fake diamonds? 

Something about this phrase “perfect fake” rubs me the wrong way. I
recall my first day in GIA, when instructor said that there are no
perfect fakes. There are always some differences and it is job of
gemologist to find it. I have been thinking about it and I believe
that we do not have to accept the premise of perfect fake diamonds.

We do know that these diamonds are type IIa. While direct
differentiation requires sophisticated equipment, we can use some
common gemological tools to see whether diamonds under suspicion
warrant further analysis. Type IIa is actually a very significant
piece of

A short review of diamond types: There are basically type I and type
II diamonds. They are subdivided into sub-types, but for this
situation all we need to know is that type I diamonds have nitrogen
as impurity, which shows on spectra as what is known as Cape Line. It
is dark line at 415.5 nm and can be detected even with hand-held
spectrometer. Type I has other spectral lines but Cape is the most
distinctive. So if we have diamonds that we suspect, the first thing
is to check spectra. No line at 415.5 means type II. We also do not
have to worry about type IIb, because these have distinct blue hue.

So if we have colorless stone and no Cape line, it has to be type
IIa. The next step is to see whether it is natural or lab-grown. In
general, type IIa were formed at great temperature and pressure. Most
of them use to come from Golconda mines. We are talking about
geological region created when two huge land masses collided forming
Himalayan mountain range. Diamonds from that location have twisted
crystalline structure. In some cases deformity is so large that
diamond start absorbing part of spectra and such diamonds are known
as fancies. Some diamonds are white and due to absence of nitrogen
they are incredibly clear, more so than type I. Nevertheless, there
is always some misalignment of crystalline structure, which can be
detected with polariscope. Even better is to attach photographic
polaroid filter to the bottom of microscope and use another filter on
top of light source underneath. It make microscope into very
sophisticated polariscope, which allows to detect even minute strain
in crystals. if stone does not exhibit any strain, it would point out
to very likely possibility that diamond was lab-grown (we know that
these fakes grown by CVD process).

Of course at this point, services of gemological lab should be
engaged to confirm our findings.

Leonid Surpin

Hello Lisa,

Did anyone mention the possible sizes of the lab-grown diamonds?

As far as I remember, they (the newspapers) have been talking about
0.30 carats. For My country this the most wanted (bigger) size people
buy other then melee’s.

BTW, my excuses to Mr Balmer for pronouncing his name incorrectly in
my previous article.

Have fun and enjoy
Pedro

I read a story in the paper that said the world's gonna end on
December 21st, so really the whole thing is moot. 

They still going on about that rubbish?

According to the Mayan calendar the end of the world happened
sometime in 2011, we must have missed it :smiley:

The confusion arose because we use a Julian calendar, not a Mayan
calendar.

I’ve got to admit that, if this is the after life, I’m feeling a bit
ripped off :smiley:

Regards Charles A.

Hello Mr Palmer,

You keep saying "fakes."

I’m not saying that they are fakes, the newspapers are presenting it
this way. Let me know if you want a copy, I’ll be glad to pass it on
and then you can read it yourself. …after translating it yourself

This is what I wrote, literaly translated from the original message.

Perfect “fake diamonds” threatens global trade. The Antwerp court is
investigating a scam with “synthetic diamonds” that threatens the
global diamond trade and mistrust can raise anyone who buys jewelry.

Please, don’t shoot the messenger.

Have fun and enjoy
Pedro

Has anyone mentioned the real value of lab grown diamond being a
threat to the silicone chip in your tech devices rather than the
massive investment in your diamond jewelry inventory ? I think
diamond computer chips are the real priority behind the C. V.D.
process.- goo

You keep saying "fakes." I'm not saying that they are fakes, the
newspapers are presenting it this way. 

You did report it that way initially, but have continued to write
messages which indicate that you accept the newspapers’ nonsense as
gospel. Please review your own posts.

Al Balmer
Pine City, NY

Hi, have you people looked at the Genesys “yellow” lab grown
diamonds ? And it is said in Russia there are also growing big
diamonds, it is a reality. Thor Hedderich

Did anyone mention the possible sizes of the lab-grown diamonds? 

Not yet, but it’s easy to find. One carat sizes appear to be
routine, and two carat stones are available. Chathams’s website is
interesting. Various colors are available, as well.

Al Balmer
Pine City, NY

And on the science front: Diamond film has been made from tequila.
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep7zsk 

This is fascinating. Does anyone know how thick the film could be
made? Has anyone reported diamond film in nature?

Has anyone mentioned the real value of lab grown diamond being a
threat to the silicone chip in your tech devices 

I doubt that silicon chips feel threatened. Our computers haven’t
developed that human trait yet :slight_smile: It does look like diamond will be
the next semiconductor of choice for high-speed computing.

An update to an earlier post - Gemesis makes gem-quality synthetic
diamonds to at least 3 carats.

Al Balmer
Pine City, NY

Hi everyone although I am a novice when i see the “Fake” Diamond
subject I get a little miffed. Here’s the thing, the Real Diamonds
have been responsible for Greed, And Avarice (DeBeers) yeah I said
it. The only Cartel thatowns Airplane Hangers of Diamonds who hoards
them, Hording Diamonds from the people who make less than a $1 a day
to mine them in dangerous conditions, the Blood on Diamonds from
people lost to Mine accidents, or torture blood on Diamonds for
countless wars and weapons. Death and poverty for thosewho risk it
all that can’t even enjoy their own labor IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. ALL
of which is only a single step above slavery.

When people argue about Humane treatment of Animals I get nostalgic
Thine the Diamonds rich priveleged women are given to flaunt and
make all others feel inferior. I was told by a Diamond Dealer if
DeBeers opened its warehouses and stopped manipulating the market
that Diamonds are so plentifulthey could be bought for pennies on
the dollar. I believe it. DeBeers Sued Apollo Diamond and lost. You
can’t hold a natural product hostage from the country it is mined in
you aren’t supposed to pay the people who risk their lives getting
the natural product OUT OF THE GROUND for you a sub-standard wage.
How dare anyone fault a manufacturer for creating a HUMANE DIAMONDe?

I for one applaud them. As for “The Girls’ Best Friend” the
historyof Violence, Guns bought with Diamonds, and Blood on the
shiny objects of desire, that come out of the ground looking so ugly
you wonder what the hell !?! warrants the need for a new type of
substitute. Finally Apollo created one of several types of the
technology so they could make micro chips / motherboards for
computers with a diamond substrate that would outlast other
computers.

Apollo didn’t go out to put DeBeers out of business (I read about
the Linares Family) the founders of the Apollo Lab Created Diamond,
although they recieved well placed death threats regarding the
propagation of the product. the other company Gemesis that produces
Lab Diamonds did it before Apollo. Gemesis --more power to you. My
thinking is they all should lower their prices Lab cultured or
Natural it’s over inflated and the profitsare for the elite. The
Harry Winstons, DeBeers, Cartiers etc. Apollo andGemesis as well.
The prices the aforementioned companies charge should beillegal
given the abundance of the stone in nature. Furthermore, the PROFITS
DON’T GO TO THE MINERS, they sit in the bank accounts in the
Caymans, or Bermuda, or Banc Swisse wherever in the pockets of rich
little men, and Diamond brokers on West 47th Street. Any one who
knows should TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL or are you all going
to ignore the truth?

sabra

Hello,

You did report it that way initially, but have continued to write
messages which indicate that you accept the newspapers' nonsense
as gospel. Please review your own posts.

I never wrote my opinion about what I think concerning the diamonds,
that is one. Second, you don’t know me to declair - world around btw -
what I accept. I copy the headline of that article without changing
it and that’s all, nothing more an nothing less. If you understand it
different, well that’s your problem not mine Third, tell the
newspapers yourself that they are writting quote “nonsense as gospel”
unquote, I don’t have the time for this kind of childisch behaviour.
You’ll be quite busy, there are many of theme writing the same quote
“nonsense” unquote.

And as last, if you don’t like me or my articles well thas ok. I
don’t have a problem with that. To my opinion, comparing a tiny coat
of diamonds on a pan of 20 dollars is far more different then
selling whatever kind of 0.30 ct diamonds for big money! Now excuse
me, I have far more important things to do.

Have fun and enjoy
Pedro

Any one who knows should TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL or are
you all going to ignore the truth? 

Maybe you should also read the truth about De Beers. I don’t agree
with all they do but I feel they are an easy target because they are
a wealthy company. I think you should look up how much they have
given to AIDS research, hospitals and schools. Why don’t you go ask
the mine workers what they would do if De Beers was not there.
Starve I would guess. Why don’t we hate Microsoft, they make us buy
new computers by outdating the old ones. You don’t have to buy
diamonds, but in today’s world you have to buy computers. Look around
you the world is full of tyrants, look at the money that went to
Haiti, and then look at how much went to the people. Shameful.

Bill Wismar

Has anyone mentioned the real value of lab grown diamond being a
threat to the silicone chip in your tech devices rather than the
massive investment in your diamond jewelry inventory ? I think
diamond computer chips are the real priority behind the C. V. D.
process.

We have a winner!

It was my understanding the funding for the development of grown
diamonds came from the US Government and GE to make affordable large
diamonds for super computers that would not heat up like crystals and
silicone. The fact that the diamonds were of such high quality and
could be cut/used for jewelry and grown for color was a side effect
that was not anticipated. By now every country/government is in on it
with uses for tech toys we cannot imagine. I believe Russia was also
involved in early development, possibly before the US. The stories go
that some of them are so good they have fooled world experts/labs and
lives have been threatened when someone produced a pocketful of 5
carat D Flawless rounds to show it was not a fluke.

As Leonid Surpin pointed out, a knowledgeable person would know what
to look for when something appears too good.

Synthetic may translate into ‘fake’ in some languages. There are
funnier translations!

Charlie

This for some reason reminds me of the story about Cartier’s
purchase of their building on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. They traded
a double string of pearls which were valued at $1.2 million back in
1915 for a mansion on the corner of 5th Ave and 52nd. Cartier still
owns and occupies that building, but the pearls were sold at auction
in 1957 for $170,000.

The cultured pearl process was invented and that’s what happened to
the price of pearls.

I can see the writing on the “diamonds” wall. And frankly, since the
prices of diamonds has been artificially controlled by a cartel for
so long it seems somewhat karmic after all.

For some of us this may be a very good thing and for some of us not
so much. But change is sure to happen.

Just my opinion of course. Time will tell.

The stories go that some of them are so good they have fooled world
experts/labs and lives have been threatened when someone produced a
pocketful of 5 carat D Flawless rounds to show it was not a fluke. 

The “give away” for me would be someone walking in with a 5 carat
flawless diamond. If it looks to good to be true. …

Question. can they make non-flwless diamonds? Far more issues with
those as folk would be less likely to look too closely at a gem which
has inclusions. because most of the them do. Engineering types tend
toward the flawless I would think and may have missed the boat on
really crippling the market with stones less than great.

Objects in great condition raise eyebrows. ones of the “normal
expected” variety do not.

Ric Furrer
Sturgeon Bay, WI

Question. can they make non-flwless diamonds? Far more issues with
those as folk would be less likely to look too closely at a gem
which has inclusions. because most of the them do. Engineering
types tend toward the flawless I would think and may have missed
the boat on really crippling the market with stones less than
great. 

If you go to http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep7zsv you will see that
lab grown diamonds come in a range of colors and clarity. While some
are quite nice I did not see anything on their current offering
better than an E VVS2 or much larger than 1ct. Predominately their
“white” diamonds are more in the GHI color range and clarities range
from VVS1 to SI3. So at least from this vendor they are not
“flawless” diamonds some look fairly nice and some average for gem
grade stones.

James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

I think diamond computer chips are the real priority behind the C.
V. D. process.

I am curious - do diamond computer chips sparkle and shine? If so,
it raises the amusing thought that it could be worn and the circuitry
and content of the diamond chip could far exceed the
ornamental value.

Hi Ric,

The "give away" for me would be someone walking in with a 5 carat
flawless diamond. If it looks to good to be true. .. Question. can
they make non-flwless diamonds? Far more issues with those as folk
would be less likely to look too closely at a gem which has
inclusions. because most of the them do. Engineering types tend
toward the flawless I would think and may have missed the boat on
really crippling the market with stones less than great. 

These days diamonds can be made flawless, or they can be made as a
simulant (a diamond with forced inclusions). Any carbon source can
be processed into a diamond (in fact I intend to be processed in to
several diamonds when my time comes).

There are a couple of reasons to make flawless diamonds, and the
applications are mainly industrial.

The reason to make simulants is to challenge the stranglehold held
by De Beers, I would think, and possibly to ride the high price
created by De Beers,

Diamonds are a very common stone, and the “problem” of simulants
wouldn’t exist if the price of diamonds wasn’t artificially held
high (imo).

Regards Charles A.