According to a GIA statement, the ‘mounted gem testing device’ will have the ability to test diamonds weighing 0.005 carats and greater with D to Z colour.
The system uses ‘advanced’ spectroscopic technology and is said to identify simulants as well as whether a stone might be synthetic or treated. Those under suspicion of a synthetic or treated nature would be required to undergo further testing in order to receive confirmation.
The device, designed to be used in-house by jewellers, was developed to tackle industry concerns about undisclosed synthetic diamonds being inadvertently sold to consumers.
GIA president and CEO Susan Jacques said the machine was expected to increase confidence within the trade, including jewellery retailers.
“This new instrument is the culmination of more than 60 years of GIA research into synthetic diamonds and will give the trade – including retail jewellers – the ability to have immediate confidence in their diamonds,” Jacques explained.
The GIA also confirmed the organisation was conducting additional research and development so the device could identify natural pink diamonds and other materials.
As previously reported by Jeweller, a number of synthetic diamond detection systems have been developed in the past few years; however, they focused on loose stones as supposed to those set in jewellery.
The GIA statement noted that the device would be available in late 2017 at a price that was “accessible to the trade”. The machine has been described as an “easy-to-operate, sophisticated desktop instrument”.
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