In their natural form, diamonds often undergo treatments to enhance their appearance and appeal to buyers. These methods are common in the jewellery industry and help improve a diamond’s color, clarity, and sparkle. Treated diamonds can be a budget-friendly choice, but it’s important to understand the processes behind these treatments to make a smart decision. In this blog, we’ll discuss the types of diamond treatments, their advantages, drawbacks, and how they affect a diamond’s value and durability.
What Are Diamond Treatments?
The term “diamond treatments” describes a variety of procedures and methods used to improve the general quality, color, and look of diamonds. These procedures, which have been used for many years in the diamond industry, are meant to enhance a diamond’s aesthetic appeal. It’s crucial to remember that not all diamonds are treated and that treated and natural, untreated diamonds can be found in the same market.
Types of Diamond Treatments
Let’s understand some treatments used to enhance the diamonds
Clarity Treatment
Let’s start with the clarity treatments that are used to enhance the clarity of the diamond:
Fracture Filling
Fracture filling is the most popular method for improving a diamond’s clarity by injecting molten leaded glass-like material into its fractures. These characteristics can be successfully concealed by fracture filling of surface-reaching cracks. A customer who unintentionally breaks a diamond might potentially profit from it. With the right maintenance, the treatment can endure for years, but frequent jewellery repairs or frequent cleanings with steam, acid, or ultrasonics can harm the filling. It may be possible to retrench the filler if it melts and leaks out. The filler cannot be turned colorless again if it turns dark. A diamond may appear more appealing with fracture filling, although its hue may be somewhat diminished.
Benefits– affordable method to treat minor flaws.
Drawbacks- The filled material may degrade overtime while getting exposed to heat and chemicals.
Laser Drilling
By drilling a tiny hole at the location of a dark-looking inclusion, diamond makers can use lasers to brighten or remove it. To further lighten the inclusion, the treater may use bleach or acid, or the laser may cause the inclusion to evaporate. Although the laser drill hole is regarded as a clarity attribute, laser drilling can increase the marketability of contained diamonds. Foreign material may fill the drill hole, making it more noticeable. Since the drill hole cannot be removed, laser drilling is regarded as a permanent procedure. The diamond may occasionally be fracture-filled after drilling.
Benefit- Permanent enhancement of clarity.
Drawbacks- The drill marks can be seen under magnification.
Color Treatments
Let’s move forward to understand the color treatments:
High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) Treatment
Diamonds undergoing HPHT treatment, as the name implies, are subjected to high pressure and high temperatures in order to alter color. HPHT Diamonds with a slightly brown tint can be rendered colorless with HPHT, which is usually a more desirable diamond appearance. HPHT can also be used to produce diamonds in yellow, green, pink, orange, and blue.
Benefit- Permanent and stable color improvement
Drawbacks- Degrade the resale value as compared to untreated diamonds.
Irradiation
Diamonds are exposed to regulated radiation levels during an irradiation treatment, which changes their natural color to a “fancy” hue such as pink, yellow, blue, brown, or green. Because fancy-colored diamonds are scarce and can be costly, this treatment is valuable. However, irradiated diamonds are usually less expensive than identical fancy diamonds without treatment.
Benefit- Ideal for crafting fancy and unique color diamonds
Drawbacks- Some irradiations may fail to last long due to heat and sunlight.
Annealing
The process of annealing involves subjecting a diamond to extreme heat in order to alter its color. Annealing can alter a diamond’s color and create fancy-colored diamonds, just like irradiation does. Diamonds that have undergone annealing can be brown, orange, pink, red, purple, black, or yellow.
Benefit- The color treatment is permanent
Drawbacks- But still change color if not maintained and exposed to extreme heat.
Coating
Diamonds can be coated with a very thin layer of various substances, such as chemicals or polymers. The coating type depends on the intended outcome. Blue coatings will reduce the gems’ yellowish tint. However, it should be mentioned that this technique leaves the stone open to being damaged or removed entirely with regular use.
Benefit- Affordable and can be reversed to the original color
Drawbacks- Not a permanent treatment and requires extra care
How to Identify Treated Diamonds?
Here are some key indicators that can identify treated diamonds:
Testing- Jewellers use advanced technology to test the treatment of diamonds like irradiation or HPHT processes.
Certification- While purchasing a diamond ask for a certification from a reputable gemological laboratory like IGI or GIA. These reports include every detail about the diamond whether treated or not.
Visible Characteristics– Treatments like fracture filling and laser drilling may leave some marks that can be visible to the naked eye, this allows you to identify the diamond is treated.
Are Treated Diamonds Worth It?
Treated diamonds are an affordable option without compromising on brilliance and appearance, but you need to understand the limitations that they carry:
Resale Value- Treated diamonds possess a lower resale value than untreated diamonds.
Durability- Treatments like fracture filling are not that much durable and carry visible inclusions when you carefully examine them.
Maintenance- Treated diamonds demand for extra care and high maintenance to cheer upon the shine and sparkle.
Caring for Treated Diamonds
To maintain the brilliance, clarity, and color of the treated diamonds, follow the below mentioned tips:
Regular Inspections- To ensure the treatment remains intact, visit a professional jeweller who has a good understanding of all the treatments and get it checked periodically.
Avoid Extreme Conditions- If your diamond is treated with coatings or fracture filling, avoid exposing it to direct sunlight, extreme heat, and chemicals.
Gentle Cleaning- Avoid any harsh chemicals and rough cleaning on your treated diamonds.
Ethical and Environmental Aspects
Treated diamonds, especially lab-grown diamonds, are usually more eco-friendly and ethical than mined diamonds. Since no extra mining is needed, they have a smaller impact on the environment. Plus, treated diamonds reuse stones that might otherwise be wasted, making them a sustainable choice.
Conclusion
We hope the above information will help you understand every important aspect of treated diamonds. So, before purchasing them keep all the facts and relevant information in mind and shop the best one for yourself.
