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Clarity Enhanced Diamonds

Started by Coalette, Feb 03 2005 10:14 AM

2 replies to this topic

#1 Coalette

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Posted 03 February 2005 - 10:14 AM

Hello,

My boyfriend and I are looking around right now and pricing diamonds. I would like bewteen 1.25-1.60 ct (I know such a long range huh?) and we are realizing wow pricey! ;) But anyways, we have seen articles about clarity enhanced diamonds and basically we would like more information on them. And what better place to get more info than here right? I really do not know where to begin asking questions on this kind of diamond..

1. Are they really that horrible like a cz?
2. Is it better to just save your money and get the real deal?
3. To the naked eye can you really tell it is clarity enhanced?
4. Any concerns to watch for with these type of diamonds (besides the heat factor)?
5. When they say the CE diamond is certified by GIA is that true?
6. How do jewelers REALLY feel about CE diamonds?

7. Any really good websites out there for diamonds where you can buy and look at the actual diamond?

If you have anything else I guess I should know about please add!! Thanks

#2 jan

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Posted 03 February 2005 - 10:43 AM

A diamond that has been filled or clarity enhanced is usually a diamond with a surface fracture that is commonly in the lower included clarity grades. The value of diamonds in the included grades usually don't appreciate over the years. I would say that it would be better to get a smaller diamond of better quality than a larger stone that is clarity enhanced. I think it would be hard for a layman to know if the stone is clarity enhanced or not. Knowledgable jewelers can usually tell by looking at the stone under magnification. Most are laser inscribed. Buy a stone with a GIA or AGS lab report, they don't grade filled diamonds.
If you did purchase one, you would want to be careful when cleaning it or it can make the filling come out.
We don't carry the clarity enhanced diamonds. We do actually have all our diamonds listed in house though and have clients that come in to view them in person before purchasing a stone. We also sell them online with an inspection period.
Jan
For those that want to know the truth about diamonds, just ask.

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#3 Rhino

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Posted 03 February 2005 - 02:56 PM

Coalette, on Feb 3 2005, 01:14 PM, said:

Hello,

My boyfriend and I are looking around right now and pricing diamonds. I would like bewteen 1.25-1.60 ct (I know such a long range huh?) and we are realizing wow pricey! :) But anyways, we have seen articles about clarity enhanced diamonds and basically we would like more information on them. And what better place to get more info than here right? I really do not know where to begin asking questions on this kind of diamond..

1. Are they really that horrible like a cz?
2. Is it better to just save your money and get the real deal?
3. To the naked eye can you really tell it is clarity enhanced?
4. Any concerns to watch for with these type of diamonds (besides the heat factor)?
5. When they say the CE diamond is certified by GIA is that true?
6. How do jewelers REALLY feel about CE diamonds?

7. Any really good websites out there for diamonds where you can buy and look at the actual diamond?

If you have anything else I guess I should know about please add!! Thanks
Hi Coalette,

Thanks for your post and questions. Jan's answers are right on so I'll just add my .02c. :)

1. Are they really that horrible like a cz?

No. Actually it really depends on how much enhancement was done to the diamond in question. Some enhancement is minor and impossible to detect with the human eye. I've also seen so much filling done to the stone that it looks WORSE than a CZ. If the latter is the case I'd recommend a CZ over a CE. :blink: Just to clarify though ... a CZ is a fake while a CE is a genuine diamond so the 2 really can't be compared.

2. Is it better to just save your money and get the real deal?

Depends on who you're talking to. Proponents of clarity enhanced diamonds love the fact that they're getting a larger size and once the girl gets that SIZE on her hand ... there's no turning back. ;) Purists (like Jan and myself) would prefer to see a client get a non-enhanced stone of a more superior quality. Stores that offer both may have different policies (tradeup/buyback) for CE diamonds over non-CE diamonds so you may also want to take that into account as well. My advice would be this ... if you are sincerely NOT content with the quality/size that your fiance can afford then you may want to consider that option. Make sure that it is at least backed with a full refund in case you're not happy.

3. To the naked eye can you really tell it is clarity enhanced?

I answered this in #1 above. Sometimes yes... sometimes no. It depends upon the amount of enhancement done. If you are looking with online retailers INSIST upon microscopic pictures that will show the amount of enhancement done. I'll include an example in this post for ya.

4. Any concerns to watch for with these type of diamonds (besides the heat factor)?

Yep. Do not dip your hand in boiling acid while wearing a clarity enhance diamond. :P

5. When they say the CE diamond is certified by GIA is that true?

Nope. Some of the more liberal labs will grade CE diamonds such as EGL or IGI. Jan was correct in pointing out that both GIA and AGS will not. GIA will however grade "laser drilled" diamonds which is another form of clarity enhancement. They will not grade the filled diamonds though which are commonly referred to as CE diamonds.

6. How do jewelers REALLY feel about CE diamonds?

Again that depends on the jeweler you're talkin to. Some are vehemently against them while others will encourage them. I fall somewhere in the middle actually. Firstly I am a cut purist and I generally am not going to find what I'm looking for among CE diamodns, therefore I do not purchase them for inventory. If I am helping a gentleman and he has his back up against the wall for a certain size and his budget does not allow him to get a clear diamond for his budget, then I might suggest a clarity enhanced diamond.

7. Any really good websites out there for diamonds where you can buy and look at the actual diamond?

Yes there are. Vendors participating on this forum however cannot make recommendations... especially to themselves. ;) You may want to try clicking on some of the vendors web links and exploring and investigating for yourself. I am familiar with some of the vendors participating here and you can rest assured that most you see here are on the level. If they screw someone around or you are not treated right ... the vendors are well aware that you can come on here and REPORT IT which would of course hurt their business. That's one of the *good* things about online shopping too.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards,
Rhino

PS> The included photo is of a clarity enhanced diamond where the enhancement was invisible to the eye. You'll note a pink flash on the interior. That is where the enhancement/filling was done.

Attached Images

  • Attached Image: clarity_enhanced_03.jpg

<a href='http://www.goodoldgold.com' target='_blank'>www.goodoldgold.com</a>
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