Shopping and Other Helps

• What factors affect price and value?
• Buying an engagement ring
• Sizing a ring
• Tips especially for men
• Retail stores- beware of scams
• Cleaning jewelry
• What is a Laser Inscription?
• Appraisals
• Insurance
• Diamond treatments
• Synthetic diamonds

What factors affect price and value?

The cost of two houses may be equal but their outside look, lots and floor plans can be completely different. This can also be true when buying a diamond. A diamond's beauty, rarity, and price depend on the interplay of all the 4 C's - cut, clarity, carat and color. The more rare the diamond's characteristics the higher the price it demands.

Here are the 4 C's relative importance in price and beauty:

What has the greatest effect on price?

1. Cut/Proportion
2. Carat weight
3. Color
4. Clarity

What has the greatest effect on beauty?

1. Cut/Proportion
2. Carat weight
3. Color
4. Clarity

Now for a more detailed look at the interaction of grades and price. Note: Dollar amounts below are typical jewelry store retail prices, not the prices you will pay with Forever Diamond Service- the % relationships are however statistically relevant.

Carat Weight:

Carat Weight	$/CT	Size Increase
Price Schedule	Rd/ G / VS2	Price Increase
0.46 - 0.49	$2,800
0.50 - 0.69	$3,600	129%
0.70 - 0.89	$4,700	131%
0.90 - 0.99	$5,700	121%	**
1.00 - 1.49	$6,600	116%	**
1.50 - 1.99	$8,400	127%	**
2.00 - 2.99	$10,200	121%	**
3.00 - 3.99	$11,600	114%	**
4.00 - 4.99	$13,000	112%	**
5.00 - 5.99	$16,700	128%	**

** Forever Diamond Service Sweet Spot for value

Clarity:

GIA Clarity Grading Scale			AGS	Grade Increase
Grade	Clarity	Definition		Price Increase
FL	Flawless	Free of all inclusions and blemishes.	1
IF	Internally Flawless	No inclusions and only minor blemishes visible at 10x magnification.	1	25%
VVSI	Very Very Slightly Included	Minute inclusions extremely difficult to locate at 10x.	1	10%	**
VVS2	Very Very Slightly Included	Minute inclusions extremely difficult to locate at 10x.	2	10%	**
VS1	Very Slightly Included	Minor inclusions difficult to locate at 10x.	2	10%	**
VS2	Very Slightly Included	Minor inclusions somewhat easy to locate at 10x.	3	10%	**
SI1	Slightly Included	Noticeable inclusions easy to locate at 10x.	4	5%	**
SI2	Slightly Included	Noticeable inclusions very easy to locate at 10x	5	5%	**
I1	Imperfect	Obvious inclusions usually easy to locate with the unaided eye.	6		Don’t buy
I2	Imperfect	Obvious inclusions easy to locate with the unaided eye.	8 to 9		Don’t buy
I3	Imperfect	Obvious inclusions very easy to locate with the unaided eye and which may threaten stone's durability.	9 to 10		Don’t buy

** Forever Diamond Service Sweet Spot for value

Color:

Color			Grade Increase
GIA	AGA	Description	Price Increase
D	0	Colorless	25%
E	0 to 1	Colorless	10%
F	1 to 2	Colorless	10%	**
G	2	Near Colorless	10%	**
H	3	Near Colorless	10%	**
I	4	Near Colorless	5%	**
J	5	Near Colorless	5%
K	5 to 6	Faint Yellow	5%
L	6	Faint Yellow	5%
M	7	Faint Yellow	5%
N	7	Light Yellow	5%
O	8	Light Yellow	5%
P	8	Light Yellow	5%
Q	8	Light Yellow	5%
R-U	9	Light Yellow	5%
V-Z	10	Light Yellow	5%

** Forever Diamond Service Sweet Spot for value

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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Buying an engagement ring

This may be the third largest purchase you make in your lifetime, behind a home and a car. Like your home, it probably won't go down in value. The rule of thumb thrown around is 2 months salary but the real answer is what you are comfortable with! Fit it into your budget but this is a good area to stretch a bit because of the positive lifetime credit you'll get in your relationship.

Check out our great links page for more in depth discussion and especially note:LoveToKnow

This is a veritable library of info that is constantly being updated. It has many practical articles on engagement rings, diamonds, buying a ring, creative proposals, how to buy a diamond, and even how diamonds are formed. And best of all, not 1 advertisement!

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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Sizing a ring

Here is an excellent ring size finder from Amazon.com

Here is another useful version

The correct size depends, not just on the finger, but also on the ring. A wide ring will probably need to be a slightly larger size than a narrow ring. Finger size varies, even over the course of a few days: narrower in cold weather and wider in hot. It can also be affected by health. Like blood pressure readings, the most accurate result is found by taking a series of readings spaced over days and time of day. If this is a surprise gift, see below:

The following ways of determining size are listed in descending order of reliability.

1. 1.The best way is to visit a jeweler, who is likely to use a set of metal finger gauges. Nowadays, if the intended wearer can't come to the shop, many jewelers give away disposable plastic gauges. To use a set of finger gauges, try progressively smaller sizes until you come to a size that just won't go on. Then reverse course, trying larger sizes until you reach one that is comfortable.
2. Measure an existing ring that fits well. This method is more accurate if the width of the hoop of the new ring resembles that of the old.
3. Measure by wrapping a very narrow, somewhat stiff strip of paper around the finger. A better alternative is a cable tie, because you can try slipping it on and off, which you can't do with the paper. Be careful of gauges that you download from the internet and print out. Between the net and the printer output tray are many points at which the computer (and/or printer) may be reducing or enlarging the image.
4. The worst way is using a string. String is flexible and takes is hard to shape; rings are stiff and nearly circular.
5. Guess.  In some situations this is all you can do. Guess big, because it is easier to make a ring smaller than bigger. Women's ring fingers typically take a U.S. size 6 to 7.
6. A wise way to measure is to try several methods and settle on the size you feel is most accurate.

Of Course if the ring you order is an incorrect size, call your Forever Consultant and arrange to return it for resizing!

What about size for a surprise gift?

The problem with all of the above is that they seem to fall down in a couple of critical logic areas. First, unengaged women's favorite rings will almost always NOT be worn on their engagement ring (e-ring) finger. Most women will wear a favorite ring on the equivalent finger on the other hand but that finger is NOT necessarily the same size as her e-ring finger. Second, her favorite ring may not be equivalent to the setting the e-ring will be in. It may be wider or narrower and again give a wrong size. So what are you to do? Here are some ideas:

• Ask one of her friends for help. Get the friend to ask her to try on one of the friends rings on the e-ring finger. Get a general feel for size.
• Find a ring with similar width that seems the right size from the test with her friend and try again.
• Come as close as possible and measure the ring on one of the ring size charts. Note try a couple of the charts to make sure one is not printing as an off size.
• Put the ring on a tapered candle and measure the circumference with a cable tie or stiff paper and test the size with this measurement on the table following.
• If a measure is in between, go with the larger size.

Size	Inside measurement in inches		Inside measurement in millimeters
	diameter	circum- ference	diam.	circum.
½	0.474	1.489	12.0	37.8
1	0.490	1.539	12.4	39.1
1½	0.506	1.590	12.9	40.4
2	0.522	1.640	13.3	41.6
2½	0.538	1.690	13.7	42.9
3	0.554	1.740	14.1	44.2
3½	0.570	1.791	14.5	45.5
4	0.586	1.841	14.9	46.8
4½	0.602	1.891	15.3	48.0
5	0.618	1.942	15.7	49.3
5½	0.634	1.992	16.1	50.6
6	0.650	2.042	16.5	51.9
6½	0.666	2.092	16.9	53.1
7	0.682	2.143	17.3	54.4
7½	0.698	2.193	17.7	55.7
8	0.714	2.243	18.1	57.0
8½	0.730	2.293	18.5	58.2
9	0.746	2.344	18.9	59.5
9½	0.762	2.394	19.4	60.8
10	0.778	2.444	19.8	62.1
10½	0.794	2.494	20.2	63.3
11	0.810	2.545	20.6	64.6
11½	0.826	2.595	21.0	65.9
12	0.842	2.645	21.4	67.2
12½	0.858	2.695	21.8	68.5
13	0.874	2.746	22.2	69.7
13½	0.890	2.796	22.6	71.0

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Tips especially for men

These tips are targeted for the busy Forever who is either buying an engagement ring or a diamond for a special occasion like an anniversary or birthday.

• This purchase may be mostly intellectual for you, but it is mostly emotional for the woman you love!

Before we were married I decided to do what I thought was a really big thing for my fiancée (who is now my wife of over 25 years). I paid off the loan on her car. Unfortunately, I told my roommate who immediately told my fiancée, “I can’t believe what Tom got you for your birthday.” Although he didn’t say what, it did set some expectations in her heart. On the big day I unveiled a paid of not in a box and her response was not just unenthusiastic it was downright negative. She said that she was working and if she wanted to could have paid off the loan herself. Was she just ungrateful? No, she was displaying how God made her different from a man. Over several years I learned about the “White Night” factor.

• Women want their men to be "WHITE NIGHTS", coming to their rescue and satisfying their emotional needs.

Men, get this secret! The reason flowers and diamonds work is the very fact they don't make sense to us men, so our women know we give them only out of our love for them!!!! Hence we get super positive credit points on the emotional ledger from this type of gift.

• Because of the WOW factor each time she shows a friend her diamond, it truly is a gift that gives back to you (positive credit points) over and over again!

Ok, so now you understand the WHITE NIGHT factor and already have a vision/mission to get a great diamond; so the first step is set in place. You know a diamond can become a cherished possession that may stay in your family for generations and gives you ongoing credit over time. Now you need to have a plan. Your plan starts with a budget. That is why our Insider Insights starts with a first "C" of Cost.

The next step in you plan needs to be deciding how and where to buy your diamond. We may be prejudiced, but we think buying on line makes a lot of sense. If you buy a certified diamond (especially through a process like our Insider Buying Process) you can get a great value since you are not paying for all the overhead of a traditional jewelry store. Our Unique Pricing Model gives you confidence the price you pay is fair and probably the lowest available for a certified diamond anywhere.

• Make sure your diamond is certified and the certificate number is laser inscribed on the girdle of the diamond.

Next, you need to educate yourself since this may be one of the top three purchases you make in your lifetime. The internet is a good resource to empower you to be a knowledgeable consumer. We respect your time so have tried to make that education process as easy as possible through our Insider Insights and reviewed web sites.

When you are ready to buy, we give you an Forever consultant to walk you through our Insider Ordering Process and you buy your diamond like you are an Insider in this closed industry.

• With Forever Diamond Service you get the consumer empowerment and low overhead of an on line retailer coupled with the high touch service you would expect from the finest jewelry store!

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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Retail stores- beware of scams

Although these common scams have tended to be fostered on the public for years by unscrupulous brick and mortar retail jewelry stores, similar tactics crop up in the new world of ecommerce. Forewarned is empowered! This is a big purchase so you need to find a retail partner you can trust, which is why we invented the Insider Ordering Process.

Forever Diamond Service is the only truly full disclosure diamond retailer. Our Unique Pricing Model lets you see exactly what we pay for your diamond and you pay only a small fee in addition!

When you make a major purchase like a diamond, don't be shy about asking very specific and pointed questions. If a merchant refuses to answer your questions, or can't answer them, find another source.

Here are some common scams and shady tactics being used:

BIG Discounts The unfortunate truth is that many jewelry retailers artificially inflate prices so they can lure customers with spectacular discounts. In one highly publicized legal case, the state of North Carolina charged J.C. Penny Co. with deceptive advertising for grossly marking up prices prior to advertising sales. The state law requires that a "bona fide" original price be offered to the public "for a reasonably substantial period of time." The attorney general's office presented evidence that, for one jewelry item in question, only 3% of sales were at the so-called regular price, the remaining 97% being made at the discounted price. Often these retailers write an appraisal for the inflated amount and then present the appraisal as proof of the jewelry's worth.

In a surprising - and quite disheartening - decision, the court ruled that J.C. Penny was not guilty because the deceptive practice was so widespread. The judge said the defendant was only trying to be competitive "in an industry where very few businesses make any effort to comply with the letter or the spirit of the law." He added that to single out one merchant for prosecution "in an industry that appears dominated by many violators" could be viewed as unfair.

Note that it is a common practice in the retail jewelry industry to mark up diamonds by 300% and more in order to later take big discounts and still have a 50% gross margin (100% markup). Our Unique Pricing Model lets you see exactly what we pay for your diamond and you pay only a small fee in addition! So instead of 100% and more mark up you are paying 15% or less on diamonds and 20% on settings.

The Switch While negotiating a price on a $10,000 diamond, you offer $8,000. The salesman takes the diamond to the back and returns, offering you the diamond at $8,000. Did he give you your price? Maybe not! He may have switched to a lower grade diamond. Most people won't notice. Make sure you see the certification on any specific diamond before negotiating price. It is a best practice to have the certification number inscribed onto the girdle of the diamond!

Another Switch Cleaning or repair requires that you leave your diamond. Take along a copy of your certificate. Verify with the merchant that your diamond is the one on the certificate. Check the diamond the merchant gives you back. At Forever Diamond service your diamond is laser engraved with the certificate number. At the jewelry store use one of their 10X loupes and to read the certification number.

If you think you have been victimized with a switch, call the police while at the store. Mistakes do happen but most switches are deliberate. When shopping for jewelry services, look for reputation and get a testimonial from a friend.

Manufactured Diamonds Moissanite is not only a substitute, but is a manufactured stone as well. The stones may be passed off as natural diamonds. Held under the flame of a match, Moissanite should turn green until the flame is removed. Another test, with a 10X loupe, look down through the table at the facet junctions on the pavilion. If they look slightly blurred or "doubled", it isn't diamond. Moissanite is doubly refractive. Diamonds are singly refractive. Buying a certified diamond with laser inscription is ultimately your best protection.

Black velvet is used by merchant's to show off a diamond. A black background will make a yellow diamond appear several grades whiter. Buying a certified diamond with laser inscription is ultimately your best protection.

Bait and Switch an advertised diamond has already been sold when you get there. The retailer has another, very similar, but significantly more expensive. Go elsewhere.

Bumping the Grade For some reason, the FTC apparently allows merchants to be in error by one color grade and one clarity grade. I guess I'm dumb, but if there's a cert, why? That can mean thousands of dollars or more on a moderate engagement ring. Ask to see the cert on a diamond as soon as you are interested. If the merchant hesitates, so should you. If the cert isn't GIA or AGS, don't trust it.

Good at Fractions, Lousy at Decimals If a merchant quoted a diamond as 3/4 carat and it might only be a .69 ct diamond. Especially at key points, that difference can make several hundred dollars of difference.

Diamond Enhancements Lasers can be used to drill into diamonds and burn out dark spots. The problem is, this leaves holes, can weaken the diamond and creates a diamond of significantly less value than a similarly graded non drilled diamond. Bleaching diamonds is done to make them appear whiter that they are. Treated diamonds may be passed off as untreated and you pay more than you should! Buying a certified diamond with laser inscription is ultimately your best protection.

Coded Tags The price tags on rings have no prices, just alphabetic codes. This is an unacceptable practice. Go somewhere else!

In-house Appraisals This practice is a formula for abuse. Plus if the appraisal is for more than you actually paid, you will simply be paying more for your insurance rider based on that appraisal.

Hiding the Flaws can be hidden under the prongs of a setting. Not a bad practice. But it makes judging a set diamond very difficult. Look at any prospective purchase out of its setting. Buying a certified diamond with laser inscription is ultimately your best protection.

Altered Certificates If the diamond grade on a certificate has been altered and the cert is not laminated, or if the corners of the lamination is frayed, don't trust it.

Deceptive Lab Certificates Certificates from labs that sound like reputable labs shouldn't be trusted. Neither should any merchant who presents one. Examples might be "Gemological Institutions of America" or "American Gemological Services". Only trust the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS) which are the two most widely regarded and recognized diamond grading labs in the world.

Not Return Your Deposit If a merchant suggests that you leave a deposit and take a diamond for an appraisal, first make sure you can get your deposit back when the gem is returned. Otherwise you may only be given credit on another purchase. A twist on this scam is to be given a lesser grade diamond than the one you signed for. Then you may be accused of fraud when you try to return the "wrong" diamond.

• Beware of advertising that proclaims only the carat weight and not the other qualities. (This often happens in TV ads, for example.) Such ads count on the purchaser not knowing what else to look for and not knowing what questions to ask.
• Be wary of retailers who will not give you information on all 4 Cs of diamonds once you have expressed an interest. They may not be knowledgeable, or they may not want you to be.
• Even if you think you already know about the 4 Cs of diamonds, check out cut. You might be surprised.
• Avoid buying through catalogs, ads, or promotions of any kind that do not allow you to ask for the information you need to make an informed purchase.
• Don't assume that if a store says it has bargain prices, it does. Don't assume that a jewelry retail location with a no-frills look will have lower prices. Be sure to comparison shop.
• Beware of stores advertising extravagant sales, such as "60% off!" Be sure to comparison shop before buying jewelry there. Some stores list extremely high "regular" prices so they can offer huge "discounts."
• Don't assume that if it's on the web it must be a bargain. The Federal Trade Commission found that many online jewelry retailers and auction sites were misrepresenting carat weights, not disclosing gem treatments, and failing to comply with other FTC guidelines for the jewelry industry.
• Think twice, and then once again, before buying jewelry for investment purposes. Gold and silver prices have undergone drastic changes. And here's a story about a telemarketing scam involving investment gems.
• Be wary of retailers who are not willing to discuss the qualities of their jewelry. Even if the salesperson you are talking to is not a trained gemologist, this information should be part of the store's inventory records and it should be available.
• Beware of the retailer who is not willing to put in writing the specific grades and measurements of jewelry you are purchasing. If he is not willing to stand by his verbal claims, you'd be wise to assume the claims aren't true.
• When purchasing jewelry, be sure you have the option of returning the jewelry within a limited period of time. This allows you to return the jewelry if an independent appraisal shows the jewelry is not of the quality the retailer claimed.

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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Cleaning jewelry

Diamonds, like all types of stones and jewelry, require periodic cleaning. In general, the more you wear your jewelry, the more often you should clean it. When selecting jewelry cleaner, pay particular attention that the solution is recommended for diamonds, other precious stones, and for gold or platinum jewelry. Once you've located a cleaning solution (mild liquid household detergent, 50% solution of household ammonia and cold water, or jewelry cleaning solution), make sure to use a dip tray and a small brush (like an extra toothbrush). You'll also need a paper towel and a soft, lint-free polishing cloth handy. Typically, you should dip one piece of jewelry at a time into the solution, keeping it there for 10-20 seconds. After removing the jewelry, brush thoroughly to remove excess dirt and oil. While doing this, check to make sure all stones are tightly secured and that prongs are not bent. Next, rinse the piece under lukewarm water. Dry with the lint-free cloth. This will prevent particles from being caught in the prongs while you're drying. Use a polishing cloth to buff the jewelry to a high luster. Make sure you have all drains covered!

• Regular maintenance, including cleaning, may allow you to spot a loose stone or bent prong before it's "too late". Just to be sure, though, you should get the piece checked by a professional at least annually by a reputable jeweler to check the prongs and setting.
• Do NOT use toothpaste to clean jewelry, as it is an abrasive.
• Do NOT use an ultrasonic cleaning device to clean jewelry. Ultrasonic waves can literally break some gemstones or can loosen stones in their settings so they will fall out later.
  

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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What is a Laser Inscription?

A micro-laser beam is used to etch a microscopic inscription on the girdle of any diamond weighing one-quarter carat or more. Forever Diamond Service used laser inscription to put the certification number on the outside perimeter (the girdle) of each diamond it sells. Laser inscription is considered permanent since it can only be removed by a professional diamond cutter. The laser inscription is microscopic; totally invisible to the naked eye. It can only be seen with a jeweler's 10x magnifying loupe. Laser inscription is not treating the diamond and does not change the color grade or clarity grade of a diamond.

• Some insurance companies give discounts for laser inscribed diamonds. Be sure to ask!
• Laser inscription protects your investment. You will feel better knowing that no one can switch your diamond, whether on purpose or by accident.

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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Appraisals

An appraisal is an independent, unbiased estimate of value. You should get your jewelry appraised by a Certified Insurance Appraiser™ or other credentialed appraiser. Your appraiser should be a gemologist with additional training in meeting the high appraisal standards of the insurance industry. Such an appraisal will serve as your written assurance of the quality of the jewelry. It will also help your insurer set the proper premiums. And, should you ever need to file a claim, this detailed description insures that your replacement jewelry matches the quality of the piece you originally purchased. Insurers recommend that their policyholders get jewelry appraisals on ACORD You can obtain the ACORD form from your insurer at no charge. (ACORD is a non-profit organization that sets electronic and print standards for the insurance industry.) A typical appraisal will:

• Describe of all characteristics of the piece, including weights, grades, and measurements;
• State any treatments given the gem that are not part of the usual processing of this type of gemstone, or states that the gem is untreated;
• State whether the gem is natural or synthetic;
• Give the manufacturer, workmanship, metal and karatage of the mounting;
• Gives the value of the jewelry; and
• Includes a photograph of the gem.

Many people make the mistake of using an in-house appraiser to evaluate the purchase price of their Diamond. This is a big mistake. Firstly, appraisals are often over-estimated, and are therefore a very poor estimation of price. More importantly, any in-house Jeweler may be biased.

• For your appraisal you are looking for competency, independence and reputation.

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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Insurance

Insuring jewelry is not difficult. If you have homeowner's insurance or renter's insurance, you already have jewelry coverage because unscheduled personal property includes jewelry. However, in most policies not all perils are covered. Also, these policies have severe limitations on coverage for theft, sometimes as low as $500. For higher-priced jewelry, most insurance companies offer scheduled jewelry insurance to cover specific items. This is done through a Personal Articles Floater, which can be written as a stand-alone policy or attached to a homeowner's policy. Here the coverage is generally very broad, covering all risks worldwide, with only a handful of exclusions.

Premiums vary from state to state. They can also vary among companies serving the same area. Rates are usually quoted per $100 of insurance, and most policies have just one rate. Some, however, have graduated rates, charging a higher rate on more expensive jewelry than on lower-priced jewelry. In effect, this penalizes you for insuring expensive jewelry! You can avoid paying excessive premiums by comparison shopping. In all likelihood, you will get the best rates by insuring jewelry with the same company you use for insuring your home or auto. If that proves not to be the case, consider moving all your policies to another carrier, as you may be overpaying on all premiums.

• Get a quality appraisal that doesn't overstate value or you will pay extra for your insurance premiums.
• Be sure the jewelry policy you buy has a "cash-out" provision - that is, be sure it allows you to elect to get a cash settlement rather than replacement.

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Diamond treatments

JCRS Inland Marine Solutions, Inc. (Jewelry Insurance Adjusters) has excellent coverage of diamond treatments, look at: http://www.jcrs.com/JCRS_for_consumers/jewelry_information/diamonds/diamond_treatments.htm

Diamond treatments are done to stones of lower quality to make them appear more attractive. If such treatments were not disclosed, a customer would believe the gem to be more valuable than it is and might be led to pay too high a price. Forever Diamond Service does not sell treated diamonds.

If you purchase a diamond elsewhere, treatments that should be disclosed:

Laser Drilling

In this treatment, a microscopic channel is drilled to an imperfection and an acid is injected into the foreign material to bleach it and make it less visible. The inclusion becomes less apparent but it is still present. If the treatment is not disclosed, you could be paying considerably more than the jewelry is worth.

Coating

Diamonds are occasionally coated to disguise a low color grade, or to produce "fancy colors". The stability of the treatment varies, depending on the method used. Coated stones require special care, because subsequent cleaning or re cutting may harm the appearance of the stone.

Fracture Filling

Surface-breaking cavities or internal fractures are filled with some foreign substance to improve the appearance of the gem. The treatment makes an inferior gem look clearer (to the unaided eye) and hence appear more valuable. Extreme heat from cleaning, or pressure from re cutting or resetting the stone, may cause the fracture-filling treatment to break down.

Yehuda Clarity Treatment

A colorless resin is injected into a diamond to greatly improve its appearance. Yehuda treatment is a kind of fracture filling. Unlike many other treatments, it is not readily detectable and makes a stone of lesser value appear to be of much higher quality. Heat may damage the treatment.

Irradiation

This is done to poor quality stones to make them resemble expensive "fancy colored" diamonds. The treatment is quite stable except for green stones, which may change color when heated.

GE/POL Color Treatment / Monarch

Lazare-Kaplan International, in partnership with General Electric, is marketing off-color diamonds that have been treated so they appear to be colorless. The treated diamonds are inscribed "GE POL" on the stone's girdle. (The inscription is visible only under 10-power magnification.) However, this inscription can be removed. If that happens, the treated stones would be not be easily recognized. These treated diamonds are being test-marketed under the name Monarch. (You may also hear the term Pegasus diamond. The POL in the inscription stands for Pegasus Overseas Ltd., a Lazare-Kaplan subsidiary.) The lab feels the treatment is permanent, but there is not yet any independent verification of this claim.

According to reports in March 2000, the same heat-and-pressure treatment used to make brownish diamonds colorless can also be used to make fancy colored diamonds. GE/POL has plans to market these diamonds as well.

EGL/NovaDiamond Color Enhancement

The European Gemological Laboratory recently unveiled a process to color-enhance low quality brown diamonds into fancy green and yellow colors. The treatment involves high pressure and high temperature. NovaDiamond plans to sell the gems primarily on the internet and to select retailers. Eventually the company intends to produce other colors, including blues and pinks. The lab feels the treatment is permanent and irreversible, but there is not yet any independent verification of this claim.

• The purpose of any treatment is to make the stone appear more attractive than it is naturally. Disclosure ensures that you are not paying the price of a high quality gem but receiving a lower quality stone in disguise.

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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Synthetic diamonds

A Synthetic diamond is produced through chemical or physical processes in a factory. Like naturally occurring diamond it is composed of a three-dimensional carbon crystal. Synthetic diamond is also called industrial diamond, manufactured diamond, artificial diamond or cultured diamond. Synthetic diamond is not the same as Diamond-like Carbon, DLC, which is amorphous hard carbon, or diamond imitation, which can be made of other materials such as cubic zirconia or silicon carbide. The traditional diamond industry is evaluating countermeasures to these cheaper alternatives. Gem-quality synthetic diamonds are visually identical to naturally occurring ones, but they can be distinguished by spectroscopy in infrared, ultraviolet, or X-ray wavelengths. Although the current manufacturers of synthetic diamonds laser -inscribe serial numbers on their gemstones, this does not prevent unscrupulous vendors from removing these inscriptions.

Buying a certified diamond with laser inscription is ultimately your best protection against synthetic diamonds.

For additional in depth information about this important topic, check out our "Great Links" reviewed sites.

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