Diamond Treatments & Enhancements Flashcards

What does the abbreviation HPHT stand for in the context of diamond treatment?

Answer: High Pressure High Temperature

HPHT stands for High Pressure High Temperature, a process that subjects diamonds to extreme conditions to alter their color.

Which diamond treatment is specifically used to remove or reduce the visibility of dark inclusions?

Answer: Laser drilling

Laser drilling uses a laser beam to vaporize or bleach dark carbon inclusions, creating a channel that can be further treated with acid.

What material is most commonly injected into a diamond during fracture filling?

Answer: Glass-like substance with similar refractive index

Fracture filling uses a glass-like substance whose refractive index closely matches that of diamond, making cracks less visible.

How does laser drilling typically affect a diamond's clarity grade on a GIA grading report?

Answer: The report notes 'laser drill hole' as a clarity characteristic

GIA reports identify laser drill holes as a clarity characteristic, noting the treatment while still grading the stone's apparent clarity.

HPHT treatment is most commonly used on which category of diamonds to improve their appearance?

Answer: Brown or near-colorless diamonds with nitrogen defects

HPHT treatment is frequently applied to brownish diamonds, rearranging their crystal structure to produce colorless or near-colorless stones.

Which industry body requires mandatory disclosure of all diamond treatments to consumers?

Answer: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The FTC requires full disclosure of all treatments that alter a diamond's appearance, including fracture filling, laser drilling, and HPHT.

What is the primary concern with fracture-filled diamonds when a customer brings jewelry in for repair?

Answer: High heat from torch work can damage or destroy the filler material

The glass-like filler in fracture-filled diamonds has a much lower melting point than diamond, so jeweler's torch heat can melt, discolor, or remove it.