For the better part of a decade, Gemetrix has provided unique services and specialised equipment to the broader diamond and colour gemstone industries.
Spearheaded by director John Chapman, the Dove is a cost-efficient method for distinguishing between natural and synthetic diamonds by using 220 nm Deep UV (DUV), which produces different luminescent reactions in diamonds depending on their origin.
The principles are simple – natural diamonds will fluoresce blue and not phosphoresce, while synthetic diamonds will either fluoresce a non-blue colour, such as purple, orange, yellow, green, or phosphoresce. Imitations, such as cubic zirconia and moissanite, are typically inert and easily identifiable.
Chapman explained that in 99 per cent of instances, the reaction colour and phosphorescence from DUV are enough to identify if a diamond is natural or synthetic. As an additional benefit, the 'single view' ability enables inspection of jewellery that is larger than the viewing area, such as tennis bracelets or necklaces, by scanning over the piece and observing the reaction colour. Viewing is performed using the camera app on any smartphone, which also enables the capture and sharing of images.
“Where the Dove differs from other products on the market is that it’s a far more ‘low-tech’ and easier to use version of a diamond identification tool. Many other products rely on software to make the assessment; however, it never needs to be that complicated,” he told Jeweller.
“Following some simple principles, users sought to be able to make their own assessment based on the colour reaction; there shouldn’t be a need to rely on software to make a determination. In that regard, it’s also a far quicker process because the user makes the decision; there’s no need to wait for software to process the information.”
The Dove is something of a lightweight and low-cost evolution from the Jewellery Inspector and the PL-Inspector, both created by Gemetrix. These tools enable the observation of fluorescence and phosphorescence from SW (short-wave) and LW (long-wave) ultraviolet illumination, allowing the user to determine whether a diamond or gem is synthetic, treated, or natural.
“Funnily enough, most of my customers so far have been gemmologists and valuers; however, I think in recent years the jewellery industry has changed very significantly and that more and more jewellers need to be on the lookout for synthetics,” Chapman explained.
“We’ve already had some interesting examples, where jewellers who were otherwise convinced that a piece contained natural diamonds, quickly learned that they were synthetic. With that in mind, the sort of information a Dove can quickly provide is understandably valuable for jewellers.”
Priced at AU$900 (+ GST), the Dove is significantly cheaper than comparable products on the market and is locally manufactured by Gemetrix, based in Western Australia.
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