You may be wearing an HPHT treated solitaire diamond : Naturalmark

Surat (Gujarat) [India], March 15 : Next time you purchase a solitaire diamond make sure it is not treated with HPHT process to enhance its color and value. A diamond trader was cheated after the Mumbai-based jeweler sold him 0.93 carat HPHT solitaire diamond for Rs. 5.25 lakh.

The fraud came to light when the diamond trader visited Surat and got the solitaire diamond checked at the Naturalmark laboratory located in Mahidhapura. After screening, the diamond laser inscribed with International Gemological Institute’s (IGI) unique number, was found to be an HPHT diamond treated to enhance its colour and value.

According to the diamond trader, a CVD checking centre in Mumbai’s Malad certified that the diamond was natural. The jeweller provided the trader with an e-certificate of 2016 and stated the hardcopy will be provided later.

What are HPHT Diamonds?

A HTPHT diamond is a genuine, natural diamond that has been enhanced in colour by a High Pressure High Temperature procedure. The procedure transforms a diamond that is naturally brownish into a whiter, more stunning diamond. Due to the fact that the diamond was initially brown, the treated diamond is nevertheless less expensive than a naturally white diamond. The high pressure and temperature of 2300 degrees Celsius replicate the temperature in the Earth’s core, and the process is non-invasive and permanent, ensuring that the stunning results last.

“When the trader came to surat, he showed this piece to his friend who is also a diamond merchant . He had doubts about  whiteness and other parameters of this piece. The trader approached Naturalmark Lab at Mahidharpura for re – verification” said Gourav Sethi, founder of Naturalmark lab. “The solitaire was screened and it was found to be HPHT colour-treated”

According to Sethi, fake inscriptions have been caught earlier and  cheating cases are rising as many CVD checking centers don’t have technology to  detect Natural HPHT diamonds. Traders usually get Labgrown diamonds checked at screening centers. However, miscreants have started replacing natural diamond certificates with Natural HPHT treated diamonds. Traders and end users need to be educated and it must be re-verified in a lab which has all type of screening facilities.

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