Enhanced Diamonds: What Are They and How Do They Compare?

What is a Treated Diamond?

If you’re looking to buy diamond jewelry or sell your diamond, you may have come across the term treated or enhanced diamonds. This is the name given to diamonds that have been synthetically treated to enhance their appearance. Usually, this is to improve their clarity or color, so the treated diamond looks more visually appealing. After undergoing treatment, enhanced diamonds still have the same composition, and the result is usually temporary. Here, we’ll take a closer look at the different types of enhanced diamonds and determine what makes them different from untreated stones.  

 What are the Different Types of Enhanced Diamonds?

Enhanced diamonds typically fall into two categories: color enhanced diamonds and clarity enhanced diamonds. Both are the result of distinct processes, but the goal is the same: to make the stone more aesthetically pleasing.

 Clarity Enhanced Diamonds

Clarity enhanced diamonds is another name for diamonds that have been treated for flaws, surface blemishes, and inclusions. The aim of the treatment is to reduce the visibility of these imperfections. Specific treatment types include:

• Laser Drilling: Laser drilling is the process of using a laser to create minuscule tunnels within the diamond. This allows powerful bleach to reach any inclusions, taking away unwanted colors and making flaws less visible.

• Fracture Filling: Fracture filling usually takes place after laser drilling. It involves injecting a transparent substance into fractures on the stone’s surface. This makes them less noticeable and improves the diamond’s overall appearance.
  

Color Enhanced Diamonds

 Color enhanced diamonds are treated diamonds that have undergone specific processes to alter or intensify their color. There are several ways this can be achieved:

•  High-Pressure High-Temperature (HPHT) Treatment: HPHT treatment involves recreating the natural conditions which are required for a diamond to form. This can help to improve their color or add whiteness to colorless diamonds.

• Irradiation and Heat Treatment: Irradiation and Heat Treatment works to change a diamond’s color by subjecting it to high-energy radiation. To ensure the longevity of the new color, the stone is then exposed to high-temperature heat.

What are the Benefits of Enhanced Diamonds?

There are many advantages to enhanced diamonds:

1. Cost and Affordability: Treated diamonds are usually more budget-friendly than untreated natural or lab-grown diamonds. This allows for purchasing stones that are more affordable than untreated diamonds of the same clarity.
2. Enhanced Appearance: Treatments such as laser and fracture filling can noticeably improve a diamond’s clarity and color, resulting in a clearer, more vibrant stone.
3. Choice and Variety: Color enhanced diamonds come in an array of vivid hues, from deep greens and rich blues to playful pinks. This gives you a much wider palette compared to natural diamonds.

 Why Might Enhanced Diamonds Not Be the Best Choice?

 While you may be tempted by the benefits of enhanced diamonds, it is important to consider some of the drawbacks:

• Resale Issues: If you ever decide to sell your treated diamond, you will need to disclose if it has been enhanced and include all of the relevant paperwork. This can lower its value and complicate the selling process.
• Misleading Sales: When buying an enhanced diamond, you may come across sellers who deliberately withhold information about its treatments. This can lead to buyer regret and unfair transactions.
• Temporary Effects: The results of diamond enhancements can be temporary. This means you might find your treated diamond loses its improved appearance over time. A number of enhancements (particularly fracture filling) can also impact your diamond’s durability.
• Lower Investment Value: Enhanced diamonds usually do not hold their value as well as untreated diamonds. This is wise to keep in mind if you are considering your purchase as a long-term investment.
• Special Care Requirements: To maintain their appearance, treated diamonds often need special care and handling. This can involve finding a local specialist or spending time to carry out the necessary research yourself.
• Appraisal Difficulties: In some cases, treated diamonds can be trickier to accurately appraise. This is because some enhancements can obscure the stone’s natural characteristics.
• Certification Issues: It can be harder to obtain certification for treated diamonds, as not all official bodies recognize enhanced stones or document their treatments in the same way. This can lead to potential disputes in a diamond’s authenticity and perceived value. 

 All in all, enhanced diamonds can be an attractive choice for those who want a stone with striking color or clarity, without the added cost. However, with their resale issues, lower investment value, special care requirements, and the temporary nature of their effects, it is better to avoid buying them if you can. 

By understanding the nature of enhanced diamonds and their associated treatments, you should be better equipped to make informed decisions. If you're looking to sell your diamonds, please note that we only accept treated or enhanced diamonds with GIA certification.  Contact us to learn more about how we can help you achieve a successful sale.