Enhanced Diamonds

The term diamonds conjure up an image of pure, natural stones that have simply been cut and polished. However the reality is that in nature almost nothing is perfect and most diamonds have some flaws.

Sometimes these imperfections can have desirable results - such as intense fancy coloured diamonds - but usually they detract from the stone's appearance. For this reason a large number of the diamonds on the market today have been enhanced one way or another.

It's important not to confuse "enhanced" diamonds with "lab made" diamonds; both natural and manmade diamonds can be enhanced. The term "enhancement" refers to any process used to improve the quality and appearance of a diamond, whether natural or synthetic.

Clarity Enhancement

Both colour and clarity enhancement processes exist, sometimes both used in the same stone. For normal "white" diamonds clarity enhancement (CE) is the the most significant option.

What Are Clarity Enhanced Diamonds?

All natural diamonds have some degree of structural imperfection. These are flaws take the form of tiny cracks, inclusions etc. Whilst these imperfections are often too small to be seen with the naked eye they can make a noticeable different to the clarity of the gem and to its value.

Clarity Enhancement (CE) is a process that attempts to correct these tiny flaws and hence improve the visual quality of the stone. The is most commonly done through microscopic laser drilling and/or fracture filling with a special glass.

The Value of CE Diamonds

The strange thing about clarity enhancement is that although it improves the visual quality of the stone it often reduces its value. This is because many people like to know that the diamond they buy is truly natural, simply removed from the ground then cut and polished. For some buyers the imperfections actually add to rather than detract from the beauty of a natural diamond.

At the end of the day it's up to you whether which is more important, appearance or authenticity.