Cut | Color | Clarity | Carat Weight | Other Aspects

Country of Origin. In the world's rapidly changing political climate, there is a fifth C to consider. Much of the world's diamond supply has its origins in some of the most politically troubled and frequently impoverished nations on the globe. With many of these countries embroiled in long-going internal conflicts, diamonds have historically been used (like most other natural resources) to help fund these conflicts. While the recently implemented Kimberly Process has made tentative steps to stem this illicit trade, only Canada currently offers valid documentation of country of origin for diamonds.

Enhancement is the process of concealing inclusions or minimizing the effects of body color in a stone. If a diamond has been enhanced in any way, the seller is required by law to give full disclosure to the customer at the time of sale.

Laser drilling and fracture filling are two common methods of disguising inclusions. Laser drilling is used to lighten visible inclusions in diamonds. A laser beam cuts into an inclusion, then a bleaching chemical is fed into the opening to change the inclusion from light to dark. This process is generally found in lower quality stones with clarity grades ranging from 6 to 9.

While the Federal Trade Commission extends every effort to protect the consumer from fraudulent business practices, it is currently not required to disclose laser drilling in diamonds at this time.

Fracture filling is generally used to conceal feathers that are highly reflective and visible. The process requires that the feather must open to the surface of the stone. In a vacuum environment, the air is removed from the inclusion and is replaced with a substance that has a high refractive index. Since the optical properties are similar to the diamond, the filling—and the feather—are minimized.

The AGS Laboratory will not grade a diamond that has been fracture filled.

Research firms are developing techniques to minimize body color in diamonds. We will provide more information about this type of enhancement as it becomes available.

Although the Federal Trade Commission requires full disclosure of many types of enhancement, many jewelers do not have the knowledge to recognize the characteristics that indicate enhancement. The best safeguard for consumers is to consult with an AGS-trained gemologist.