Last Tuesday, De Beers announced its development of the first synthetic-screening device that can test multiple jewellery-mounted stones at once—without a probe.
The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR) notes that the new technology, called SYNTHdetect, only refers about 0.05 per cent of diamonds for further checking—the lowest rate in the industry. What’s more, SYNTHdetect is extremely user-friendly. With this machine, jewellery is placed on a tray, allowing all stones to be examined in one fell swoop. Using patented luminescence technology, the machine screens diamonds quickly in a range of jewellery pieces, including rings, earrings, bangles, brooches, and necklaces.
De Beers subsidiary IIDGR unveiled SYNTHdetect at the JCK Las Vegas, and is now taking orders for the machines. The launch follows IIDGR’s introduction of PhosView, which sifts out High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) synthetics, and AMS2, an automatic melee-screening machine.
According to IIDGR president Jonathan Kedall, SYNTHdetect “will provide jewelry manufacturers and retailers with greater levels of assurance that every diamond they purchase and sell as a natural diamond is exactly that.”
