Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Diamond Irradiation




What colors can be produced by diamond irradiation?

Blue, green and yellow are the most popular colors produced using the irradiation process. Orange, red and purple/pink colors are also possible which are more difficult to produce.

Are Irradiated diamonds safe/radiation free?

Yes, absolutely! I recommend that you look for diamonds that have been processed in the United States where laboratories adher to strict safety standards and government regulations. Diamonds colored in the USA are 100% radiation free.

How stable is color produced by the electron bombardment process EBT process?

The color changes produced in diamonds by the irradiation process are irreversible. The color is stable and permanent under normal wear and tear. The color is not affected by chemicals, ultrasonic cleaners, steam cleaning, polishing or heating up to 1000°F. Yellow, orange, red and pink colored diamonds are unaffected by heat even over 1000°F. Blue and green colors may fade when the diamond is heated over 1000°F. Special care of colored diamonds should be taken when resizing a ring or some jewelry repairs. Avoid exposing diamond to jewelers torch which may heat diamond to over 1000° F.

What type of diamonds are suitable for this process?

Any diamond with transparency irrespective of its original color and clarity can be processed using this process. Our recommended labs can suggest which color is most suitable for a particular diamond after visual and chemical analysis in the lab. In general, white diamond can be processed to any of blue, green or yellow colors. We recommend blue or green colors for diamonds that originally has a slight brownish color tone or black inclusions as this can mask the the original undesired color or inclusions. Diamonds with yellow tone can be processed to yellow color if it has no fluorescence or to green or greenish yellow color if the diamond shows fluorescence.

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