Helpful Tips on How to Identify Laser Drilled Diamonds

It is almost wedding season so engagement events and proposals are probably happening left and right in the United States.

One can even say that it is also the season of diamond engagement rings since no other precious stone is as brilliant and as in demand as that of a diamond.

But shopping for a diamond ring, whether online or in-store, isn’t exactly as easy as you think.

There are considerations that you have to go through before making a purchase especially when you don’t want to spend that much.

One of the ways to save on budget is by choosing laser drilled diamonds.

This may not be a popular choice for some but it still renders interest especially for the thrifty ones.

But what exactly are laser drilled diamonds and how do you identify them?

What is Laser Drilled Diamond?

First and foremost, we know that diamonds are rated by a standard set by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

This standard is popularly known as the 4Cs. The 4Cs include the color, clarity, cut quality, and carat weight of a diamond stone.

This standard also sets the pricing of every diamond stone. Simply put, each of the 4Cs greatly influences and affects how a diamond jewelry is priced commercially.

In terms of color, colorless stones tend to fetch the highest price.

Learn more about the most expensive and rarest diamond colors.

Meanwhile, in terms of carat, the heavier or larger the carat is, the more expensive the stone will be.

On the other hand, another huge influence included in the 4Cs is the clarity of a stone.

Logically, a buyer would want a stone she is buying to be so called flawless.

Flawless in the sense that you can almost say the diamond stone is transparent.

When a certain diamond is so clear and flawless, it gives the best brilliance and sparkle whenever a source of light hits it.

Be it natural light or artificial light from a bulb or basically anything.

This is because the stone is almost totally devoid of blemishes and impurities. These impurities are mostly in the form of spots and dirt.

That is why buyers are always in search for top grade clarity. Truly, it is magnificent to marvel at a diamond stone when you see little to no flaws at all in its composition.

The More Rare, The More Expensive

However, totally flawless diamonds are so rare that it makes the prices for it so expensive.

Whether you like it or not, a colorless diamond matched with a great clarity will get a not-so friendly price tag.

This may be the case, but jewelers have found a way with the help of technology.

A way to create flawless diamonds with a significantly lower price. And that is the laser drilled diamond.

Laser Diamonds vs. Regular Diamonds

Laser drilled diamonds are diamonds that have undergone a process called laser drilling to enhance a stone’s internal clarity.

The process makes use of lasers to drill very tiny holes in the stone where the blemishes or inclusions are located.

One who is not familiar with this process might think that drilling will destroy a diamond’s overall appeal.

This may be true but in laser drilling, the tiny holes are even tinier than a strand of hair.

So if you look at it with your eyes, you may not even notice it!

Once a hole is drilled in the diamond stone, a special solution of acid is used to remove the imperfections. If not, it may be removed through melting.

Oftentimes when a diamond undergoes this process, it jumps to a higher notch in terms of clarity grade.

But it is very rare to see a laser drilled diamond improve and jump into several grades of quality from its previous state.

But the great thing is, you can buy it for a cheaper price.

How Do You Identify Laser Drilled Diamonds for Sale?

Jewelers and diamond stores like Shira Diamonds are not obliged by law to declare that a certain diamond is laser drilled or not.

While you can always ask about it from them, there is no harm if you can determine it yourself.

But how exactly can you do that?

1. Examine the stone for patterns.

   The first thing that you can do to find out whether a diamond stone is laser drilled is by examining it yourself. It may be difficult to examine it at first with your naked eyes but there is always a workaround.

   Most stones that undergo laser drilling do not just get a single hole.

   After all, when a stone has only one very small inclusion, you can already consider it flawless.

   So typically, a stone that needs laser drilling has multiple blemishes. Thus, multiple holes will also be drilled.

   With the use of a 10x loupe, you can already see the small hole patterns of a diamond stone.

2. Use a device such as a microscope.

   If you find examining and looking for patterns a little bit tedious, you can always use a microscope.

   A microscope will easily show you hole patterns in a maximized view.

   So when you use this device, there is almost no way for you to miss out if a stone is laser drilled or not.

3. Check for a certification from a trusted organization such as GIA.

   Although diamond stores are not obliged to disclose whether a diamond has undergone enhancement, they are still required to have certification.

   So you can always ask or search for the GIA certification of a specific diamond stone or jewelry you are planning to buy.

   If the certificate mentions something related to clarity enhancement, there is a very high chance that the stone underwent laser drilling.

4. Ask for a professional assessment.

   If the first three ways didn’t give you the answer you need, the last option would be to ask a professional jeweler for an assessment.

   This may either be from the retail store or from someone you know who can examine the diamond professionally. The only catch is, you may pay some fees for it.

Investing in Laser Treated Diamonds

There is no harm in choosing to buy diamonds that have undergone enhancements with the help of technology.

A diamond stone is still a diamond stone. And would you still complain if it will give you a cheaper price? Think about it. Contact us today!

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