What Is an Enhanced Diamond?

Diamonds are not always perfect. They come from the ground with imperfections, inclusions and dust. There are ways to make a diamond seem perfect.  Diamond enhancements give the gemstone qualities or characteristics needed for selling at a specific price. Clarity and color are enhancements most seen in the diamond business.

Enhancements to clarity include fracture drilling and laser drilling.  Fracture drilling is the process of a fracture being drilled in and filled with a glass substance. This will make the diamond less expensive, but will hide the imperfection. Laser drilling is used to fill in cracks and unsightly blemishes in a diamond, as well. Inclusions or imperfections in a diamond can be corrected using laser drilling.

Both of these techniques are clarity enhancements. Clarity is one of the 4 C’s, known to diamond purchasers as something to look for in a great gemstone.  Color is the second of those 4 C’s. Color enhancements do exactly what they describe. They enhance the color of the diamond without displacing the value of the gemstone. Irradiation is a color enhancement. When a diamond is subjected to a certain type of radiation, it will turn in color. Most diamonds will turn black, green or blue after irradiated.  

Allowing the gemstone to cool slowly after treatment will change the color to yellow, pink, brown or orange. There are several ways to irradiate a diamond. Gamma rays, and neutron and electron bombardment, coating a diamond is a way to alter the color. Aluminum or tin foil has been used to coat the diamond and change its color. High pressure and high temperature treatments are yet another way that a diamond's color can be enhanced.

If the color of a diamond does not suit, do not try any of this at home. Stick to trusting the experts.  When the word "enhance" is bandied about in a jewelry shop, it is not a very good thing. To get a pure diamond there should be no enhancements done to it. A truly colored diamond is not enhanced.