“The De Beers Group of Companies is committed to sustaining trust in diamonds across the industry. It is essential that all synthetics and simulants are fully disclosed to ensure confidence and transparency is maintained within the trade,” said Jonathan Kendall, President of The IIDGR, on the occasion of De Beers Group of Companies’ International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR) introducing its detection instruments including the new Automated Melee Screening (AMS) device to a great reception at the September Shenzhen International Jewellery Fair and Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair.

The instruments reiterated the company’s stance in maintaining transparency in the diamond trade.

“The AMS device, the latest instrument to be developed by De Beers is able to aid in this assurance by screening melee and detecting all synthetics and simulants tested, ” he added.

The new AMS device can take up to 500 carats at one time. It is a spectrometer based system that screens round brilliant diamonds from 0.01 – 0.2cts for potential synthetics and simulants. It automatically feeds, measures and dispenses at a rate of 360 stones per hour. The device has already been installed successfully across key worldwide diamond trading hubs, contributing towards increasing trade and consumer confidence in this category of diamond.

The IIDGR also demonstrated its other proprietary detection instruments - DiamondSureTM - a screening device to determine natural 0.10-10 carat diamonds from synthetics and stimulants; DiamondViewTM - a desktop based device designed to look at any stones that have been referred by DiamondSure™; DiamondPlusTM - a device that screens for type II HPHT treated natural diamonds and CVD synthetics.

Jonathan Kendall added, “We are the leading manufacturers of detection instruments for the diamond industry. Our proprietary equipment is used as the de-facto standard by government agencies, gemmology laboratories, Diamantaires, jewellery manufacturers and jewellery retailers all over the world.”