Clarity enhanced diamonds, what they are and how they are made.

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Clarity, one of the four C's of diamond grading, is arguably the most important factor affecting the price and quality of diamonds. However, many consumers consider clarity to be the least important factor when choosing a diamond. Clarity enhancement treatments can often increase a flawed diamond's clarity by one or more grades using one of two main processes, fracture filling and laser drilling. <br>Fracture Filling<br>Fracture filling treatments apply the use of resin or glass-like material to fill cracks on a diamond's structure that has a feather or other imperfection. When light attempts to pass through a diamond that contains a feather, the light hits the feather and is redirected. This is why the feather is visible to the naked eye. The silica resin or glass material used to fill the feather has the same optical appearance and refractive index as the diamond itself. This allows light to travel through the treated area, making the crack appear invisible. This fracture filling process is not permanent. The fill material used to treat the diamond can be worn away over time due to sunlight and high heat or acid from jewelry repair.<br>Although the fracture filling process has been around for many years, the first commercial use of fracture filling of natural diamonds was done by Zvi Yehuda. The exact process of their treatment secret but it utilizes a combination extremely high temperatures and high pressure to create their fracture filling process.<br>Laser Drilling<br>Laser drilling is used to remove internal inclusions in a diamond. Internal inclusions appear as cloudy areas or dark spots. Often caused by iron oxide and minerals such as garnet, these materials become embedded in the diamond while it is forming. Lasers are used to drill a small hole that is filled with acid or other solution which reacts with the material. The remaining substance can be flushed away leaving an empty cavity within the diamond. The hole that is left is about the size of a human hair. Laser drilling does not affect the durability of a diamond and is more permanent than fracture filling.<br>Spotting a Clarity Enhanced Diamond<br>Consumers should be aware of clarity enhancement processes and how they can be detected. Here are a few ways to tell if clarity enhancement treatment has been used on a diamond.<br>Fracture filled diamonds may often appear flawless when viewed from the top. However, they exhibit a streak of colored light known as the flash effect. The flash effect appears as a vivid flash of color at the location of the clarity enhancement which disrupts the facet pattern within the stone. The color flash is best viewed while the stone is loose as mounted stones may hide the effect.<br>Another sign of a fracture filled stone could be the presence of tiny air bubbles within the diamond. These air bubbles are the result of a less effective fracture filling process. Other signs of fracture filled stones include crackled texture, cloudy surface or filled area and loss of filling. These effects can be visible to the naked eye but are better viewed under magnification.<br>The effects of laser drilling can also be observed but it takes a trained eye and usually requires intense magnification. The diamond, when observed face up, would not exhibit any evidence of drilling as it is usually done perpendicular to the facet. However, with a slight tilt to the diamond, the laser drill hole and tunnel from the laser can be viewed from the surface down to the inclusion.<br>Author Bio<br>Kelly Klose works with his father and brother at Images Jewelers ( http://www.imagesjewelers.com ) where he is currently studying both jewelry design and gemology.<br>You can read the full version of this article at http://www.imagesontheweb.net/education/clarity-enhanced-diamonds.php

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