Authentication of small diamonds

Since 2004, the Swiss Gemmological Institute – SSEF checks the authenticity and the quality of colourless small diamonds (melee) batches for many luxury watchmaking and jewellery manufacturers in Switzerland and abroad.

ASDI

Automated Spectral Diamond Inspection is a highly specialised instrument developed by SSEF that enables the screening of melees at a high speed and reasonable price.

ASDI-500

SSEF’s latest device developed by SSEF for the inspection for small diamond batches as small as half a millimeter – 500 microns, hence its name.

Toolbox – Authentication

Order Form (PDF) for small diamond batches or refer stones in French (needs to be submitted with stones upon shipment)

Pricing calculator (Excel)  For a PDF authentication report for small diamond batches in French

Conditions and pricing for authentication of diamonds can be downloaded in French

Specimen of a PDF report for authentication of melee batches in French

Specimen of a PDF report for the analysis of “refer” stones in French

Quality control of small diamonds

The Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF has set up a strict protocol for the quality control of colourless small diamonds (melees and baguettes), fitting with specific requirements of the watch- and jewellery industry. The detailed information available on SSEF reports help our clients to evaluate the quality of their lots of small diamonds and maintain their quality management. Our routine ensures the best reproducibility of results and provides our clients results they can trust.

 

We routinely control colour, clarity and cut quality of small diamonds. Each diamond that is subject to quality control is also authenticated using the ASDI instrument, with the aim of sorting out any and every synthetic diamond or diamond imitation.

Toolbox – Quality Control

Order Form (PDF) for small diamond batches or refer stones in French (needs to be submitted with stones upon shipment)

 

Pricing for quality control of meleessampling basis (English and French) or 100% quality control (English and French)

Pricing for quality control of baguettes100% quality control (English and French)

Conditions for submission for quality control of small diamonds in French (PDF)

Specimen of a report for the quality control of a batch of melee in French: full lot tested (PDF) or random sampling (PDF)

Specimen of an ASDI measurement report for a batch of melee in English and French

Explore our research library

The SSEF is known worldwide as a leading authority in gem testing, and as such we have the great pleasure to scientifically analyse some of the most prestigious and important jewellery before it is offered up for auction or in private sales. Apart from testing the gem materials in such jewellery, we

As in the past, the SSEF is regularly asked by the Swiss police authorities to act as a gemmological adviser in criminal cases. Usually, these are fraud cases, involving undeclared or mislabeled gemstones or their imitations. In a recent case with about 20 stones submitted by the police, we not only

In 2020, a novel light source for the colour grading of diamonds was developed in a collaboration between SSEF and the Department of Physics, University of Basel (see Figure 1). In contrast to many of the models on the market, the new light source uses state-of-the-art LED (Light Emitting Diode) lig

by Dr. L. Speich & J.-P. Chalain, first published in Facette 27 (June 2021) Recently, SSEF received two so-called asteriated diamonds for authentication. Asteriated diamonds are rare and highly prized amongst collectors for their beautiful and unique appearance. The two stones received

by Dr. L. Speich, first published in Facette 26 (May 2020) Diamond is valuable as a gemstone but it is also a mantle geologist’s best friend because it provides a rare opportunity to study processes that occur deep in the Earth. Most diamonds form in the so-called lithospheric mantle within a

by J.-P. Chalain, first published in Facette 21 (February 2014) In 2013, numerous trade-press articles and gemmological laboratory alerts warned the diamond industry about the presence of synthetic diamonds mixed together with, or presented as, natural diamonds. These announcements pointed out