CrimeMay 03, 2024
Second Suspect Arrested in Murder of Colorado JewelerWheat Ridge, Colorado police took a 50-year-old man into custody Wednesday following a two-month search.
GradingJan 28, 2014
De Beers’ melee screener to go in Antwerp lab
De Beers is now in the manufacturing stage with its melee screener and will lease it to interested sightholders in the second quarter before placing the device in a grading and research facility it operates in Antwerp, making it open to the trade more generally.
De Beers’ Automated Melee Screening Device scans stones between one point and 0.20 carats in size and automatically sorts them into one of five bins: pass, refer, refer Type II, non-diamond and purge.
London--De Beers is now in the manufacturing stage with its melee screener and will lease it to interested sightholders in the second quarter before placing the device in a grading and research facility it operates in Antwerp, making it open to the trade more generally.
The machine, officially dubbed the Automated Melee Screening Device, or AMS, screens near-colorless or colorless diamonds as small as one point and up to 0.20 carats to determine if they are natural, De Beers said.
Unlike the screening device for synthetic and high-pressure, high-temperature- (HPHT) treated diamonds introduced this week by the Gemological Institute of America that tests one stone at a time, De Beers’ device can take up to 500 carats of melee at once and automatically feeds the stones, table-down, into a measurement station.
Following testing, the diamonds are automatically dispensed into one of five bins:
-- Pass: The stone is not a synthetic or a simulant. Trials have indicated pass rates of 95 to 99 percent for natural melee;
-- Refer: A rare result, this indicates that more testing is needed;
-- Refer Type II: The stone has a low concentration of nitrogen and further testing is required, as it may be synthetic;
-- Non-diamond: The stone is a simulant or synthetic; and
-- Purge: This bin is for when the user needs to empty out the machine because, for example, they placed the wrong packet of diamonds into the device.
Because the machine feeds and sorts stones automatically it can be left unattended, and one person can operate multiple machines at a time.
However, unlike the GIA, De Beers won’t be leasing its device at no cost in exchange for data, or selling it to the general trade, at least not right now.
De Beers said it will offer three-year leases on the device, which was developed by De Beers Technologies UK, to sightholders through the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR) in Antwerp for $25,000 a year. De Beers declined to say which sightholders would be leasing the machines.
Founded in 2008, the IIDGR is part of the De Beers Group of Companies and is a grading and research center that offers a range of diamond grading services and specializes in developing verification instruments.
In addition to leasing the machines to sightholders, De Beers will install multiple melee screening devices at the IIDGR later
this year. The cost of the screening service is yet to be determined and while the details are still being worked out, it will be available to the general trade, De Beers said.
When asked if De Beers plans to sell the device to the trade, a spokeswoman for the diamond miner and marketer said the “initial plan” is to lease the device to sightholders, which are the “current priority at the moment.”
De Beers tested the device last year in a pilot program at the IIDGR. A number of the devices also were deployed to diamond centers worldwide, to measure the impact of different environmental conditions on the machine’s performance, De Beers said.
After receiving what it describes as “strong expressions of interest from many sightholders,” De Beers opted to begin manufacturing the melee screener.
De Beers’ release of information about its automated melee screener comes on the heels of the GIA’s official announcement on Monday that it had developed the DiamondCheck, a screening device for the detection of lab-grown as well as HPHT-treated diamonds as small as one point in size.
The GIA is leasing the machines to diamond bourses around the world at no cost in exchange for data about the stones that get screened. Through GIA Instruments, it is also selling the DiamondCheck to the wider trade for $23,900.
The bourses currently slated to receive a DiamondCheck are in New York, Mumbai, Dubai, South Africa, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai and Tel Aviv.
Absent from this initial list is the bourse in Antwerp, one of the world’s main trading hubs, though the GIA said Antwerp, along with other diamond centers, likely will receive a DiamondCheck later in the first quarter.
More on Grading
The Latest
CollectionsMay 03, 2024
A Sneak Peek Into PGI’s Couture Platinum Spotlight ProgramPGI partnered with four new and seven returning designers for its annual platinum capsule collection.
MajorsMay 03, 2024
Kristie Nicolosi Joins WJA Board AgainNicolosi, president and CEO of The Kingswood Company, previously sat on WJA’s board from 2011 to 2018.
Brought to you by
Rio’s Reimagined Podcast: For the Love of JewelersMeet Ben Claus—grand prize winner of For the Love of Jewelers 2023 Fall Design Challenge.
CollectionsMay 03, 2024
Piece of the Week: A “Bit of LUV” for the DerbyKarina Brez’s race-ready piece is a sophisticated nod to the horse-rider relationship.
Weekly QuizMay 02, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these seven questions.
CrimeMay 02, 2024
4 Indicted in Burglary Ring Targeting Indian, South Asian FamiliesThe men are allegedly responsible for stealing millions in jewelry and other valuables in 43 burglaries in 25 towns across Massachusetts.
CollectionsMay 02, 2024
Foundrae Launches ‘Horizon’ Collection“Horizon” invites individuals to explore the limitless possibilities that lie ahead, said the brand.
Brought to you by
The Blueprint for Success in Scalable, Personalized Jewelry RetailWith Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
FinancialsMay 02, 2024
Pandora Raises Guidance After Strong Q1The jeweler credits its recent “Be Love” campaign and ongoing brand revamp for its 17 percent jump in sales.
IndependentsMay 02, 2024
Oklahoma Jeweler Glenn Lewis Dies at 68The co-founder of Lewis Jewelers was also the longtime mayor of the city of Moore.
AuctionsMay 02, 2024
Vintage Baume & Mercier With Ties to Elvis Sells for $7K Elvis Presley gifted this circa 1967 gold and diamond watch to Dodie Marshall, his co-star in “Easy Come, Easy Go.”
SurveysMay 01, 2024
Consumer Confidence Falls in AprilConcerns about rising prices, politics, and global conflicts continue to dampen consumer outlook.
TrendsMay 01, 2024
Amanda’s Style File: All Eyes on EmeraldsMay’s birthstone is beloved for its rich green hue and its versatility.
SourcingMay 01, 2024
Opsydia Names New Sales and Marketing Director Jacqui Larsson joins Opsydia with nearly two decades of experience in the industry.
CrimeMay 01, 2024
Grand Jury to Hear Case Against Jeweler Charged in Fatal Shove Following IJO ShowLast month in Dallas, David Walton pushed another jeweler, David Ettinger, who later died.
CollectionsApr 30, 2024
12 Otherworldly Pieces From Tiffany & Co.’s 2024 Blue BookThe “Tiffany Céleste” collection reimagines designer Jean Schlumberger’s interpretations of the universe.
MajorsApr 30, 2024
Zales Celebrates 100 Years With New CampaignThe brand also created a 100-carat lab-grown diamond necklace in honor of its centennial.
MajorsApr 30, 2024
Platinum Guild International Appoints New CEOTim Schlick has been promoted from his previous position as COO.
Events & AwardsApr 30, 2024
Canadian Jewellers Association Brings Back the Summit It’s the second year for the event, slated to take place in October in Toronto.
Recorded WebinarsApr 29, 2024
Watch: Diamond Identification and Evaluation - How to Protect your BusinessSupplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA
SourcingApr 29, 2024
De Beers to Move Auction HQ from Singapore to BotswanaSales will be paused while the relocation takes place over the next few months.
CollectionsApr 29, 2024
Simone I. Smith Mixes Denim and Diamonds in New Collection“SIS x MISA Denim and Diamonds” is a collaboration between the designer and celebrity stylist Misa Hylton.
IndependentsApr 29, 2024
Venus Jewelers Relocating After 45 YearsThe retailer is moving to a newly designed space in the same shopping center.
SurveysApr 29, 2024
Mother’s Day Jewelry Spending to Reach $7B, Says NRFGifts that are unique and thoughtful are top of mind this year, according to the annual survey.
CollectionsApr 26, 2024
Piece of the Week: Jacquie Aiche’s Starry Galaxy NecklaceThe necklace is featured in the brand’s “Rebel Heart” campaign starring Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo.
Events & AwardsApr 26, 2024
AGS Conclave and GIA Symposium Are ConvergingThe two organizations will host a joint event, “Converge,” in September 2025.
