Let's flag this one for David!

 

As far as I'm aware, any clarity enhancing treatment CAN be reversed, which would make the diamond *theoretically* less durable.. but I don't know much on the subject.

Hi everybody!
I will have to admit that I am prejudiced... I do not like clarity enhanced diamonds.
Generally speaking, the term "clarity enhanced" referrs heavily imperfect diamonds that had silicon injected into them through an open fracture.
This is done with diamonds that are not desirable to begin with.  It does not generally change their value.  For example-lets say a reasonably nice one carat diamond starts at around $3000.  Taking a $1000 piece of crap and injecting the silicon into it to make it look slightly better will not increase its value significantly, if at all.



The treatment can be reversed, however, not when you want to reverse it-and it might not be fully reversible.  What I am saying is that once you inject this stuff into the diamond, you can't take it out when you want.  But if diamond is set into a ring and the ring is worked on (exposed to heat), some of the plastic filling may run out... this could cause a nasty surprise if you didn't know that the diamond was filled to start out with.  But that is kind of unlikely as it's fairly obvious when this is done.

The other type of enhancement, which is not nearly as invasive, and not really a problem, is laser drilling.  In the case of the diamond having a black spot, which might look better as a white spot, a channel is drilled to the black spot in the diamond is boiled an acid.
This will turn the black carbon into a white spot.  This is not reversible.

Thank you for the information.  It confirms that I really don't want an "enhanced" diamond.     

What a fascinating thread!  If you don't mind, I'd like to add a few bits ......

In the UK, there's not too much laser drilling of diamonds and therefore most High Street jewellers wouldn't know what to look for!  I only know this because I bought (without realising) a clarity enhanced diamond from America (sorry).  When I looked through the loupe I could clearly see 3 black very straight lines and suspected laser drilling but having never seen it before, wasn't sure.  I took it to a jeweller who had no idea what it was and thought it was an inclusion!  Doh!  Eventually I took it to a highly reputable valuation society and they confirmed the laser drilling.

The diamond was valued at the colour and grade it appeared to the valuer BUT she then dropped the clarity by one grade to account for the lasering. 

Thankfully you can only see the lines through a loupe and when you look at the side of the diamond.  I'll try and take a picture and post it up if you'd like?

Just as an aside, the guy I bought it from in America told me categorically it hadn't been clarity enhanced.  When I challenged him (after seeing it for myself) he eventually admitted that it "might" have been!  I got a partial refund but that's not the point!  I had asked all the questions before parting with my money but still got scammed.   

Lesson learned the hard way!

I agree, that's just not right Sparrow!!
In terms of specifics, laser drilling is quite a different story than filling a diamond.  In fact, laser drilling does not actually change clarity grade a diamond.
As I wrote above, a laser is used to drill a channel to the black spot inside the diamond.  Then the diamond is boiled in acid, turning the black spot white  Whatever imperfection was there before the drilling will be there after the drilling, although a white imperfection may be less visible than the black imperfection.
There will also be a clearly visible "channel" where the laser drilled into the diamond.  It would also be possible to spot the hole in the skin of the diamond laser went through.  In spite of all this, it sounds worse than it is, GIA will actually grade diamond that has had this procedure done.
So, not to defend the slimeball in question, but laser drilling is really not in the same category as "clarity enhancement".  Regardless, the seller should disclose this, no question about that.

The skin of the diamond is the skin of the diamond... if it's closer to get there from the bottom that's the direction they should take.
Good point about the lines made by the laser... I suppose that could affect the clarity

Now I'm really curious to see this myself!

Cockneysparrow, I don't suppose you have a super zoom on your camera?  I'm going to try google and see if I can see what you guys are talking about!

Those are some excellent detail shots.
They really give you an idea of how to spot a laser drill hole with a loupe

I saw them with my naked eye on a stone in a pawn shop.  Three little holes very uniformly made on the pavilion.  I will be honest that it scared me a little...one thing,  the diamond was super white.  My experience has been that super white diamonds over a carat do not make it to sleazy pawn shops without there being some catch.  I know that if you have a ring,  with a fracture filled stone, worked on by a jeweler and they do not know, they can shatter the stone...also David, if you heat a fracture filled stone it can get cloudy in those areas, right?   

WOW - very interesting!  Thanks for sharing.

Those pictures were really interesting! 

Pip, I don't see anything that indicates that those diamonds are enhanced, but the price sounds "too good to be true." 

Well then that's blatent mis-selling.  He states under treatment "natural".  Clarity enhancement is NOT natural.