DIAMONDS – NATURAL, TREATED
& LABORATORY GROWN
Book Review by Fatimah Gwalani
|
Branko Deljanin, President of Vancouver-based CGL Canadian Gemlab, is no stranger when it comes to authoring books about Diamonds. His latest, "Diamonds - Natural, Treated, & Laboratory Grown," published in late 2021, is a comprehensive tome on diamonds in general, involving lab-grown and natural as well as treated gems. The chapters feature in-depth articles by some of the world’s most accomplished gemologists, researchers, and academics in the diamond and gem world. “The idea for this book came from the realization that, while there are many publications on the history and grading of diamonds and diamond jewelry, there is no book with deeper in-depth information, including defects, causes of color, and identification of natural, treated, or laboratory-grown diamonds,” explains Deljanin. The diamond world has changed a lot over the last few decades. A completely new market has developed for lab-grown stones, which are now being produced in large quantities at relatively low cost. We are already seeing some of their effects on the mined diamond market, although it is perhaps too early to determine the extent to which the two sectors will compete. |
But as LGDs find their own place in the market, the need becomes greater for transparency and disclosure, in order to ensure that customers clearly understand and can have confidence in the stones they purchase. Clearly, gem labs have their role to play in this discussion, but it is useful for anyone dealing with diamonds to have a solid background in these sparkling gems.
The book is divided into three sections: Background on diamond defects and spectroscopy; Production of lab-grown and treated diamonds; and Instrumentation for testing and identification of diamonds. Each co-author then has a specialized chapter in the section relating to the subject. In his chapter, Deljanin offers a detailed look at a variety of instruments used by gem laboratories, retailers, and appraisers. He continues this examination in a very comprehensive Appendix that shows the results of samples of diamonds, LDGs, and imitations tested on 11 different instruments.
Although the book is highly technical, it is still comprehensible to the average reader who has an interest in learning about diamonds and their various treatments. For people in the trade, it is a must-have for any diamond library, with clear explanations of the technologies used to differentiate natural from lab-grown and treated diamonds.
The book is divided into three sections: Background on diamond defects and spectroscopy; Production of lab-grown and treated diamonds; and Instrumentation for testing and identification of diamonds. Each co-author then has a specialized chapter in the section relating to the subject. In his chapter, Deljanin offers a detailed look at a variety of instruments used by gem laboratories, retailers, and appraisers. He continues this examination in a very comprehensive Appendix that shows the results of samples of diamonds, LDGs, and imitations tested on 11 different instruments.
Although the book is highly technical, it is still comprehensible to the average reader who has an interest in learning about diamonds and their various treatments. For people in the trade, it is a must-have for any diamond library, with clear explanations of the technologies used to differentiate natural from lab-grown and treated diamonds.