2003

World Federation Says That Language, Inscription Should Indicate HPHT

Dec. 2003

What should labs write on their grading reports when they get an HPHT (high pressure–high temperature treatment) stone? That’s what gemological labs and representatives of the industry and World Federation of Diamond Bourses discussed at a meeting recently.

Representatives of the labs present at the meeting (GIA, IGI, EGL, HRD and AGS) agreed that they can identify over 90% of the stones treated, but said there were others where they could only say the color origin was “undetermined.“

The WFDB wants the labs to put standardized nomenclature on their reports that say the stone was either “modified,” “changed,” or “altered“ (rather than improved or enhanced, which was seen as too positive) through HPHT. Every HPHT stone that goes through a lab would also be laser-inscribed on the girdle with “HP/HT.”

“We need detection, disclosure and co-operation,” stated the host of the meeting, DDC President Jacob Banda. “It's all about ensuring consumer confidence. The outcome of this meeting proved that while there may be disagreements over the minutiae of HPHT, all were unanimous that full disclosure of HPHT is paramount and steps must be taken to ensure that no HPHT-treated stones reach the consumer without such disclosure on the certificates and the diamond itself.”