DiamondCheck is a portable diamond-screening instrument developed by De Beers' International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR), designed to provide rapid, reliable differentiation between natural diamonds, laboratory-grown diamonds, and diamond simulants at the point of trade. Combining two independent measurement principles — electrical conductivity and short-wave infrared optical spectroscopy — the device is capable of testing mounted stones and loose melee as small as 0.003 carats, making it one of the few instruments suited to the practical demands of retail counters and wholesale sorting operations where speed and ease of use are paramount.

Background and Development

The proliferation of gem-quality laboratory-grown diamonds produced by both the high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD) methods created an urgent need for accessible screening tools that could be operated by non-specialists — jewellers, buyers, and auction-house staff — without the overhead of laboratory-grade spectrometers or trained gemmologists. De Beers, through its IIDGR division, developed DiamondCheck as a first-line triage instrument: a device that clears the overwhelming majority of natural diamonds rapidly and flags any stone requiring confirmatory analysis by a gemmological laboratory.

Operating Principles

DiamondCheck employs two complementary physical measurements applied simultaneously to each stone:

• Electrical conductivity: Natural type IIb diamonds conduct electricity, as do most simulants such as moissanite. The conductivity channel helps distinguish these from the broad population of type Ia natural diamonds, which are electrical insulators.
• Short-wave infrared (SWIR) optical response: The optical channel analyses how the stone interacts with infrared radiation, providing a rapid proxy for the nitrogen aggregation state and other spectral characteristics that differ systematically between natural and laboratory-grown material.

The instrument's onboard algorithm combines both readings and returns one of two results: pass (consistent with natural diamond) or refer (requires further testing). No result is presented as a definitive identification of synthetic origin; the refer outcome simply indicates that the stone warrants examination by a more discriminating instrument such as the IIDGR's own DiamondView, or submission to a recognised gemmological laboratory.

Practical Capabilities

DiamondCheck is notable for its ability to test stones in their mounted state, removing the practical obstacle of de-mounting melee from pavé or channel settings before screening. The 0.003 ct lower size threshold encompasses the smallest commercially significant melee sizes, addressing a segment of the market that had been particularly difficult to screen efficiently with earlier-generation instruments. Testing is non-contact and non-destructive, and each measurement takes only a few seconds, allowing a practised operator to screen large parcels in a single session.

Position Within the Screening Workflow

DiamondCheck is explicitly a first-line tool, not a definitive grading instrument. Stones that receive a refer result are directed to confirmatory testing — typically photoluminescence spectroscopy, DiamondView fluorescence imaging, or full spectroscopic analysis — which can distinguish HPHT-grown, CVD-grown, and treated natural diamonds with high specificity. GIA and other major gemmological laboratories recognise DiamondCheck as a credible and reliable entry point in a layered detection workflow. The device does not replace laboratory grading reports but complements them by filtering the large volume of routine commercial goods before they reach the laboratory stage.

Trade Context

DiamondCheck sits alongside a small number of competing first-line screeners — including GIA's iD100 and instruments from Hoover & Strong and others — in a market segment that has grown substantially since approximately 2015, as undisclosed laboratory-grown diamonds began appearing with greater frequency in melee parcels. The IIDGR's standing as a De Beers subsidiary lends the instrument considerable credibility in the trade, and it has been adopted by diamond dealers, jewellery manufacturers, and retail chains seeking to establish documented due-diligence procedures. Its use is increasingly referenced in supply-chain compliance frameworks as evidence of responsible sourcing practice.