We like to think of diamonds as pure, natural stones. However the reality is that in nature almost nothing is perfect, most diamonds have some degree of imperfections. Sometimes these imperfections can have pleasant results – such as intense fancy coloured diamonds – but sometimes they detract from the stone’s appearance.

For this reason a large number of the diamonds on the market today have been enhanced one way or another. It’s important not to confuse “enhanced” diamonds with “lab made” diamonds; both natural and manmade diamonds can be enhanced.

There are two main types of enhancement used today: colour and clarity.

Colour enhancement takes many forms, from heat and pressure treatment (HPHT) to irradiation to special coatings. These treatments can either be used to remove a very faint colour tinge or to amplify a stone’s natural colour to a more vivid hue.

Clarity enhancement (CE) works to correct the clarity of the stone by removing inclusions through microscopic laser drilling or by filling tiny fractures.

Although enhancement improves the appearance of a stone it can actually reduce its value – this is especially true of some forms of clarity enhancement. Some people would prefer a less perfect diamond that hasn’t been “tampered with”. At the end of the day it’s a philosophical choice – after all, every diamond you buy in modern jewelry has at least been cut and polished.