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Blue Nile Sues Yehuda Diamond.
On-line Diamond Retailer Blue Nile has sued Yehuda Diamond.
The Yehuda Diamond Company sells Clarity Enhancement diamonds. Clarity Enhancement is a process that fills inclusions with special material that results in the inclusion(s) blending in with the facet structure of the stone thereby making it less visible to the eye and rendering the stone eye-clean in the face up position.
Yehuda Diamond in its advertisements compares the price and appearance of its clarity-enhanced diamonds to those natural non-enhanced stones sold by Blue Nile Inc. and maintains that consumers are getting a better deal buying their diamonds rather than non-clarity-enhanced diamonds sold by Blue Nile. Furthermore, Yehuda says that consumers have an absolute right to know how much they stand to save by shopping with them.
In its complaint, Blue Nile acknowledges that “clarity enhancement can improve a diamond’s apparent clarity by one or two grades.” But Blue Nile contends in its complaint that Yehuda Diamonds’ comparisons to its prices are “misleading.”
Not everyone in the Diamond Industry sees clarity enhancement of diamonds in a positive light.
The process does have its critics. Prestigious Diamond Internet Forum, Diamond Review points out the dangers and shortcomings of Clarity Enhancement to consumers here:
Why You Should Stay Away From Clarity Enhanced Diamonds!
We agree and in our opinion Consumers are best served by purchasing diamonds that have not been clarity enhanced and that have been graded by reputable diamond grading labs such as the Gemological Institute of America(GIA) and the American Gemological Society (AGS).
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Comments
Barry, I must say that I've purchased Diamonds from Yehuda Diamonds and my wife absolutely loves them, as do I. She wears them daily, washing dishes and doing all chores and they look as beautiful now as they did when we bought them.
Snobs may think they are doing well buying non-enhanced diamonds. But regular folks -- who work hard for our money -- believe that if you can have great diamonds and save money at the same time, why buy from anyone else?
Posted by: Jed Christianson on February 7, 2008 7:50 PM
Jed;
I'm very happy for you! Continue to enjoy!
Just expressing my opinion based on my 30 years in the Trade. I'm not a fan of CE diamonds and don't recommend them.
Best regards,
Posted by: Barry G. on February 7, 2008 7:54 PM
Barry, Maybe if I was a rich jeweler, I would feel the same way. But why discourage ordinary folks from buying clarity enhanced diamonds. You can't see a difference, I swear it. And they are "real" diamonds to boot.
Posted by: Jed Christianson on February 7, 2008 7:58 PM
I just checked out the Prestigious Diamond Internet Forum, Diamond Review as you suggested. Do you think it is at all influenced by the fact that Blue Nile is one of its advertisers?
Posted by: jed Christianson on February 7, 2008 8:08 PM
Hmm, interesting observation. You might be on to something.
Posted by: Barry G. on February 7, 2008 10:07 PM
gosh!!
how can I know if i'm buying an original for myWife - I would never want to buy her anything that's fake.
ilmzomz.
Posted by: ilmzomz on February 8, 2008 7:37 AM
With all due respect -- ilmzomz -- I think your comments are fake. There is fair debate in the industry about clarity enhanced diamonds. But one (serious) calls them "fake." All reliable companies, such as Yehuda Diamond where I bought my diamonds, are very clear about the process they use to enhance "real" diamonds.
Posted by: jed Christianson on February 8, 2008 8:31 AM
This is what GIA has to say about clarity enhanced diamonds such as those given the Yehudah fracture-filled Treatment:
Fall 1994, Volume 30, Issue 3
An Update on Filled Diamonds: Identification and Durability
Robert C. Kammerling, Shane F. McClure, Mary L. Johnson, John I. Koivula, Thomas M. Moses, Emmanuel Fritsch, and James E. Shigley
"The increasing numbers of fracture-filled diamonds present a major challenge to the diamond industry, especially with regard to detection and durability of the treatment in routine jewelry manufacturing and wear. This report focuses on recent products from Yehuda/Diascience, Koss & Schechter Diamonds (Genesis II), and Clarity Enhanced Diamond House (a subsidiary of Goldman Oved Diamond Co.). Like the Yehuda treatment, the latter two processes were found to be effective in improving the appearance of most of the samples examined for this study. Treated diamonds from all three firms were damaged by direct heating and by repolishing facets intersected by filled breaks. Some stones were adversely affected by some standard cleaning procedures and wear conditions. Although the lead-based glass filling materials may be detected by X-radiography and EDXRF spectroscopy, as well as by certain internal features, we found flash effects to be the most distinctive characteristic of fracture filling—observed in all the treated diamonds examined from all three firms."
GIA will not grade Yehudah-treated diamonds.
Posted by: Barry Gutwein on February 8, 2008 9:30 AM
A couple of the major issues the diamond industry has had concerning fracture filled diamonds are those of non-disclosure and forgetfulness. A fracture filled diamond cannot be set using direct heat as this will burn the filling. If a fracture filled stone is sold without being disclosed, or if the consumer knows about it but forgets to tell the next jeweler who might work on the ring, you can just imagine the fall-out.
This is a great topic!
Posted by: George of www.diamondideals.com on February 12, 2008 10:31 AM
This is a great topic. Two major issues the industry has against Yehudah are that of non-disclosure and forgetfulness. If the next jeweler to work on a ring is not informed of the fracture filling, the filling will burn when heated and you can just imagine the fall-out...
Goerge
www.diamondideals.com
Posted by: George Landau on February 12, 2008 10:41 AM
Good point, George. And one of the reasons the GIA will not grade fracture-filled diamonds.
That is why Yehuda diamonds comparing their fracture-filled diamonds to the diamonds sold by Blue Nile is disingenuous to say the least.
You are not comparing apples to apples.
Posted by: Barry G. on February 12, 2008 10:41 AM
George, I'm curious.
What is it that you think Yehuda Diamonds doesn't disclose? Have you visited its web site? Could you miss its disclosure if you tried? Also, the company promises to repair any of its enhanced diamonds if they are damaged at no cost -- which virtually NEVER happens.
As for Barry's remarks, yes, Yehuda is comparing Apples to Apples. Only one Apple is shinier and less expensive than the other. And the folks who sell the more expensive diamonds -- I mean Apples -- are just so very jealous!
Posted by: Jed Christianson on February 12, 2008 10:57 AM
More like apples to oranges.
No doubt there is a market for fracture-filled diamonds just as there is for Cubic Zirconia, Moissanite, et al. and just because you're very happy with your purchase is commendable and we're happy for you, but it is not the same as a diamond that has not been fracture-filled. If it was, GIA would accept such diamonds for grading. They do not and the fact that they don't is a clear and dramatic statement to the level of regard that GIA places on fracture-filled diamonds.
Posted by: Barry G. on February 12, 2008 11:16 AM
Barry,
Could it be that GIA is influenced by those in the industry (the majority) who feel threatened by clarity-enhanced diamonds? When you compare clarity-enhanced diamonds to cubic zirconia, you expose your disingenuity and I think you know it. Clarity-enhanced diamonds are DIAMONDS and no one -- not even GIA, would argue that. Let's have an honest debate, not one tainted by mistruths.
Posted by: Jed Christianson on February 16, 2008 3:48 PM
I have to agree with Jed in this discussion. My husband bought me a Yehuda diamond as my engagement ring and it is wonderful! We got a real diamond, with great clarity, for about 25% less than we could find anywhere else online. And I wasn't confused or in anyway misled about what clarity-enhanced means.
My friends often comment on how great my ring looks. I'm proud to wear it. Why not just acknowledge that for "purists" these may not be the choice. But for the rest of us, Yehuda diamonds are wonderful.
Posted by: Ashley Frienz on February 16, 2008 5:11 PM
Ashely;
Congratulations and enjoy!
Jed,
Good idea. Call GIA and ask them directly why they will not grade fracture-filled diamonds.
Posted by: Barry G. on February 16, 2008 10:17 PM
More discussion on the merits of clarity enhanced diamonds at this link:
http://www.diamond.info/forum/index.php?s=085ef7183306575d0d1537ecb2ce0c37&showtopic=4043
Posted by: Barry G. on March 8, 2008 8:42 PM
We bought a black diamond from our local shop it is a Yehuda diamond all the bill of sale says is ce {clarity enhanced} it doesn't mean nothing to a stupid farmer like me. We had the ring repronged and now the diamond is junk because we didn't know it was fracture filled. I will never ever buy another fracture filled Yehuda diamond! I may not have all the money everyone else does but I can save to buy the real thing.
Posted by: Brian on April 22, 2008 9:22 PM
The argument seems to be purists vs artificial beauty.
Well... since we're all discussing the giving of engagement rings and the like ... a phenom pretty much created by the DeBeers company ... it means we're all pretty much fools for buying into a practice created in what is known as "one of the most successful marketing schemes ever" ... and since we're talking about "rare" gems, which are actually quite common gemstones whose distrubution is regulated by DeBeers in a way as to create the illusion of rarity ... well ... if someone offers to enhance the appearance of a diamond in a way that allows me to swap one illusion for another ... and pay less... I can't say there's much wrong with that. It's kind of like a bunch of people were playing an expensive form of Monopoly and the makers of the game started crying when a group of the players branched off and started playing their own version of Monopoly. Well, it seems the crybabies simply are crying because they are losing a bit of money. The crybabies are the ones who have created a "game" and now that someone else has recreated the game in such a way that people like to play ... well, they're not happy. The funny thing is... DeBeers is STILL getting the money ... probably more money because there is now a solid market for flawed stones that have been enhanced. They are laughing all the way to the bank. As far as the crybabies are concerned, well, I'm taking the money I saved bought some Dom P. and had a nice dinner with my fiance and a ring she loved. It's just a game.
Posted by: Jack on April 29, 2008 7:12 PM
The link Barry posted is very informative. It seems like the vendor buys cheap diamonds, apply the Yahuda process and sells them at a higher price.
Personally, if I buy a diamond, I want it to be forever. Being resistant to heat and acids is what makes a diamond a precious stone. Else why do I want a diamond at all? I know some will disagree.
Posted by: WKSOH on June 3, 2008 5:30 AM