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| X-ray Inspection X-ray transparency test is useful to distinguish diamonds from its stimulants. This test can be performed on a group of stones set in jewellery and leave a record showing which one is a stimulant. Moissanite is a silicon carbide whose chemical formula is SiC, and its transparency to X-ray in the test is closer than other diamond stimulants that contain elements of larger atomic weight such as YAG (yttrium aluminium garnet), GGG (gadolinium gallium garnet) or CZ. Yet, as shown in photo 8, the transparency to X-ray shows a difference that makes the distinction from diamond possible.
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| Moissanite Tester Our for used test at our laboratory this time, a thermal tester to distinguish diamonds from its stimulants and a simple instrument to identify moissanite and could not make positive distinction between high temperature-heat treated diamonds and black moissanites. |
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| Fluorescent X-ray Analysis Distinction between diamond and its stimulants can be clearly made by analysing elements contained in each material in fluorescent X-ray analysis. The major element of diamond is C (carbon), while other stimulants contain other various elements. Moissanite is composed of Si (silicon) and C, therefore elemental analysis detects Si that cannot be detected in diamond. |
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| Microscopic Raman Spectral Analysis In the standard gemmological tests it is possible to differentiate the stones that may be moissanite from black diamonds set in a jewellery piece. However, for individual identification of the suspicious stones, microscopic Raman spectral analysis is useful. Raman spectral analysis is a technique using *Raman effect (a phenomenon when a monochromatic light hits at a substance and is scattered, the scattered light contains a light that has been changed its wavelength at a certain degree that is unique to the substance) to identify a substance or analyse molecular structure, and this technique is quite useful for a sample as small as several micron in size or to a local analysis. It can perform individual analysis quickly even on stones set in a jewellery, as shown in figure 1, and can positively identify diamond, moissanite or CZ. * a phenomenon when a monochromatic light hits at a substance and is scattered, the scattered light contains a light that has changed its wavelength at a certain degree that is unique to the substance
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| For further information, please contact: GAAJ-ZENHOKYO Laboratory E-mail: laboratory@gaaj-zenhokyo.co.jp |
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