According to Dr. James Shigley, a research fellow at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), identifying a diamond’s origin based on its physical characteristics is highly unlikely. He explained that diamonds lack distinctive visual features that would determine their provenance and the samples of stones often do not provide enough information. The only possible indication of a diamond’s origin is trace elements, which are difficult to analyze due to their low concentration and do not typically reveal where the stone came from.
Dr. Shigley also stated that the chemical composition of diamonds reflects geological processes in the mantle and is not related to their current location on the earth’s surface. Studies conducted to determine a diamond’s origin have been limited in size and range of locations, making it challenging to confirm the source of a stone now or in the future. However, he mentioned that identifying the origin of a diamond by matching its polished form to the rough stone of known provenance is possible with success rates around 90%. He described this process as similar to a chain of custody, emphasizing that this method is more effective than studying a polished diamond alone.
During his GEMTalks LinkedIn Live session, Dr. Shigley also discussed the possibility of determining the origin of colored gemstones and the impact of lab-grown diamonds on the industry. He answered questions from his audience and provided insights into the complex world of gemology. To learn more about this topic and access the full recording of
