The Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF has developed the Automated Diamond Spectral Inspection (ASDI) - a device which can analyze very large quantities of melee diamonds at low cost.

The development of the instrument is all the more important following concerns expressed by members of the global diamond industry in the past year after undisclosed lab-grown diamonds were mixed in with parcels of natural diamonds.

The ASDI, which has a patent pending, analyses round polished diamonds ranging from 1.0 to 3.8 mm in diameter. The machine conclusively identifies colorless natural diamonds, and operates at an unrivalled average sorting speed of 4,000 stones per hour, the SSEF said in a statement.

The machine uncovers colorless synthetic diamonds, both HPHT and CVD grown, as well as colorless HPHT-treated diamonds, it added.

"The threat of undisclosed synthetic diamonds possibly mixed into batches of melee diamonds is a very serious issue," said Jean-Pierre Chalain, director of SSEF's diamond department.

"As part of SSEF's mission to protect the jewelry and watch-making industries, the release of ASDI brings a safe, reliable and very efficient industrial solution to the trade. This machine can authenticate melee diamonds of low individual value using high-tech methods at a highly competitive price per stone.”

Two major Swiss diamond suppliers and two prestigious Swiss jewelry and watch-making companies have already ordered the ASDI machine. And as of the end of last month, the SSEF had already tested 400,000 diamonds submitted for inspection by the Swiss diamond trade using the ASDI machine.