Raman technology has been applied to many fields, though the application in jewellery identification was not common until recently. At the early stage, the Raman laser analyser is bulky and prohibitively expensive for jewellers and laboratories. After the adjustments on software and hardware and the updates of technology, many of the gemmological research institutions are equipped with Raman instruments, including Gemological Institute of America (GIA), GRS Gemresearch Swisslab and Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS). Raman laser analyser has served as an important tool in gemstone analysis. Some laboratories even incorporate the Raman spectra on their reports.
Gavin Pan, Taiwan-based Asia-Pacific operation headquarters’ CEO of Toptek-Enwave Optronics from the United States, told Hong Kong Jewellery: “The general testing instruments are single-function oriented, aimed at single problem and mostly for unmounted loose stones. However, Raman laser analyser’s versatility and diversity make it possible to solve multiple problems that jewellery practitioners encounter.” He also stated that for the qualitative analysis on gemstone varieties, Raman laser analyser is “the most solid amongst all of the testing instruments”, apart from being non-destructive and cost-effective.
Regarding the company’s Raman laser analyser, Gavin Pan revealed that their products obtain the highest sensitivity on the market and the exclusively built-in Baseline Leveling software, so that the interference of background fluorescence can be suppressed, displaying a spectrogram with high degree of SNR ratio to differentiate gemstone varieties for qualitative analysis.
Apart from the advantages of software and hardware, Toptek-Enwave Optronics’ Raman laser analyser is equipped with a complete gemstone database and various solutions, including a total of 180 types of gemstone varieties with more than 750 Raman spectrogram. “It only takes two seconds to compare with the database to provide a complete and accurate result after testing an unknown sample,” Pan said.
The collection and integration of gemstone varieties are key to applying Raman technology to the jewellery identification, which takes technology companies extensive time and efforts to build the samples database. Currently, depending on the good relationship with many jewellers and identification institutions that the company sustains, and their active participation in trade shows, Toptek-Enwave Optronics has built a relatively integral standard samples database, and offers their users database updates if available.
The company produces 15 grades of Raman laser analyser including three grades for jewellery testing with six versions, providing customers with different solutions to different needs. In the Taiwan market alone, their Raman products account for 70 percent market share. What’s more, for the application of the jewellery industry, it occupies 90 percent market share. In their clients list, there is no lack of big names including GRS Gemresearch Swisslab, Lukfook Jewellery, and jewellery identification institutions and jewellery collectors from Taiwan.
As for the difficulties they are facing while promoting the instrument, Pan expressed that as Raman laser analyser is a high-end optical analysis equipment, consumers lack the understanding of this technology’s advantages for identification. Thus, their main concern comes from the price and operation issues. “We need to convert the abstruse theories of spectral peak into a plain interpretation for practitioners’ practical problems,” he said. It is said that the company has simplified the operational interface of their instrument, and will make it more affordable in the future.
As part of the company’s marketing strategies, they have participated in jewellery fairs in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, cooperated with experts in the jewellery industry to publish journals in 2015, and will continue to offer training plans and services for agencies and users. “We are optimistic about the application of Raman laser analyser in jewellery identification. Because of this technology, the purpose of building a credible, fair, and trustworthy jewellery trading platform will be fulfilled when practitioners know the machine and the consumption market expands,” Gavin Pan estimated.
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