De Beers Group Ignite has officially launched its latest diamond verification instrument, AMS Micro, to offer rapid, automated and autonomous screening of high volumes of smallest melee diamonds. The first AMS Micro instrument will be delivered to the Swiss office of diamond manufacturer and De Beers sightholder, KGK, at the end of February.
According to De Beers, following more than two years of development and rigorous testing, AMS Micro can screen up to 2,500 diamonds per hour in the 0.6mm to 0.9mm size range, automatically separating natural diamonds from lab-grown diamonds and other materials with a zero percent false positive rate and a referral rate of less than three percent. These high accuracy rates have the potential to deliver savings of up to 50 percent on laboratory costs, depending on screening volumes. The speeds and accuracy achieved by AMS Micro are made possible by a first-of-its-kind “robotic arm” automated feed and dispense function, which requires no specialist expertise or outside supervision to operate and can save users on average five days for every 100 carats screened.
AMS Micro complements De Beers Group Ignite’s comprehensive suite of diamond verification instruments, which provide solutions for screening diamonds of all sizes to underpin confidence in diamond companies’ product integrity, said De Beers.
Sarandos Gouvelis, head of De Beers Group Ignite, said: “De Beers Group Ignite is committed to protecting the integrity of natural diamonds and supporting our customers to have confidence throughout their supply chain. Every lab-grown diamond can be distinguished from natural diamonds due to their different growth structures. The innovative technology offered by our comprehensive suite of diamond verification instruments – which deliver results in mere moments – plays a critical role in underpinning trade confidence and in supporting the ongoing differentiation between natural and lab-grown diamonds.”
Throughout development of AMS Micro, De Beers Group Ignite collaborated with a number of potential customers to understand key priorities and ensure the instrument would best meet industry needs. Gouvelis said: “We have had a very positive response from all customers we have engaged with throughout the development of AMS Micro. We already have a steady pipeline of orders underway, reflecting the strong desire among diamond businesses for the benefits AMS Micro delivers.”
AMS Micro comes with a comprehensive warranty and support package from De Beers Group Ignite during its first year. (Photo courtesy: De Beers)
27-02-2024
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