Jonathan Kendall, President of the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR) has announced that the Automated Melee Screening (AMS) instrument is now being dispatched to Sightholders of The De Beers Group of companies across the globe, with the first installation and training sessions having successfully taken place at the end of June with Tasaki and Rosy Blue in Japan.

Kendall said focus has now shifted to installing the AMS in Sightholder facilities across key diamond trading hubs such as Antwerp, Mumbai, Hong Kong and Tel Aviv.

“This is a phased roll out with IIDGR technicians working in parallel in different locations to ensure timely yet comprehensive installation and training. The AMS is the result of several years of development, exhaustive testing and production. De Beers is committed to sustaining trust in diamonds, supporting Sightholders and the wider diamond industry which employs more than 1 million people globally,” the company said.

The AMS instrument measures approximately: 42cm deep; 26cm in width; 23cm high. It can be located in any type of environmentally controlled facility and operates as a single machine or multiple units.

It screens near-colourless and colourless round brilliant diamonds from 0.20cts down to 0.01ct (roughly 1.4mm diameter) to determine whether they are natural or not. The AMS instrument does not screen for treated natural diamonds.

The instrument is fully automated and will take up to 500cts at any one time. Larger parcels may be split across multiple machines  and the instrument can be run unattended overnight.

The throughput of each instrument is approximately 360 stones per hour and each instrument is controlled by a compact computer which is supplied with the machine.

About the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research

The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research has been established by The De Beers Group of Companies to provide a premium service and proprietary equipment to the diamond industry. Based in Antwerp and run by the world’s top diamond experts, the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research offers a range of expert services and specialises in the development of industry-leading verification instruments. The International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research works only on diamonds that meet the requirements of the United Nations’ mandated World Diamond Council Kimberley Process. This exclusivity inspires confidence among diamantaires and, ultimately, the consumers they serve.