Events & AwardsMar 03, 2026
Johnny Nelson Wins David Yurman Gem Awards GrantNelson will be honored as the inaugural grant winner at the Gem Awards gala on March 13.
GradingJan 28, 2014
De Beers’ melee screener to go in Antwerp lab
De Beers is now in the manufacturing stage with its melee screener and will lease it to interested sightholders in the second quarter before placing the device in a grading and research facility it operates in Antwerp, making it open to the trade more generally.
De Beers’ Automated Melee Screening Device scans stones between one point and 0.20 carats in size and automatically sorts them into one of five bins: pass, refer, refer Type II, non-diamond and purge.
London--De Beers is now in the manufacturing stage with its melee screener and will lease it to interested sightholders in the second quarter before placing the device in a grading and research facility it operates in Antwerp, making it open to the trade more generally.
The machine, officially dubbed the Automated Melee Screening Device, or AMS, screens near-colorless or colorless diamonds as small as one point and up to 0.20 carats to determine if they are natural, De Beers said.
Unlike the screening device for synthetic and high-pressure, high-temperature- (HPHT) treated diamonds introduced this week by the Gemological Institute of America that tests one stone at a time, De Beers’ device can take up to 500 carats of melee at once and automatically feeds the stones, table-down, into a measurement station.
Following testing, the diamonds are automatically dispensed into one of five bins:
-- Pass: The stone is not a synthetic or a simulant. Trials have indicated pass rates of 95 to 99 percent for natural melee;
-- Refer: A rare result, this indicates that more testing is needed;
-- Refer Type II: The stone has a low concentration of nitrogen and further testing is required, as it may be synthetic;
-- Non-diamond: The stone is a simulant or synthetic; and
-- Purge: This bin is for when the user needs to empty out the machine because, for example, they placed the wrong packet of diamonds into the device.
Because the machine feeds and sorts stones automatically it can be left unattended, and one person can operate multiple machines at a time.
However, unlike the GIA, De Beers won’t be leasing its device at no cost in exchange for data, or selling it to the general trade, at least not right now.
De Beers said it will offer three-year leases on the device, which was developed by De Beers Technologies UK, to sightholders through the International Institute of Diamond Grading & Research (IIDGR) in Antwerp for $25,000 a year. De Beers declined to say which sightholders would be leasing the machines.
Founded in 2008, the IIDGR is part of the De Beers Group of Companies and is a grading and research center that offers a range of diamond grading services and specializes in developing verification instruments.
In addition to leasing the machines to sightholders, De Beers will install multiple melee screening devices at the IIDGR later
this year. The cost of the screening service is yet to be determined and while the details are still being worked out, it will be available to the general trade, De Beers said.
When asked if De Beers plans to sell the device to the trade, a spokeswoman for the diamond miner and marketer said the “initial plan” is to lease the device to sightholders, which are the “current priority at the moment.”
De Beers tested the device last year in a pilot program at the IIDGR. A number of the devices also were deployed to diamond centers worldwide, to measure the impact of different environmental conditions on the machine’s performance, De Beers said.
After receiving what it describes as “strong expressions of interest from many sightholders,” De Beers opted to begin manufacturing the melee screener.
De Beers’ release of information about its automated melee screener comes on the heels of the GIA’s official announcement on Monday that it had developed the DiamondCheck, a screening device for the detection of lab-grown as well as HPHT-treated diamonds as small as one point in size.
The GIA is leasing the machines to diamond bourses around the world at no cost in exchange for data about the stones that get screened. Through GIA Instruments, it is also selling the DiamondCheck to the wider trade for $23,900.
The bourses currently slated to receive a DiamondCheck are in New York, Mumbai, Dubai, South Africa, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai and Tel Aviv.
Absent from this initial list is the bourse in Antwerp, one of the world’s main trading hubs, though the GIA said Antwerp, along with other diamond centers, likely will receive a DiamondCheck later in the first quarter.
More on Grading
The Latest
SourcingMar 03, 2026
7 Trends That Could Define the Diamond Industry’s FutureExperts from India weigh in the politics, policies, and market dynamics for diamantaires to monitor in 2026 and beyond.
MajorsMar 03, 2026
Swiss Refiner Completes Acquisition of Gannon & ScottThe American precious metals refiner’s day-to-day operations remain the same post-acquisition.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
TrendsMar 03, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: AquatopiaThese aquamarine jewels channel the calming energy of the March birthstone.
Weekly QuizFeb 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsMar 03, 2026
AGTA Adds Another New Category for SpectrumThe “Innovative Design” category and award will debut in the Spectrum division of this year’s AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards.
EditorsMar 02, 2026
Jewelry at the Actor Awards: Reimagining Hollywood GlamourDiamond jewelry was the star of the event formerly known as the SAG Awards.
Brought to you by
DCA Enters a New Chapter in Jewelry EducationWith refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.
SurveysMar 02, 2026
Consumer Confidence Edges Up in FebruaryConsumers were somewhat less worried about the future, though concerns about rising prices and politics remained.
Events & AwardsMar 02, 2026
JVC to Honor Rebecca Foerster at Annual LuncheonFoerster is this year’s Stanley Schechter Award recipient.
Events & AwardsMar 02, 2026
JFC Names 2026 ‘Facets’ Honorees Sponsorships and tickets to the annual fundraising event, set for May 31, are available now.
CrimeFeb 27, 2026
Man Charged in Murders of Father, Son Jewelers in ChicagoChicago police and members of the U.S. Marshals Service tracked down the 35-year-old suspect earlier this week in St. Louis.
SourcingFeb 27, 2026
South African Diamond Mine Closes Amid Search for Missing WorkersOwners of the Ekapa Mine reportedly filed for liquidation about a week after a mudslide trapped five workers who have yet to be found.
MajorsFeb 27, 2026
Jewelers Mutual to Donate $10M to Savannah College of Art and DesignA 10-year alliance has also begun to address the shortage of bench jewelers through scholarships, enhanced programs, and updated equipment.
CollectionsFeb 27, 2026
Renato Cipullo Turns Gold into HardstonesThe “Splendente” collection has evolved to feature hardstone letter pendants, including our Piece of the Week, the onyx “R.”
AuctionsFeb 26, 2026
Noonans to Auction Lady Wardington’s JewelryThe jewelry collection belonged to “one of society's most glamorous and beautiful women of the mid-20th century,” said the auction house.
SourcingFeb 26, 2026
Anglo American CEO Gives Insight Into De Beers SaleThe update came as Anglo took its third write-down on the diamond miner and marketer, which lost more than $500 million in 2025.
ColumnistsFeb 26, 2026
Practical Ways Jewelers Can Leverage AI in 2026Emmanuel Raheb discusses the rise of “GEO” and the importance of having well-written, quality content on your website.
CrimeFeb 26, 2026
Three Sentenced in California Jewelry HeistEach received around four years for burglarizing a jewelry store and a coffee shop in Simi Valley, California, last May.
Events & AwardsFeb 26, 2026
GIA Names 2026 Jewelry Design Contest Winner, Retires Annual AwardCatherine Aulick, a GIA graduate, received the ninth and final Gianmaria Buccellati Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design.
TrendsFeb 25, 2026
Engagement Ring Trends 2026: What’s In, and WhyWe asked a jewelry historian, designer, bridal director, and wedding expert what’s trending in engagement rings. Here’s what they said.
EditorsFeb 25, 2026
Q&A: Brilliant Earth’s CEO on the New Beverly Hills StoreBeth Gerstein discusses the vibe of the new store, what customers want when fine jewelry shopping today, and the details of “Date Night.”
PodcastsFeb 25, 2026
Episode 2: Jewelry Trends & Does the Red Carpet Matter?Are arm bands poised to make a comeback? Has red-carpet jewelry become boring? Find out on the second episode of the “My Next Question” podcast.
WatchesFeb 25, 2026
Private Equity Firms Write Down Value of Breitling, Report SaysThe Swiss watchmaker is battling declining sales amid a rapid retail expansion, according to a Financial Times report.
CollectionsFeb 25, 2026
Rahaminov Diamonds’ New Campaign Honors Its MatriarchThe campaign celebrates Giustina Pavanello Rahaminov, the co-founder’s wife and matriarch of the family-owned brand, for her 88th birthday.
IndependentsFeb 25, 2026
Borsheims Names 2025 ‘Ike-It’ Award WinnerRachel Bennett, a senior jeweler who has been with Borsheims since 2004, earned the award.
Policies & IssuesFeb 24, 2026
IEEPA Tariffs Terminated, New 10% Tariff Already ImposedAfter the Supreme Court struck down the IEEPA tariffs, President Trump imposed a 10 percent tax on almost all imports via a different law.
