Sarine Technologies Ltd announcedthat it has developed “new and groundbreaking technology that will provide automated, objective and consistent Clarity measurement and grading – a first for the diamond industry”.

The Company said that “advanced large-scale testing” has begun in India for this technology which is expected to be available for sale somewhere in the middle of 2017.  

“Sarine's Clarity technology initially provides accurate and objective mapping of the polished diamond's inclusions and flaws ("birthmarks"),” Sarine explained. “It then applies a predefined set of rules and algorithms to derive the appropriate Clarity grade, using the generally accepted standardised Clarity grading terminology. Finally, within the assigned Clarity grade the diamonds are sorted into sub-categories according to pre-defined criteria, which enables diamond manufacturers and traders to ensure that each individual stone is optimally valued for its ideal sales market (e.g., with or without black inclusions, with or without inclusions under table, etc).”

Simultaneously, Sarine has also developed a new “advanced computerised Colour evaluation technology” which is being tested in India as well; and will also be introduced in the market towards the middle of 2017.

“Together, these two new capabilities will broaden the Group's existing offerings for polished diamonds with revolutionary new products and services for Clarity and Colour grading,” Sarine said. “The business model is expected to be similar to the Group’s rough diamond inclusion mapping products (GalaxyTM, etc.), which should increase our recurring revenues and improve our gross and operating margins.”

The Clarity technology is suitable for polished stones from 2 points to 10 carats; the initial Colour system will be limited to polished stones of 20 points and up, and later  models will handle a range of stone sizes similar to those handled by the Clarity technology.

Uzi Levami, Chief Executive Officer of Sarine stated: "We believe the new Clarity technology is a first, being a more objective Clarity grading methodology than any other currently in use, with follow-on optional automated sorting, in accordance with pre-defined user-specific parameters. This will transform the way the diamond industry and consumers perceive Clarity grading. Along with our Colour grading technology, we believe gem labs and manufacturers will be able to further optimise the way the downstream industry handles polished diamond classification, evaluation, sorting and sourcing. “