Laser drilling is a clarity treatment that bores a tiny channel to an inclusion, usually a dark one. The laser then burns the inclusion away, or a bleaching agent enters through the channel.
In more detail
It is permanent, so GIA grades a laser-drilled stone and discloses the treatment. IGI also discloses permanent treatments in Comments.
On a grading report
The drill hole appears in the key to symbols, and Comments describes the treatment.
Related terms
- Laser drill hole: A laser drill hole is a tiny, surface-reaching tunnel made by a laser beam, usually toward a dark inclusion.
- Internal laser drilling: Internal laser drilling is laser work inside a diamond that creates or widens a surface-reaching feather around a dark inclusion. The feather lets a bleach in to make the inclusion less visible.
- Treatment: A treatment is any process, other than cutting and polishing, that changes a gem's color or apparent clarity. Anyone who sells a treated gem must disclose the treatment.
- Key to symbols: The key to symbols is the list beside the clarity plot. It names the kinds of clarity characteristic on that plot.