![](https://www.ssef.ch/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/404_1_diamond-comparison-jpg.webp)
Diamond fraud uncovered
by Dr. M.S. Krzemnicki, first published in Facette 27 (June 2021)
![](https://www.ssef.ch/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/404_1_diamond-comparison-jpg.webp)
As in the past, the SSEF is regularly asked by the Swiss police authorities to act as a gemmological adviser in criminal cases. Usually, these are fraud cases, involving undeclared or mislabeled gemstones or their imitations.
In a recent case with about 20 stones submitted by the police, we not only found diamonds with incorrect grading labels (Figure 1) and undisclosed fissure-fillings (Figure 2), but also cubic zirconia that was fraudulently mislabeled as diamond and sealed in a plastic card.
These examples unfortunately highlight the risk for consumers when buying diamonds without proper documentation by an internationally recognised laboratory.
![](https://www.ssef.ch/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/404_2_diamond-filled.jpg)
![](https://www.ssef.ch/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/404_3_sealed-imitation.jpg)
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