GradingOct 21, 2022
Why AGS Is Closing Its Lab, Merging It With GIA GradingOct 26, 2022
SSEF Introduces Automated Diamond Screener for Very Small Melee
Created with Swiss robotics company Unimec, the ASDI-500 can screen stones as small as 0.5 mm at a speed of 700 stones per hour.
The ASDI-500, developed by SSEF and Unimec, can screen stones as small as 0.5 mm at a speed of 700 stones per hour. It will be unveiled at GemGenève International Gem & Jewellery Show in November.
Basel, Switzerland—The Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF and Swiss robotics company Unimec have released a new version of the Automated Diamond Spectral Inspection (ASDI) device that can screen diamonds as small as 0.5 mm in diameter.
First launched eight years ago, SSEF developed the ASDI to protect the Swiss watch and jewelry industry, a major consumer of melee diamonds, from undisclosed lab-grown diamonds and simulants.
It was the first device to automatically screen large batches of colorless diamonds, SSEF said.
Still, there was no automated solution for the authentication of very small melee, and SSEF and UNIMEC responded by developing the ASDI-500, which can screen large quantities of round colorless polished diamond melee to detect synthetics and simulants.
The new ASDI-500 can analyze diamonds ranging from 0.50 to 3.80 mm in diameter at an average sorting speed of 700 stones per hour.
Unimec made this possible by integrating within the instrument its fast pick-and-place robot, which has a positioning precision of 5 microns, or 0.005 mm.
The ASDI-500 can detect both HPHT and CVD grown diamonds as well as diamond simulants.
“The ASDI-500 is the first-ever automatic machine to fill the gap between approximately 0.50 mm and 1.00 mm,” said Jean-Pierre Chalain, director of SSEF’s diamond department. “To an uninformed person, this gap may seem insignificant, but traders and consumers of melee know that it represents millions of diamonds per month.”
The ASDI-500 will be unveiled at the GemGenève International Gem & Jewellery Show, slated for Nov. 3-6 at Palexpo in Geneva.
Interested parties can reach out to SSEF for a viewing of the instrument.
The cost of the machine will be announced at the trade show.
The ASDI-500 is being manufactured and commercialized by UNIMEC SA. For more information, contact marketing@unimecsa.ch.
Related stories will be right here …
First launched eight years ago, SSEF developed the ASDI to protect the Swiss watch and jewelry industry, a major consumer of melee diamonds, from undisclosed lab-grown diamonds and simulants.
It was the first device to automatically screen large batches of colorless diamonds, SSEF said.
Still, there was no automated solution for the authentication of very small melee, and SSEF and UNIMEC responded by developing the ASDI-500, which can screen large quantities of round colorless polished diamond melee to detect synthetics and simulants.
The new ASDI-500 can analyze diamonds ranging from 0.50 to 3.80 mm in diameter at an average sorting speed of 700 stones per hour.
Unimec made this possible by integrating within the instrument its fast pick-and-place robot, which has a positioning precision of 5 microns, or 0.005 mm.
The ASDI-500 can detect both HPHT and CVD grown diamonds as well as diamond simulants.
“The ASDI-500 is the first-ever automatic machine to fill the gap between approximately 0.50 mm and 1.00 mm,” said Jean-Pierre Chalain, director of SSEF’s diamond department. “To an uninformed person, this gap may seem insignificant, but traders and consumers of melee know that it represents millions of diamonds per month.”
The ASDI-500 will be unveiled at the GemGenève International Gem & Jewellery Show, slated for Nov. 3-6 at Palexpo in Geneva.
Interested parties can reach out to SSEF for a viewing of the instrument.
The cost of the machine will be announced at the trade show.
The ASDI-500 is being manufactured and commercialized by UNIMEC SA. For more information, contact marketing@unimecsa.ch.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Grading
The Latest
Weekly QuizOct 03, 2024
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
PodcastsJan 12, 2026
Introducing My Next Question, the PodcastA monthly podcast series for jewelry professionals
Brought to you by
Navigating Cybersecurity: Essential Guidance for JewelersFrom protecting customer data to safeguarding inventory records, it's crucial to learn how to tackle cybersecurity challenges.
PodcastsNov 27, 2025
Test Podcast With VideoTest Podcast With Video. New interview with Ada Lovelace.
PodcastsNov 25, 2025
Test New Podcast PostAbstract for tests. New Podcast interview with John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morison.
ColumnistsOct 09, 2024
Peter Smith: 7 Things to Know When Selling LuxuryAhead of the holiday season, Smith delves into the often subconscious reasons people buy luxury products for themselves or their loved ones.
AuctionsOct 09, 2024
Rolex Worn on Apollo 14 Mission Up for SaleThe GMT-Master “Pepsi” belonging to astronaut Edgar Mitchell is a standout in RR Auction’s online “Space Auction,” going on now.
MajorsOct 09, 2024
New Simon Campaign Invites Gen Z to ‘Meet Me At The Mall’The ads celebrate the mall culture of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
MajorsOct 09, 2024
PGI Launches New Virtual Sales TrainingRetail sales associates can access the video series on mobile to refresh their selling skills.
Policies & IssuesOct 09, 2024
GJNRF: Reaching Out, Rebuilding Futures For 25 years, India’s Gem & Jewellery National Relief Foundation has provided aid in the wake of war, natural disasters, and global crises.
AuctionsOct 08, 2024
Sotheby’s Selling Jewelry That Belonged to a Bulgarian TsarThe November auction will feature a collection of jewels owned by Ferdinand I, the first king of modern Bulgaria, and his family.
SourcingOct 08, 2024
Rio Tinto Begins New Phase of Production That Will Extend Diavik’s LifeCommercial production has begun underground at the Canadian diamond mine’s A21 pipe.
SurveysOct 08, 2024
What to Know About Online Shopping This Holiday SeasonDeloitte and Adobe Analytics shared their insights on the season, from the retail sales forecast to the role of generative AI.
CollectionsOct 08, 2024
Sylvie Adds New Men’s BandsThe Texas-based jeweler collaborated with luxury clothing brand Uncommon Man on men’s bands designed with European influences.
SourcingOct 08, 2024
Is Current Diamond Industry Turbulence Shaping a ‘New Normal’? Industry players have found ways to cope with market conditions while working to reshape themselves in the face of emerging realities.
SourcingOct 07, 2024
Rio Tinto to Offer 76 Diamonds in 2024 Beyond Rare Tender The sales event, in its second year, features a selection of rare diamonds from the miner’s Argyle and Diavik diamond mines.
CollectionsOct 07, 2024
Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi Partners With Heller Jewelers on New CollectionA portion of the proceeds from the “Always Dream” collection will go to Yamaguchi's foundation, supporting early childhood literacy.
