In this interview, we find out what technologies a European project has studied and put into practice to ensure that the origin of a diamond is certain from the moment it is mined.
Paweł Modrzyński has made ethical diamonds his mission. The co-founder of Nanores, a Polish laboratory specialising in nanotechnology, started envisioning his solutions a few years ago, when he was working at CERN. The machinery that is used here in Wroclaw to microscopically engrave precious stones, “shooting” particles at diamonds, is indeed somewhat reminiscent of experiments at the Geneva scientific research centre.
The technologies are actually different. The first is called Diamond ID: “Diamond ID, by applying markings under the surface of the diamond, allows the entire supply chain to be traced, from the mine to the customer, “ Modrzyński explains. This represents a major evolution for a hitherto not very transparent system.”
But it doesn't end there: “The second traceability technology,” the scientist continues, “consists of the use of security holograms. These are surface markings that are impossible to counterfeit. The hologram, as well as the subsurface micro-marking, is recorded in a database. This makes it possible to trace the path of the diamond, establishing a physical connection with the digital data. In this way, the authenticity and provenance of the marked diamond can be verified with certainty."
For him, this project is not simply a technological challenge, but a practical possibility to fight against a traffic against which laws sometimes do not suffice: "Technologies such as ours," he says, "avoid the risk of confusing 'blood diamonds' or diamonds of unknown origin with those from countries such as Botswana, where mining processes are subject to strict environmental and political safety controls.