Fluorescence Spectra of Colored Diamonds Using A Rapid, Mobile Spectrometer

While a large number of peaks and defect centers have been chronicled in natural diamonds using UV-Vis absorption, cathodoluminescence, and photoluminescence spectroscopy (see, e.g., Zaitsev, 2001), spectral data for fluorescence and phosphorescence are limited in the gemological literature, since luminescence is typically described by visual observations (again, see Fritsch and Waychunas, 1994).However, visual assessment of fluorescence and phosphorescence tells only part of the story.The color discerned by the unaided eye may represent a combination of two or more wavelength regions.For example, Anderson (1960) asserted that although most fluorescing diamonds appear to luminesce blue, a yellow or green component may be present but masked by the stronger blue emission.