(PRESS RELEASE) LOS ANGELES – Uneek Jewelry, the Los Angeles‐based manufacturer founded by designer Benjamin Javaheri, is proud to announce that it has added another layer of quality assurance to its already robust forensic practices.
For the twenty‐plus years since their inception, the brand has always been committed not only to top‐ of‐the‐line craftsmanship, but also to exceeding customers’ expectations in the quality department, and their team members have always been transparent about their manufacturing methodologies and quality standards, especially during training sessions with their retail partners (some of their premier retail partners get to fly to Los Angeles and tour the Uneek manufacturing facilities), where important manufacturing differentiators are explained, including, but not limited to: Uneek’s special alloys that provide extra strength and durability even to the most delicate‐looking of pieces; how they ensure “zero porosity;” how their diamond graders, under a microscope, pick only melee that have excellent cut and make, etc. This year, they are upping the ante by vowing to become stalwarts in the battle against synthetic diamonds or CVD diamonds.
“We are proud to be the first company in our industry to verify that all of the diamonds in our jewelry are natural and untreated,” shares Javaheri. “We’re calling this the ‘Uneek Promise.’ It guarantees that all the diamonds used to craft your Uneek jewelry are not synthetic diamonds, diamond simulants, or treated diamonds.”
“Unfortunately the elephant in the industry right now is the undisclosed and sometimes unknown mixing of less expensive lab‐grown diamonds into traditional diamond parcels,” says Uneek Regional VP of Sales Cortland Shopper. “This happens because large factories either do not track the origin of their diamonds, or they actively mix the parcels to save on costs. GIA reports that every 24 hours 250,000 CVDs enter the marketplace. That’s the equivalent of 1.2 million every work week.”
“The industry has been slow to react,” Shopper continues. “Current watchdog efforts usually involve random sample tests. However that is not enough because it’s not a full‐proof method.”
“Here at Uneek we have pioneered a rigid process to ensure proper and complete testing,” Javaheri proclaims. He adds that, beginning this year, they have been requiring all the loose stones that arrive at their door—whether diamond or colored gemstone—and all parcels to be sumitted GIA for melee andQAD testing. Once GIA certifies the authenticity, they sort the gemstones by color and clarity, and deliver them to Uneek. “Next, we take those diamonds and test them in‐house with our state‐of‐the‐art CVD tester to confirm their findings,” says Production Manager Toni Singian, referring to their J‐Secure Plus synthetic identification machines. “Approved parcels are then dispersed to our diamond graders, sorters and setters. Finally, during every piece’s final QC check each finished piece is again tested prior to being shipped. This way every piece is triple checked.”
“Uneek has been an early adapter in the identification of undisclosed lab grown diamonds,” says David Skuza, North American Agent for DRC Techno, manufacturer of the J‐Secure Plus machines being used by Uneek, whose technology identifies natural from laboratory grown diamonds in any shape from 0.003 carats and larger. “Benjamin and his team at Uneek have been leaders in our industry. They are actively protecting their customers—and their customers’ customers—by using our technology to scan every diamond that passes through their doors. It’s a serious commitment that takes not only real dedication but added labor and process. We see the situation with lab‐grown diamonds growing worse day by day and Uneek has drawn a line in the sand.”
“Uneek has taken a real leadership role,” Skuza continues. “It’s an uncompromising commitment to their customers that elevates their merchandise from other manufacturers. It gives their retailers a distinct advantage.”
“The ‘Uneek Promise’ ensures that all diamonds in every piece of jewelry we make to be genuine natural untreated diamonds,” Javaheri says proudly.