Research

Staying ahead of the curve

Our exceptional team of scientists and engineers – specialists in electronics, design, mechanics and imaging technology – research and develop new approaches to tackling challenges across the diamond value chain, driven by an ambition to pioneer a new diamond world.

University Research Programme

Our global University Research Programme tackles prioritised, critical research areas. These programs have been effective in ensuring our team stays ahead of the new technologies curve and how these technologies could potentially be applied in De Beers.

For example a laser inscription process was developed in collaboration with the engineering department at Oxford University, United Kingdom, which is now used for inscribing Lightbox laboratory grown diamonds.

Through the University programs, an extensive network of connections to experts in particular fields has been generated with experts from academic, scientific, industrial and technology fields able to collaborate and share knowledge on pressing problems.

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We collaborate with the most innovative universities in the United Kingdom and Southern Africa.

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Our current research focus

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Synthetic Diamond Detection

Our synthetic detection research supports consumer confidence in the integrity of natural diamonds. Our research aims to identify weaknesses in detection methods so that they can be eradicated before external challenges emerge, and provide the industry with tools necessary to enhance detection capability.

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Image Processing

To identify and classify rough and polished diamonds, our image processing technology captures and measures a diamond’s 4Cs and other attributes by processing digital images and applying pattern recognition and deep learning algorithms.

Want to have a chat
about a collaboration?

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