Prior to the turn of the century (year 2000), particularily at the Tucson Gem Show, the gem-jewelry industry has been introduced to ‘spectrophotometer-type’ instruments for the technology-minded gemologist. One was produced by Spectra Lamda at a then speculated price of fifty thousand dollars; One was a prototype version via Sarasota Gem Instruments (now out of business) at a considerable lesser price projection; One was a single usage diamond color grading put out by Gran and later remade and sponsored by the GIA; Later came another single usage diamond color grading put out by Austron. Now, there is the SAS2000 Spectrophotometer Analysis System developed by
Martin Haske of Adamas Gemological Laboratory. This article is a review of the SAS2000 for diamond and gemstone evaluation and grading. Lee Davis an AGS-CGA at Seng Jewelers, in Louisville, Kentucky wants other gemologists to know the SAS2000 spectrophotometer, "is not a toy . . . it is a technical gemological instrument used in the evaluation of gemstones".

The SAS2000 provides the most accurate colorimetry available today for diamond color grading, helps determine radiation treatments of diamond, provides better ability than the DeBeer’s DiamondSure to detect probable synthetic diamonds, replaces the spectroscope for transparent gemstone evaluation, and produces a consumer oriented, copyrighted Diamond Quality Analysis Report which shows the WHY of a diamond color grade.The SAS2000 combines a state of the art, dual channel fiberoptic spectrophotometer with an approximate optical resolution of 1.5nm. Ask about the optical resolution of single channel , single purpose "Full Spectrum" colorimeters now being sold.The SAS2000 quantizes the 380nm to 850nm band in approximately 0.3nm intervals, approximately 8 times finer than the next closest single purpose colorimeter.. The SAS2000 is a DUAL channel system, accurately tracking with the reference channel any variations in the illumination source spectra, in contrast to the single channel colorimeters. Because of intellectual property copyright protection, no other system can legally offer the SAS2000’s unique Diamond Quality Analysis reports, which show the transmittance spectra of the subject diamond along with the GIA certified diamond master stones transmittance spectra used as the scientific basis for color grade estimation.The SAS2000 is a high resolution system which utilizes GIA/GTL graded diamond master stones for its color grading calibration and a numerical grading system (0-10) consistent with the AGS colorimeter scale reading, based on the 1950’s Shipley Colorimeter.. Shown in Figure 1 shows diamond masters used for the initial SAS2000 system calibration. The user can add his masters to the system calibration to extend the color grading range of the system.

Mackley & Company wishes to thank Martin Haske for allowing the editorial and reprinting of information supplied by him. Information regarding this product and any ‘hands-on’ information can be obtained from him or Joseph Mackley a purchaser of the SAS2000 Spectrophotometer.