H&A vs IdealScope

[MissAva]

This may be a silly question but could someone please explain to me the difference between a H&A viewer and IdealScope? What are the pros and cons of each? Thanks.

 

[denverappraiser]

They aren’t measuring the same thing.

An Ideal-Scope is used to examine the light return and some of the light behavior in a stone. It’s true that you can sometimes see the arrows pattern in a stone with this tool but this isn’t really the point. A stone can have good light performance without displaying the arrows and the I-S will give you a good indicator of this.

The H&A viewer is all about the symmetry of certain cuts of diamonds.

The biggest difference between the two is in the way the light enters the stone. The I-S has lighting from behind and there is some transmitted light while the H&A viewer is closed from the back so all light you are seeing originated from above the stone.

They can both be quite useful for their own purposes.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[MissAva]

Thanks!