Old cuts that go dark in sunlight?

[YadaYadaYada]

Hey all!

I have been meaning to post this for weeks now but between starting a new job and becoming a homeschooling mom (all at the same time!) life has been crazy!!

Anyways, I bought this ring off RubyLane a month or so ago, there are a lot of rings in my collection but this is my first with this facet pattern. There is a seller I have seen with diamonds faceted this way labeled as transitional. So without the table and depth measurement, and with only the facet pattern to work with, I’m thinking it is a transitional or early round brilliant.

Something different about this one is that it does “go dark” in direct sunlight, from other threads I know this is evidence of a well cut diamond when looking at round brilliant cuts, but is this true of the early round brilliant and transitional cuts?

I took these pictures yesterday in the same spot in the yard, only moving my hand to show the darkness in sun and how it looks in the shade. Something that’s really cool about this diamond is in indoor lighting you can see the tips of several arrows that light up white

Anyone else have an old cut that does this? If so please share!

Please excuse the dry hands, the gloves at work dry them out terribly!

 

[blingmeupscotty]

Hey all!

I have been meaning to post this for weeks now but between starting a new job and becoming a homeschooling mom (all at the same time!) life has been crazy!!

Anyways, I bought this ring off RubyLane a month or so ago, there are a lot of rings in my collection but this is my first with this facet pattern. There is a seller I have seen with diamonds faceted this way labeled as transitional. So without the table and depth measurement, and with only the facet pattern to work with, I’m thinking it is a transitional or early round brilliant.

Something different about this one is that it does “go dark” in direct sunlight, from other threads I know this is evidence of a well cut diamond when looking at round brilliant cuts, but is this true of the early round brilliant and transitional cuts?

I took these pictures yesterday in the same spot in the yard, only moving my hand to show the darkness in sun and how it looks in the shade. Something that’s really cool about this diamond is in indoor lighting you can see the tips of several arrows that light up white

Anyone else have an old cut that does this? If so please share!

Please excuse the dry hands, the gloves at work dry them out terribly!

I am only here to drool..please continue.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I am only here to drool..please continue.

I hope there will be other examples of some old cuts with this attribute so we can both drool!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I forgot I or got I took these macro shots:

 

[blingmeupscotty]

I forgot I or got I took these macro shots:

Just look at that.. take that ALL in for one moment .. or two..or ten..thats perfection defined.

 

[junebug17]

Oh that is a gorgeous facet pattern! I am far from an expert and hopefully others will chime in. I don't think I would say this is an early round brilliant. The only thing that might change that for me is I think it might have a largish (compared to oec) table? The checkerboard faceting and culet is leading me to believe it's a transitional and closer to OEC and opposed to RB. It sure is pretty!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Aw thank you so much @blingmeupscotty! I am enjoying watching LT for your listings and will keep an eye out!

@junebug17 Thanks June! I was so over the moon when I saw this and it was listed as “retro” which is not as commonly searched for as vintage, I did get a great deal on it. I agree that I do think it’s transitional, so glad I found this one because transitionals I’ve seen up to this point we’re out of reach. Even under a carat they are pricey IMO.

 

[Rfisher]

Beautiful stone (and rings!) @YadaYadaYada

Here’s mine in and out of direct sun.
(Rightfully ashamed of not cleaning beforehand )

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Rfisher gorgeous rings! I’m also guilty of taking quick and dirty pictures of my rings

Are all three OEC cut? I just love this whole look

 

[Rfisher]

@Rfisher gorgeous rings! I’m also guilty of taking quick and dirty pictures of my rings

Are all three OEC cut? I just love this whole look

Thank you!
yes, the three stone are all OEC (I dunno if EGL report OEC is different parameters than GIA?)

off to research new cleaning program......

 

[MMtwo]

I don't know the answer to the question but what a lovely stone!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Thank you!
yes, the three stone are all OEC (I dunno if EGL report OEC is different parameters than GIA?)

off to research new cleaning program......

Well they are beautiful OEC’s! It’s so interesting to me how the old cuts go dark too. That was really the catalyst to start this thread, there doesn’t seem to be many threads (I could find anyways) that talks about old cuts specifically going dark.

My cleaning regimen is simple enough (Dawn and boiling water with a splash of Windex) that I really have no excuse to ever have a dirty ring in my pictures

 

[Ionysis]

Please don’t quote me because I know nothing about anything but what I’ve read here leads me to believe in old cuts people look for facets which switch “on” and “off” in different lights. The aim to to ensure that there is an even mix of facets which are off in some lights and on I others which means the stone is never dull and always sparkles to some extent. If all the facets are “off” in a certain light then it isn’t considered optimal.

As I said, this is just my ignorant take away from the threads I’ve read. Happy for someone more knowledgable to come and correct.

 

[Rfisher]

Please don’t quote me because I know nothing about anything but what I’ve read here leads me to believe in old cuts people look for facets which switch “on” and “off” in different lights. The aim to to ensure that there is an even mix of facets which are off in some lights and on I others which means the stone is never dull and always sparkles to some extent. If all the facets are “off” in a certain light then it isn’t considered optimal.

As I said, this is just my ignorant take away from the threads I’ve read. Happy for someone more knowledgable to come and correct.

I’m not more knowledgeable nor attempting to correct.
Cannot also speak for @YadaYadaYada
But what I see as going dark in direct sunlight shown here
I feel is a different phenomenon than multiple/too many adjacent facets switching ‘off’ at the same time as advice to look for in critical judgement of an antique cut

But maybe my perception is wrong.

 

[VRBeauty]

I’d also consider those OECs, mainly because of the cutlets, but also because of the lovely fat facets in the center stone. But I also am no expert…

Several years ago I inherited my mother’s diamond ring. The stone, which had been reset a few times by the time I got it, originally belonged to my paternal grandmother. She gave it to my mother in the 70’s, and my parents had the stone “appraised” at a neighborhood jewelry store. They identified it as a transitional cut.

It was only a few years ago that I happened to be wearing it while I was in a jewelry shop and asked if they would clean the ring. When they handed it back to me they also handed me a loupe, as a courtesy, so I could examine their handiwork. That was the first time I really looked at the facet pattern, and noticed small culet, and realized that my heirloom “transitional” diamond was actually an OEC! (This was confirmed by the jeweler, who carried a lot of estate jewelry.). I had *ahem* been on PS a good 10 years or more at this point!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Please don’t quote me because I know nothing about anything but what I’ve read here leads me to believe in old cuts people look for facets which switch “on” and “off” in different lights. The aim to to ensure that there is an even mix of facets which are off in some lights and on I others which means the stone is never dull and always sparkles to some extent. If all the facets are “off” in a certain light then it isn’t considered optimal.

As I said, this is just my ignorant take away from the threads I’ve read. Happy for someone more knowledgable to come and correct.

I completely understand what you’re referring to. I think as @Rfisher commented, the darkness in direct sunlight is an attribute not related to how the lighting affects the facet behavior in other lighting. This is speaking purely about my stone, and I am in no way an expert, but I do not see that darkness in any other lighting environment.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

I’d also consider those OECs, mainly because of the cutlets, but also because of the lovely fat facets in the center stone. But I also am no expert…

Several years ago I inherited my mother’s diamond ring. The stone, which had been reset a few times by the time I got it, originally belonged to my paternal grandmother. She gave it to my mother in the 70’s, and my parents had the stone “appraised” at a neighborhood jewelry store. They identified it as a transitional cut.

It was only a few years ago that I happened to be wearing it while I was in a jewelry shop and asked if they would clean the ring. When they handed it back to me they also handed me a loupe, as a courtesy, so I could examine their handiwork. That was the first time I really looked at the facet pattern, and noticed small culet, and realized that my heirloom “transitional” diamond was actually an OEC! (This was confirmed by the jeweler, who carried a lot of estate jewelry.). I had *ahem* been on PS a good 10 years or more at this point!

Oh interesting! I remember seeing on PS a chart that helped determine an OEC from a transitional and I think there was something about having to meet three criteria to determine cut category.

I would love to see a picture of the ring your referring to if you would like to share.

 

[LightBright]

My well cut Transitional goes dark in certain lighting, if I recall correctly, it’s overhead lighting that makes it go dark. This is typical for a superideal as well.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Thank you for your insight @LightBright, I really had no idea that a well cut old cut and super ideal could have the same phenomenon in direct light. Really interesting.

 

[oldcutclubmember]

I’m so glad that you made a post on this as I have seen this happen with one of my OMCs as well. I’ve been meaning to add pics of my OMC under various lighting to this thread.

In direct sunlight, it goes super dark. It does put out a lot of fire under the sun but the stone itself looks dark. It’s actually quite a bright, glowy stone in every other lighting so it was a little puzzling at first but good to know that it may just mean that it’s due to being well cut!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Muluver, see this is a perfect example of why I started this thread. I had no idea that an OMC would do this too, really cool. Also obviously a beautiful diamond you have there

 

[oldcutclubmember]

@Muluver, see this is a perfect example of why I started this thread. I had no idea that an OMC would do this too, really cool. Also obviously a beautiful diamond you have there

Thank you @YadaYadaYada ! I do love this stone. It’s currently with Caysie getting set so I don’t have it with me but here is a video I took before showing how it throws out a lot of big fire and you can see how dark it is!