Reflections From My Ring

[maria121]

As you all know, I just received my e-ring but I have a concern. I was driving one day and noticed that when my ring is under the sun, the little reflections (from the tiny stones in the micropave setting) that I see on the ceiling of my car look like dots of rainbows. I read in some sites that real diamonds reflects shades of gray and that simulated or fake diamonds reflects a rainbow of colors. It may also be a poor cutting of the diamond as well. I'm a bit puzzled as we got the ring at Harry Winston and I do not think they would do one or the other. Can someone be kind enough to explain this to me? Thanks in advance!

 

[rubybeth]

Are you asking if the melee diamonds (tiny accent diamonds) are fake? I doubt it if it's Harry Winston. If you need peace of mind, get it independently appraised--that's the only way to know for sure. All these little 'is it real' tests aren't worth a hill of beans compared to a trained appraiser's opinion.

ETA: I have two rings with smaller diamonds and they give out rainbows of color depending on the lighting. I love looking at my rings in low lighting because they kick out so many colors.

 

[minmin001]

my paved ring does that too so I'm sure there is nothing to be worry about ~ it's fun to look at them while I'm driving

 

[mrssalvo]

nothing to worry about at all. enjoy your ring and the light show that comes with it!!

 

[maria121]

I'm not implying that they are fake, but was just a concern since I've never experienced that with other pieces of jewelry. Also, a friend of mine had mentioned that to me so it got me worried. Thanks alot!

 

[Circe]

Diamonds, like pretty much all precious gems, are prisms, and they're going to reflect all the colors of the rainbow. Heck, I have colored gems that will do it! The myth about CZs is that you can see more colors refracting, mainly pastels: personally, I think this is something people say to sound more knowledgeable than they are. If it was as easy as that, no one would ever need a diamond tester.

 

[yssie]

As Circe said! Any time you can see colour coming out of a stone, that same stone can throw coloured streaks and dots on another surface - the only difference is whether the "viewer" of those coloured flashes is your eye or your wallpaper

 

[slg47]

yes, everything the previous posters have said. nothing to worry about...well cut diamonds will exhibit fire like you are talking about. did it look something like this?

 

[maria121]

Yes, it does look exactly like that! I personally thought is was beautiful seeing all those dots of rainbows. Thanks everyone with helping me relieve my worries!

 

[CherryBlossom]

nothing to worry about, all diamonds I've had or see do that depending on what they are reflecting. BUT w/ that said you should get your diamond independently appraised and insured just to be safe.

 

[maria121]

I finally got a photo of the reflections from my ring. This is what I was referring to earlier.

 

[denverappraiser]

What you are seeing here is a little spectrum of the stone. 'White' light is made up of lots of colors of lights and when you shine it through a prism, which is what a cut diamond is, it separates the beam into it's constituent parts. Remember that from Jr. High science class? Betcha you never thought you'ld see that again in real life did you?

Each individual facet on the stone is smaller than the iris of your eye so your eye merges them back together again and you don't notice it until you move the stone/head/light source and the light path moves onto a different facet. The shift is what makes it noticable. It's a slightly complicated bit of optics and it's know as 'fire' in the diamond world. Interestingly, ALL gemstones do this to one extent or another and the exact details of each of those little spectrums is one of the best ways to identify certain gemstones.

 

[Amys Bling]

My ring does that too in the right lighting. I don't thinknits anything to worry about.

 

[maria121]

What you are seeing here is a little spectrum of the stone. 'White' light is made up of lots of colors of lights and when you shine it through a prism, which is what a cut diamond is, it separates the beam into it's constituent parts. Remember that from Jr. High science class? Betcha you never thought you'ld see that again in real life did you?

Each individual facet on the stone is smaller than the iris of your eye so your eye merges them back together again and you don't notice it until you move the stone/head/light source and the light path moves onto a different facet. The shift is what makes it noticable. It's a slightly complicated bit of optics and it's know as 'fire' in the diamond world. Interestingly, ALL gemstones do this to one extent or another and the exact details of each of those little spectrums is one of the best ways to identify certain gemstones.

Wow, thanks for the detailed explanation. I don't recall a single thing I learned in high school. Haha... That shows how bad of a student I was. There's so much to learn about diamonds and gems that it's become a fascination to read about them. Thanks again!

 

[maria121]

My ring does that too in the right lighting. I don't thinknits anything to worry about.

Thank you! I was just side tracked by some friend's comment, which I should have disregarded at first.

 

[LGK]

My ring does that too in the right lighting. I don't thinknits anything to worry about.

Thank you! I was just side tracked by some friend's comment, which I should have disregarded at first.

I think she had been given exaggerated information, really. The thing is, both moissanite and CZs have more "fire" (those little rainbows) than a diamond does. Personally, I can see it in a moissanite- since moissanite is something like 2X as dispersive as a diamond if I'm remembering right!- but not in CZ because it's not that different than a diamond.

But- a diamond is a very, very dispersive/fiery gemstone. So yes- you'll see lots of rainbow flashes, whether on your wall or directly in your eye- from it under the right, direct lighting.

 

[marcy]

Yes you will see those little rainbows of light and I personally enjoy them tremendously. Have fun but try to keep your eye on the road.