Question about diamond colour.....

[GeorgieQ]

Hi All,
I was reading a blog by a jeweller who was saying that the whiter the diamond the more colours are reflected back at the viewer - is this right? The reason I ask is because I have an AVC which is an N colour and it seriously reflects every colour of the rainbow and then some. I also have a modern cushion in an E colour and it certainly reflects a bunch of colours but I wouldn't say it has a wider range of colour reflection than my avc. I was wondering if perhaps cut has just as much to do with colour reflection as colour? Thanks

 

[Rockdiamond]

Sounds like an attempt to sell more high color diamonds

 

[msop04]

Sounds like an attempt to sell more high color diamonds

Yep!

 

[sarahb]

Interesting perspective GeorgieQ--I've only seen a few different colors IRL, but heres my take on the subject nonetheless:

I also own a N AVC.
Also own an E AVC.
Have seen IRL a K w/ SBF AVC.
Own a few E-F Ideal RB ACA's.

I thought the SBF affected the K, which to my eye, threw much cooler colors than the E, even the N.

The N produced warmer tones.

My E-F ACA's & E AVC throws more towards the bright firey colors. Pinks, blues, reds, orange etc. More true tones rather than shoes 'of'...

N vs E AVC



Below, K w/ SBF vs N, I tried to pull the image off of mp4, to a tiff, to a jpeg, but it isn't working out to well, anyone have any tips? (MacBook or Mac) (I need dear for this type of maneuvering)

 

[sarahb]

Here are a few of the N:






Can we upload videos? I have a few that would illustrate my experience far better than these stills, which is that yes, the AVC N shows far more color variety, but of the lower tone of the spectrum, rather than the brighter/truer tone of color the E's produce. IE, the E's don't seem to throw shades of, rather stay true to the rainbow. The K w/ SBF--to my eye--produced cooler/pastel tones. I making sense here? Feel like Im writing in circles...

Now I have to go do my laps before more of the day gets away....

 

[GeorgieQ]

Thanks Sarahb - yes you make perfect sense and I agree with you re: the colours reflected back in the N, the variety is huge but more pastel than my E which also reflects a range of colours, but brighter (I've seen red in the E but not in the N, the N seems to show orange rather than red). Though I have to say that I see more colours in the avc n all the time where as my modern cushion e, you only see quick flashes of colour in certain lighting. That's why I thought perhaps cut had more of an impact on colour reflection than colour alone.

Rockdiamond - yes you are right, in my experience lower coloured diamonds here in Australia are just not popular with jewellers, they seem to think that unless a diamond is higher than a G/H then it's not worthy which is why I'll probably never buy a diamond from an Aussie jeweller again!

 

[Rockdiamond]

Here are a few of the N:






Can we upload videos? I have a few that would illustrate my experience far better than these stills, which is that yes, the AVC N shows far more color variety, but of the lower tone of the spectrum, rather than the brighter/truer tone of color the E's produce. IE, the E's don't seem to throw shades of, rather stay true to the rainbow. The K w/ SBF--to my eye--produced cooler/pastel tones. I making sense here? Feel like Im writing in circles...

Now I have to go do my laps before more of the day gets away....

Sarahb, can I just say...wow!!
I love your diamond - the pics are amazing!!
For a video- upload it to youtube- then post a link

GeorgieQ
There's a story I have told a gazillion times.
A guy walks into a jewelry store.
"I'd like to buy a 2ct diamond, please."
That'll be $40k
"$40?????- what is it?"
F/VS1
"wow, that's expensive. I've only got $18k.....What about an I or a J color?"
Oh, those are ugly off color diamonds and no one want's them.

Basically, I built a career/website/business over 19 years exposing that lie.

 

[valeria101]

Let me add for the future generations of readers: please look up the record amassed here about 'pastel' fire in every colour of revival old brilliant cut styles; it gives an impression of the strength of the effect (of color up to N, on dispersion colors) ...

____

@sarahb The N & the E look Good together !

 

[Niel]

In a world where you could clone a diamond and get the exact same diamond but with two different diamonds yes the white diamond would reflect more color that's the nature of color. Pure white will reflect more color than a tinted diamond because some color is absorbed to create that color. I wish yessie was here she can explain this more in depth. But yes, white diamonds show more colors reflected. But in my opinion it's negligible

 

[Niel]

Let me add for the future generations of readers: please look up the record amassed here about 'pastel' fire in every colour of revival old brilliant cut styles; it gives an impression of the strength of the effect (of color up to N, on dispersion colors) ...

____

@sarahb The N & the E look Good together !

Pastel colors created by old cuts is more so caused by the broad facets than the color of the diamond.

A high color old cut will also have pastel colors.

There is nothing ring with liking any color of diamond of course, though.

 

[sarahb]

Thanks Val, both AVC's throw colors with those facets, the N more so due to size. The E is on a rose gold chain in a plat basket, or a necklace. The N is to be a lh ring.

 

[sarahb]

I guess I have much to learn Niel! That K really had a much cooler flash to my eyes than the N. I'll have to go read up on it....

 

[arkieb1]

Whiter diamonds reflect back more white light that is why they appear brighter to the human eye than lower colour diamonds that absorb more white light. As to reflecting back rainbows the two stones have more to do with cut in this case IMHO and what they will and wont reflect back to you than colour.

 

[WinkHPD]

CUT! IS! KING!

The older cuts with wonderful big lower pavilion mains throw huge flashes of light, creating more opportunity for perceived dispersion. So do some of the modern cuts which are cut to replicate the older cuts. And the modern round brilliants can shine it on too!

One of the prettiest diamonds I have ever seen was a 6.03 ct Crafted by Infinity diamond that was an N color. It was simply magnificent and as was so well stated above by GeorgieQ it flashed all the colors of the rainbow and then some.

Dispersion is the result of the fan of light coming out of a diamond being wider than the pupil of the eye when it reaches the pupil. If it is not, then all of the light goes into the eye and is perceived of as white light. The larger the flashes of light, the more likely there will be fire to be perceived too. I have seen and sold too many diamonds in the L through Q colors to ever doubt their ability to dazzle if they are cut well.

One of the greatest advantages to those of us who love the rich warm buttery colors is that the masses have been lead by jewelers to believe that they must not be beautiful, thus some of the prettiest diamonds in the galaxy can be had for a relative song.

Wink

 

[GeorgieQ]

Thanks everyone for taking to time to post and answer my question, I really appreciate it. Personally I love my N and the beautiful range of colours it flashes at me. For me it's more beautiful than my E. I think it's a real shame that many jewellers here (Australia) just don't appreciate or value the beauty of lower coloured diamonds and therefore don't even give clients the option of lower colours. Thank goodness for the internet and international shopping .

 

[valeria101]

That K really had a much cooler flash to my eyes than the N. I'll have to go read up on it....

Seeing is believing !

You have the perfect sampling: different colors, very similar cut ...

Of course, I am curious what is going on (what else is new), not least because the story of dispersion colors sounds familiar - from talk of sphalerite, demantoid, benitoit ... - fiery stuffs with much more color than Light diamonds, among which the relatively Deep & Dark do show less fire; however, I can't say that the colors of those rainbows caught my attention (just the intensity) & now all I have to 'look' at is theory.