1.01ct Ideal F VS2 GIA Strong Blue Advice

[Propter Hoc]

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17...still with me? Appraisal tomorrow with any luck.

 

[Propter Hoc]

18...if I like what I hear...maybe I''ll sell it wholesale (I jest).

 

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21..The last time you may ever see this stone I''ll post ring pics in my ring thread when I get it. I love you guys (gals?)! You collectively saved me big time. Thanks again!

Blessings,
James

 

[Lorelei]

James, it looks like a kicken diamond!

 

[Deelight]

Yummy that diamond is certainly a sparkle monster

GL with the proposal

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/28/2008 4:08:12 AM
Author: Propter Hoc
18...if I like what I hear...maybe I''ll sell it wholesale (I jest).

Awesome photos! Mind sharing how you got the all white and different colored ones? And patience indeed, they are challenging, but oh so fun.

James, it was a pleasure watching you end up with this killer stone, she''s going to love it! And so will the appraiser. If they don''t, get a different one. lol

 

[Cachette]

Terrific pictures James!!

You picked a beautiful stone. Congratulations!

Cachette

 

[Fly Girl]

Awesome, James! Thanks for the pictures, and so glad that you are happy. She will be happy, too, I''m sure of it.

 

[Propter Hoc]

Ellen,

I''d love to share. I adapted [Cut Nut''s?] the idea of shooting through a piece of white paper/cardboard with a hole cut through it to minimize reflected unfavorable colors of the camera, the photographer, and the photographers clothing (mostly blacks, skin tones, etc). I found that I could use the technique to produce favorable or at least interesting colors in the diamond as well. I punched 1-inch plus holes in brightly colored paper and used it to reflect strong backlighting. I found that by adjusting the distance between the diamond and the paper gradually I could produce the same effect as the "Arrows" through the Hearts&Arrows viewer Jon (goodoldgold.com) provided with my stone, only with vibrant colors. I''m sure this is probably an unforgiveable sin in a few member''s hearts. I''m just in it to have fun though and I liked the effect

All these shots were taken with my SLR. In the end, an old lens left over from my Nikon N75 35mm film camera performed most favorably. That lens is an AF NIKKOR 28-80mm 1:3.3-5.6 G. The lens I used won''t even autofocus with my Nikon D40x because it is an older (pin driven) AF. The primary reason it worked was because it has a focal distance of only 1.15ft and 80mm of zoom. The lens I actually use with the D40x for general purpose has a focal distance of .90ft but only 55mm of zoom and produced a smaller image. I used a remote and a tripod to reduce shake.

I''m confident the technique I described could work with a decent point-and-shoot, however our Sony Cybershot W90 performed surprisingly poorly and would not AF in macro out to about 4-5 inches on the stone. At distances where it would AF, the size of the stone in the image produced (even with full 3x optical zoom) was unacceptable and did not compare with the DSLR. I''m not sure what I can do to get better focus in these pictures. I think a better tripod may be needed (or more light to have further control over shutter speed) as the vibration caused by shutter release appeared to cause problems at slower shutter speeds.

We''re snow and iced in today, not sure if a trip into town is in the cards. I''ll see what happens.

Blessings,
James

 

[Propter Hoc]

PS There has been no sun since I received the stone (not kidding). I had at least one request for shots of the Strong Blue Fluor, and will accommodate as soon as God and weather permit. I''m not sure if the flash emits any UV, much of the perceived "fire" has been blue, but there are also reds, yellows, maybe even some green. All very interesting and attractive effects to me, like a confetti bomb went off in this stone when the light hits it. I''ve been tempted to pick up a blacklight. Is that the same thing as the UV fluorescent tube described in folks'' photos? They''re cheap, might be worth the experiment.

James

 

[Ellen]

Thank you so much for explaining! I''m surprised the AF didn''t work too. And hey, how one arrives at neat pictures is never an "unforgivable sin"!

Yes, the blacklight will work I''m pretty sure.

I can''t wait til you see this stone in all the different light environments. Pin lighting is fabulous, as are elevators, grocery stores, resturants, etc. You simply aren''t going to believe it.

And honestly, I have never, in two years, seen my stone look "bad". Different sometimes, but never bad. They have such facinating "personalities".

 

[Propter Hoc]

Anyone have any advice on viewing the AGS Identification mark that is recorded as being on the table facet of this stone? I''ve been able to see it as of yet using a 10x loupe GOG provided. Do I need a special tool/technique?

James

 

[Ellen]

I hate to tell ya this, but you won''t see it. There is no tool, and forget the loupe. When I took mine to the appraiser, just to make sure it was the stone that matched the cert, she couldn''t find it under a high powered microscope. Some appraisers on PS have been able to find it on some stones.

If you have an Isee2 dealer nearby, they will have what it takes to easily see it. This is the one flaw with this company and their stones, they might as well have put nothing on it, for all anyone can see.

Did you get the girdle engraved?