A terrible emerald window... or not?

[Andrew Red]

Please, watch this videos, you could see a very large window when the emerald is tilted from about 10° to 30° from observer.
Of course this is an approximation, because it depends om the observer, the tilt of emerald and the light source.

What makes me really distressed is that under some circumstances the window is larger than 50% of the stone!!!

What do you think?

 

[chrono]

Very small window straight on.

At an angle, all gemstones (including diamond) will show a tilt window. How large that window is depends on the RI and cut of the stone. Beryl, being a low RI stone, tends to show a tile window very easily. If this bothers you, an step cuts and low RI stones are not for you.

 

[Andrew Red]

What do you mean exactly by "straight on"?
That the window is only small when watched directly into the face?

The problem is that when you tilt it along the major axis the window remains small, but when you tilt along the minor axis you see this:

 

[chrono]

What you showed in post #3 is a tilt window. Normal and to be expected in beryls.

What do you see when your eye / camera is at 90 degrees to the crown of the stone? That is the only and true way to evaluate whether the stone is windowed or not. You do not gauge that at an angle.

 

[fredflintstone]

I really don't see one. If there is a window, it is very tiny.

This is light to medium light tone color and a emerald step cut which makes the stone more transparent (see through) as opposed to othe cuts where there is much more facets and it is easier to spot a window. I don't think there is one. I could be wrong as the videos move fast.

 

[whitewave]

What do you mean exactly by "straight on"?
That the window is only small when watched directly into the face?

The problem is that when you tilt it along the major axis the window remains small, but when you tilt along the minor axis you see this:

This is a tilt window and is normal and expected

 

[Andrew Red]

What you showed in post #3 is a tilt window. Normal and to be expected in beryls.

What do you see when your eye / camera is at 90 degrees to the crown of the stone? That is the only and true way to evaluate whether the stone is windowed or not. You do not gauge that at an angle.

At 90 degrees I don't see the window, or better there is a very tiny window of maybe 1/10mm on the central axis.
However the emerald is cut shallow, it is 1.39ct for 8x6x3.5 circa.
If it was same face but 5mm depth, I imagine the tilt window would be smaller, right?
And also the tilt window instead of appearing at 10 degrees of rotation, would appear at a bigger angle (30-45 degrees), so less noticeable??

 

[Andrew Red]

This is a tilt window and is normal and expected

I can understand that it is expected to see a tilt window at some point, but I'd like to know if it is too big or normal to see THAT window...

 

[Andrew Red]

I really don't see one. If there is a window, it is very tiny.

This is light to medium light tone color and a emerald step cut which makes the stone more transparent (see through) as opposed to othe cuts where there is much more facets and it is easier to spot a window. I don't think there is one. I could be wrong as the videos move fast.

I don't understand... Is it more easy to spot a window in a emerald cut or not?

For the videos that moves fast I have yet received same response on another post... So this time I thought to have moved slowly... What's wrong for example in the first video? How should I take a good video?

 

[Ionysis]

This is the second (third?) thread you’ve started about this ring. Each time questioning a different aspect. Is it glowy enough. Is the colour right. The colour changes too much. The cut is too shallow. Is the window Ok / has it got a window. It appears to me you’re determined to find something wrong with it. You’ve been going back and forth for over two weeks. I’m not sure what you’re really looking for from the forum with this one.

 

[chrono]

It is easier to see through the gemstone if it is a step cut and low RI.

I'd say the lapidary knew what he/she is doing and tried to cut the biggest and nicest colour, while working with a shallow piece of rough material. I am impressed the true window is very small considering the RI and depth. If the tilt window bothers you, keep looking for another stone as once it is not "mind clean", it will bother you forever.

 

[T L]

I don’t think that’s an unreasonable tilt window for an emerald. Low RI stones have larger tilt windows, and emerald is no exception. I actually think it’s nicely cut for an emerald. However, if it bothers you that much, maybe search for a darker stone, or forget emerald all together. I have a precision cut vanadium beryl, similar to emerald, and even though it’s cut beautifully, it still has a noticeable tilt window. Some low RI stones are cut with super high crowns and small tables to minimize the tilt window, but fine emeralds don’t have the luxury of being cut that way, as too much material would be lost.

 

[minousbijoux]

@Andrew Red: I was wondering the exact same thing as @Ionysis. I thought you decided to return it for store credit after your first thread. We have a saying here: if you don't absolutely love something, do not buy it because another will come along. As pretty as the ring seems to be, based on your threads and your observations of its flaws, it appears that you do not love it - so return it. Then you won't have to worry about it, and the right one will come along.

 

[Andrew Red]

@Andrew Red: I was wondering the exact same thing as @Ionysis. I thought you decided to return it for store credit after your first thread. We have a saying here: if you don't absolutely love something, do not buy it because another will come along. As pretty as the ring seems to be, based on your threads and your observations of its flaws, it appears that you do not love it - so return it. Then you won't have to worry about it, and the right one will come along.

I reply to you and to lonysis togheter. Yes, after the very first impressions I thought to return it, because it seemed too flat looking and washed out in sunlight. But I cant have cash back, otherwise I would have returned it immediately and story ended. However if I return it I have to exchange it for something else, which I don't know what could be.... But in the meantime, cause covid restrictions, the jewelry has been closed and so I have had some time to watch and rethink about it. The stone is brilliant and the color is not bad after all, it is very clear and the cutter have done probably a very good work for the rough. But of course I haven't noticed that window until yesterday, after more than a week! But now all of you are saying that it is normal... But however I think that a good colombian, thanks also to jardin or satin, have better glow and so less noticeable window...

At last however I am thinking that maybe I could also live with it, expecially if for the same price range I could not find something better. I have only found a colombian emerald ring, with better color and better depth, but of course I have had only few minutes in a jewelry to watch it, and it is a very very lot different than having it all the time with you and watch it in every condition...
So, as this could be a good specimen of Zambian emerald shod I stay with it, postponing the purchase of a good columbian emerald for the future?
Or I will never be really satisfied with it?

 

[KeepStepping]

Based just on how many questions you have, it doesn’t seem like you are in love with it. I can’t tell if you are trying to talk yourself into, or out of, the ring. But, if you usually have more immediate feelings of confidence in your purchases and aren’t feeling that with this one, maybe a credit and exploring an option that you immediately click with would be better for you. We tend to overlook the “flaws” in things we love, and pick apart things that don’t, and you’re doing a lot of ruminating.

 

[fredflintstone]

I don't think anyone here can answer your questions but yourself. Either you like it or don't. Because, when it comes down to it, you have to like it and not worry about what anyone else thinks. If you are so worried about what everyone else thinks to reassure your doubts, then, as already said, you really don't like it.

Personally I think it is a nice ring and stone. All I can say.

 

[Ionysis]

Well my personal view is it’s a lovely ring a beautiful sparkling clean well cut emerald and I’d be very happy with it for $4k.

 

[voce]

It's well cut, and priced appropriately. If you can't deal with the tilt window, then emerald-cut emerald is not for you. Consider a different cut, or a different type of green stone with a higher refractive index, such as grossular (tsavorite) or andradite (demantoid, Russian color) garnet.

 

[Andrew Red]

It's well cut, and priced appropriately. If you can't deal with the tilt window, then emerald-cut emerald is not for you. Consider a different cut, or a different type of green stone with a higher refractive index, such as grossular (tsavorite) or andradite (demantoid, Russian color) garnet.

But I really love emeralds.

I love this however:


I love the intrinsic "mystery of nature" captured inside it, but, of course, finding this within a strict a budget is the real trouble...

 

[whitewave]

I really like it, but I get the feeling you don’t love it, so my recommendation for you to think about is.... will you find something better if you keep looking?

 

[T L]

But I really love emeralds.

I love this however:


I love the intrinsic "mystery of nature" captured inside it, but, of course, finding this within a strict a budget is the real trouble...

That’s a darker, more saturated gem. You might prefer that color and the other gem is too pale for you. You’ll still see a tilt window with this emerald, but the color is deeper, so it won’t be as noticeable.

 

[JackTrick]

Concur with TL. Perhaps you would be better served with a smaller stone of a more saturated color?

 

[LD]

It’s a tilt window and almost impossible to eliminate in a step cut. It’s nothing to worry about bug if it bothers you then avoid step cuts because unless they are very dark in colour this it will be noticeable.

 

[Andrew Red]

At last I have taken a decision, and I have given it back. As I don't feel the lack of it I think I have taken the right decision, only problem now is how to find what I'm looking for with a more stringent budget ...