Am I seeing the setting behind the diamond?

[Emrldlvr]

I just received my upgraded emerald cut this past Friday and noticed this bow tie effect in sunlight at certain angles. Is this just the basket setting showing through, or some other effect? Thanks!

 

[lovedogs]

I don't know all the technical terms in a step cut, but basically you are seeing the facets turn "on and off", as light hits the stone at different angles. So at the angle you are holding it, the dark facets are ones that are "off". I wouldn't call it a bowtie unless it looks like this when looking at it straight on.

 

[distracts]

I can see the setting through the stone at that angle but if you aren’t seeing it at other angles, don’t worry about it. When facets aren’t reflecting light it is possible to see through them and no stone is cut so that facets reflect light from every angle.

 

[Bron357]

Yes, emerald cuts have long facets down the sides. So when the light hits them you get BIG flashes but also when the light is off them, you get more dark. With RB you have many more small facets so with the sprinkles of facets making many “on and off” the extinction is less noticeable.

 

[OoohShiny]

I think all ECs do this to some extent - the central band of facets is formed of parallel facets that are looking at different areas along the same plane/line, so if that plane has no light sources within it (e.g. a cloudless part of the sky that doesn't have the sun in it), it is likely the central band of facets will either be dark or reflect the flat colour of the area it is reflecting.

Plus, well-cut diamonds do look darker in sunlight - the reasons (as far as I can tell from what I've read on here!) being that the sun is an ultra-bright light source, which means the facets that are reflecting back to your eyes are so much brighter than the rest of the stone that the rest of the stone looks dark.


I think?? lol


It is partly this effect that has me hesitating over whether I should get an EC or an asscher when I do finally get some bling for myself!

I think it is just part of the character of ECs

 

[EC8]

It’s the faceting pattern of your stone (and a common one with many ECs); the facets across the belly are all turning on/off at the same time.

 

[Emrldlvr]

It’s the faceting pattern of your stone (and a common one with many ECs); the facets across the belly are all turning on/off at the same time.

And that is something one should try and avoid? It doesn’t particularly bother me as it’s only really noticeable it direct sunlight, but I’m just trying to educate myself more for future upgrade. Thanks!