Any unsolved diamond mysteries?

[Rooski]

Hello,

I''m not sure if this has been touched upon, before, so forgive me if it has.

If it were possible for two different cut diamonds to have totally identical grading parameters, I mean down to the last little finite detail, Will they be totally indistinguishable from each other by the trained experts? Or is there some unknown or untalked about character of the diamond substance that can affect the final look. You know, like maybe depending on which mine they came from, or different "grain" direction, if there is such a thing?

Just curious.

 

[strmrdr]

there is a ton of things.
No 2 diamond crystals grow exactly the same....
inclusions, impurities and half a million other things.

 

[Rooski]

Well, inclusions aside, is there any certain additional factors that can have the greatest impact on final appearance, or would the differences be too minor and not even be worth talking about?

Thanks!

 

[strmrdr]

things like fl color, is that G a yellow G, a brown G or a Gray G.

 

[Beacon]

I think some diamonds have different chemicals in them than others. An example would be they diamonds that are selected for HPHT heat treatment to improve color. Those are only type 2a diamonds, which means that type 2a diamonds must have some special character that allows them to change color from this heat treatment.

The other ones that respond to heat are type 1a/b which I think have some nitrogen in them that responds to heat treatment. The diamonds selected for this are usually fancy colors.

Of course, fluorescence means a specific chemical too, I think Boron? So all these diamonds must be somehow different than run of the mill diamonds.

Don''t know if you could see this though, but a lab would figure it out.

 

[Rooski]

Date: 3/2/2007 12:31:20 PM
Author: strmrdr
things like fl color, is that G a yellow G, a brown G or a Gray G.

Ok, I googled the term "fl color" in a diamond, and came up with nothing useful. Can you explain this term? Are you talking about a particular color of a colored stone? I''ve seen the term "fy color". What''s that mean? I assume your talking about something other then fluorescence, since our two hypothetical subject diamonds have identical fluorescence.

Thanks!

 

[rjdodd]

The color of the fluorescence - visible under UV light (or partially under light that contains UV, like sunlight). Most stones that do are blue fluorescent, but not all - there was pink one on here not long ago. The color is not specified on GIA certs (I think - don''t know about AGS), so identical parameters would just say strong, negligible, etc., and not list the color.

The fy you''ve seen probably refers to fancy yellow.

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Hi Rooski. Fun question.

In order for an expert not to be able to distinguish between two diamonds, they would have to be:

1. Exactly the same makes, in every detail.
2. Exactly the same body color, with the color in exactly the same position within the letter range (2 high G''s, for example).
3. Both stones flawless, internally and externally.
4. Both stones with absolutely no fluorescence.
5. Exactly the same weight, down to the 1000ths of a carat.

Otherwise there would always be some difference of detail which would allow an expert to differentiate one from another.

Even with these parameters, some gemologists would be able to differentiate by examining the diamond under higher than 10x magnification. For example, a flawless diamond might show a characteristic under 50x that would allow it to be distinguished from another.

 

[Dory]

Just a quick note....
Mr. Sherwood, I admire your replies on this site. You seem to give helpful, polite, advice to others, sharing your knowledge. (and of course others do also!!) I just happened to notice yours especially though! Thank you!

 

[Richard Sherwood]

Thanks Dory. A kind word always makes a person smile.

Rich, smiling...