Best lighting to view true diamond colour?

[D2B]

Hi

As the title says, what is the best lighting to view the true colour of a diamond with a naked eye? Outside in the shade, inside with natural lighting, different types of light bulbes?? Does the background colour effect this, eg white background from a piece of paper v looking at your diamond in a off white beige coloured room.

Any advice always appreciated
Thanks
D2B

 

[Lorelei]

Best to view the diamond in as many different lights as you can to see how it looks in as many situations as possible. Background colours can influence the tint shown by the diamond, also what you are wearing can do this too sometimes. What colour grade are you considering?

 

[Ellen]

Date: 5/2/2007 4:53:38 AM
Author: Lorelei
Best to view the diamond in as many different lights as you can to see how it looks in as many situations as possible. Background colours can influence the tint shown by the diamond, also what you are wearing can do this too sometimes. What colour grade are you considering?

I agree. And most inside lighting will not tell you, it will add a yellow tint.

Outdoors is fairly bright, diffused light would be best. I wouldn''t go as far as putting it on a piece of paper though, as it won''t ever be viewed like that in real life.

 

[He Scores]

The best light to tell a diamonds body color is "north" light....indirect daylight. Most diamond bourses and all the grading rooms at the DTC have windows facing north.

You can''t judge color accurately when the stone is mounted. It needs to be loose, upside down on a white background preferably in comparison with a stone of known color.


Bill Bray
Diamond Cutter

 

[pyramid]

I have read before what He Scores wrote, I also read that when diamonds are graded this way it at a north facing window between 12noon and 2pm because that is when the sun is highest.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

if it is mounted touch the stone table onto a fluoro tube with another mounted stone of known color as acomparison side by side. Position your eye so you can not see the tube - just the diamond.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Look thru the side - not face up

 

[kcoursolle]

Best lighting is a variety of lighting!

 

[oldminer]

North daylight near the noon hours on a sunny day is the traditional lighting for dealers and cutters. Labs use controlled fluorescent lighting of particular color range approaching daylight.

Consumers can buy "daylight" fluorescent tubes and use the light from them, either in a desk lamp or overhead fixture and approach what labs use. A full spectrum bulb, such as the one in the Ott Light is not far off from the daylight range of color.

Color grading is done mostly by comparison with known samples, but having consistent lighting from day to day is also a big part of making the color grade repeatable for the same diamond. C9olor grading in mountings is guess work although we do what we can when it needs to be done that way.

 

[RockDoc]

RE: Checking color grade with the unaided eye.

On larger stones this is doable, but on the really small ones, even many gemologists will compare the colors using magnification.

If you don''t have MASTER color comparison diamonds, then you have no comparison standard. Hence trying to "grade" properly is "useless" essentially. You also need to know if you have any color vision deficiencies. The pros need to have their eyes checked periodically. If you''re relying on a professional''s grade ask for a copy of the certification that this was done showing, when and the score result. Every two to four years ( depending on age ) is the requirement. You''d be amazed how many people assign color grades who HAVE NOT had this testing done.

You also need to know if the lighting environment has UV. DAYLIGHT does. Many fluorescent lamps do as well. So you need to use a piece of lexan that will eliminate the UV.

Rockdoc

 

[RockDoc]

Also SOME diamond body color varies with the position of the stone. So you need to revolve it in the grading "tray".

Fancy shaped stones are graded viewing them diagonally.

Rockdoc

 

[D2B]

Thanks for your replies everyone. My internet provider has had some issues, so no Pricescope access - so please excuse the delay thank you''s but it is great to have read all your replies.

Thanks again
D2B