Brilliance and Fire when viewed from the side

[WhiteKnight]

Hi

I just had a chance to view a ''perfectly-cut'' diamond and a comparable Tiffany diamond side-by-side in a Tiffany store. While the Sales Professional there didn''t seem to be too happy with what we were doing, she did point out the fact that the Tiffany diamond has a lot more brilliance and fire when viewed from the side (through the pavilion). When viewed from the top, both diamonds looked gorgeous and, with my limited knowledge of diamonds, I couldn''t really tell the difference.

My understanding of the ''perfectly-cut'' diamond is it has maximized brilliance/fire/scintillation when viewed from the top of the table (as proved by the scope that they use) - does that mean it will have less b/f/s when viewed from other sides?

Or, if I put the question the other way, should a well-cut diamond have the same b/f/s when viewed from all angles and sides? Or b/f/s on the side actually indicates inferiorly-cut diamonds, or so-called NailHead or Fisheye flaws?

Thanks
The Confused

 

[Toska]

I think Tiffany's is trying to pull one over you. How can their diamonds look better from the pavillion angle over another ideal cut stone? I wonder if Tiffany's uses some sort of "magic" diamonds that sparkle more from the pavilion.

Haha fat chance.

Don't believe this sort of crap. A well cut diamond is a well cut diamond, full stop.

Who cares if it's Tiffany's or a second hand pawn shop. I wonder if this is the sort of crap they tell people at Tiffany's just to get a sale? It must work on some uneducated consumers.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Brighter pavilions come at a face up cost, unless the light is only coming from the pavilion - then an ideal cut returns more light.

- but my belief is that light from the side is sent out the other side.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Won a design award with this little Echidna a few years back.

It is definitely brighter when set with champagne diamonds selected with the ideal-scope

 

[Toska]

Hear ye, hear ye, Gazza has spoken.

 

[Mara]

I am not too sure what the answer to your Q is ...but why would you want more brilliance from the SIDE? Who looks at the diamond from the side?

Brilliance from other places in the stone could mean that is light leaking out the side...you want it from the top to your eye. Period.

 

[mdurkin]

I agree with Mara, once it is set, who looks at the side of the stone? It seems like a sales ploy by Tiffany & Co to me!

 

[Hest88]

Garry, I love that little echidna! And you Aussies have the cutest animals!!!

 

[glitterata]

Yeah, Gary, that critter is adorable! Is it set with upside-down diamonds? Did you choose them by looking at them upside down through the idealscope? (By "looking at them upside down," I mean looking at the diamonds pavilion-up--I don't mean looking at them while standing on your head--although that's how I imagine all you guys Down Under anyway

.)

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

actually I layed on my back and looked at them through the table

we always do it that way

and yes they are set upside down because echidna's are that color and covered in spikes / quill's

can anyone find a photo of one?

 

[strmrdr]

yep , pics here:
http://home.mira.net/~areadman/echidna.htm

 

[glitterata]

Okay, this makes no sense to me. A diamond that performs well with the idealscope will send most of the light that comes in the top back out the top. But when you set it upside down, there's no light going in the top. So the idealscope results (at least, the results of viewing the table through the idealscope) should be irrelevant, no? If not, why not?

Say, aren't echidnas egg-laying mammals? Does yours come with an an egg-shaped gem--a pearl, perhaps?