custom diamond band question

[ElleElle]

Just received my gorgeous custom half eternity baguette band. It's super bright and pretty but just wondering....
the jeweler filled in with platinum underneath the stones on the inside of the ring instead of leaving openings under each stone to let light shine in. Is there a reason they made it this way? I thought diamonds shine brighter when light shines in from underneath? I'm wondering if it would be even brighter if they had done that.
thanks!

 

[drk14]

HI ElleElle,
That's a beautiful band! Those holes are called "a jour", and sometimes (especially in vintage jewelry), their function is to let light into the diamond pavilions. However, for band like yours, even if you had a jour, no light would be able to enter the a jour cut-outs, unless you actually remove the band from your finger and hold it up to a light. Thus, it is unlikely that you would have a brighter ring (on your finger) if a jour was used.

Now, a possible drawback of a jour is that if your diamond is able to pass light from the a jour hole, through the pavilion, and out of the top of the diamond, then if you block the holes (for example, by putting the band on your finger), the diamonds may actually appear to get darker. My guess is that this is the reason that your jeweler chose not to use a jour for this ring.

One disadvantage of not having a jour, is that you can't access the diamond pavilions for cleaning. However, the pavilions are also somewhat shielded from exposure to grime, so that might not be a big issue.

Your question is a good one, and I would suggest that you ask it to the jeweler, to find out what his or her reasoning was.

 

[Gypsy]

Great response DRK.

It's not a matter of the diamond shining more when there are holes underneath. Your finger blocks any light anyway.

It's a matter of cleaning. That's about it. You can talk to your jeweler. Likely your band is very thin and he didn't want to weaken it by putting holes into it like swiss cheese.

 

[ElleElle]

Great answers thanks so much drk14 and Gypsy!
Makes sense now that the jeweler probably didn't want to weaken the band as it is very thin and delicate.
Glad I learned a new jewelry term too!