-----------
If the wrong star/lower girdles measurements are being plugged into
the software without the knowledge of those measurements they can be
unintentionally misleading people with faulty information.
-----------
Rhino, I understand where you're coming from on this, but wouldn't you agree that usually DiamCalc puts a diamond profile in the right ballpark as far as general light performance is concerned?
Yea but the minor facets and the variances of those + the majors can completely change the appearance. I've done HCA's and DiamCalcs on diamonds before I've called them in for analysis with high hopes only to sometimes get a diamond that's shakaka.
For example, showing the "ring of death" from a "steep-deep" stone, along with a weak performance from the girdle facets. Or a dark center from a deep pavilion stone, girdle reflection in a shallow stone, etc, etc, etc.
I also hear where you're coming from too bro. Case in point our friend hunter. Both extremes I give would BOTH be good looking stones however they can vary in appearance. When I've showed clients these differences I have many who would choose one way or the other when given the choice.
I know in two scenarios like you show above you're going to get different results, but in actuality you don't really see those two extremes that much, do you?
Oh yes! And many of our clients have too who have been able to make the comparison. Admittedly some do not but the majority do indeed see it. Check out the virtual comparison I just loaded here for hunter. This is a difference that the average John Doe would be able to observe.
Would you agree that if you kept the minor facets within common profiles that the images and numbers are usually going to be a good indicator of the light performance of the stone?
Insofar as general light performance yes. However out here in cyber geek land we're dealing with people who WANT DETAILS and if they realize that minor facet measurements can seriously affect the appearance of a diamond they want to see it. Within the DiamCalc software it loads as a default 46% stars and 82% lower girdles. From my experience very few diamonds are cut with 46% stars coupled with 82% lower girdles. So when you or anyone with DiamCalc help people here (and Rich, that is to be commended) I notice you're loading the proportions they are giving you with 46% stars and 82% lower girdles which is probably not what they have. Also for sites using the DiamCalc software in their sales and are not plugging in the proper star and lower girdle measurements ... this is not really showing the stone they are trying to sell in an accurate light. I'm not saying this to hurt anyone's biz but just to improve upon the accuracy upon what they are presenting. People who are using the software to "help" can only be commended but I would add, to do so with the proper measurements.
Internet shoppers don't have the ability to "see" all the stones they're considering. The DiamCalc is another tool to help the consumer "see" a stone they're considering. Do you feel we shouldn't use it because of the minority of cases when it will be "off the mark"?
It really depends Rich. It depends upon the variances which can be very wild or very tight. It depends upon whether that stone has extreme measurements in the lower girdles, stars or upper girdles. So companies charge an exhuberant amount more for tweaking their minors. YES INDEED DiamCalc is great. It's really quite amazing and does indeed help people see virtually what they are getting but my whole point to hunter is that what we are presenting can be dramatically different than what he actually has. To some people perhaps these differences don't mean much but "to me" it does. The virtual comparison shows it best. My advice to anyone seeking to give advice with DiamCalc is to show the client 2 extremes or more as you see fit. One with a short star/lower girdle combo, one with a long star lower girdle combo and perhaps both combos with tight variances and one with wild variances and let them know they can have a stone closer to one than the other or none of the above. Haha! Rich there are times when minor facet measurements can really affect the light output one way or the other. Name of the game my friend is when we don't have all the details is to play it safe. This is why I would NEVER NEVER NEVER personally purchase or recommend a diamond that I do not inspect myself.
Okay, that's all my questions for ya right now.
Peace,
Rhino