Diamonds?

[Arkteia]

It is beautiful! Yes, I would convert it to either a ring or pendant, leaving most of it intact.

Good idea, Chrono. I love it the way it is, and it is slightly large for a ring, but a pendant (with a pin in the back for safety) will look good I think. It is very pretty and graceful. The stone is probably light yellow to fancy yellow but it looks pretty.

 

[kenny]

Is it good to have fluorescence in YD?

As with white diamonds fluor is only activated when the light source has enough UV.
Sunlight does, but few indoor lights do.
Next, the hue of the fluor may compliment or conflict with the diamond's body color.
Think of mixing paint.
Opposite colors combine to produce gray, black or brown.
So, you would not want red fluor in a green diamond, or blue fluor in an orange diamond.
Yellow on yellow shouldn't detract.
As always check for that rare oily/milkiness with fluor.

Is intense good enough?
Or should I opt for vivid?

100% personal preference.
Obviously Vivid will cost more.
Personally (which shouldn't mean anything to anyone else) I find some Fancy Vivid Yellows, and a few Fancy Intense Yellows, to have a brashness I dislike.
I love a very clean pure lemon yellow with no secondary hue except perhaps a touch of green.
If I ever buy another Yellow it will probably be F. Intense.
I'd love a large well-cut emerald cut in FIY or just FY.

Buy whatever you like.
If you like a warmer yellow, go for it.

Does cut even make a difference for them?

Yes, of course.
Same as with white diamonds.
The same proportions that deliver good light performance in a white diamond will produce it in FCDs.

That said FCDs are cut to get the strongest color saturation, because that increases the price/profit.
Color is king!
Once in a while you'll come across an FCD that has good light performance.
I believe this rare and happy accident is because the rough just happened to be a shape that (when cut for highest color saturation and weight retention) also coincidently resulted in proportions that also give good light performance.

I have a Fancy Vivid Yellow asscher and an Fancy Intense Green Old Mine Cut round that have nice light performance.
Needle in a haystack though!

FCD vendors may tell you light performance doesn't matter in FCDs.
Hogwash, I say.
If it matters to me and I'm buying I'll care about anything I want. Thank you very much.

It's understandable vendors want to sell every FCD in their vault.
Though it's true that FCDs are not cut for sparkle, that doesn't mean it's against the law to want everything in one FCD.
If you're willing to spend lots of time shopping and waiting you might just find one with color you love and a fireworks show to boot!

If you have big bucks you could buy one and have Yoram polish it down for light performance, but besides the weight loss you run the risk of its GIA's color grade dropping.
Bad financial move of course, but it may be worth it to someone to get their holy grail FCD.

I'll add, each GIA FCD color grade encompasses a considerable range of hue and saturation.
Expect to encounter FCDs in the same GIA grade, say, Fancy Intense yellow, that vary considerably in hue, saturation, and the presence of other hues that were not strong enough to knock it out of their "pure" yellow grade.
I've been told where an FCD falls in the range factors into pricing.
The FIYs with a hint of brown will be price lower than the FIYs with a hint of green, even though they both have the exact same FIY grade from GIA.

 

[kenny]

I did not mean that the color was different. What I meant was the whole effect was very different. When it is on a photo, it is a yellow stone. And IRL, I was looking at the color and then noticed this whole...diamond factor, the dispersion. The brightness. Cool. You know, I am not a diamond girl, so... It is cool to see a colored stone being so dispersive.

White diamonds look different depending on the environment and especially the lighting.
FCDs even moreso.
Expect its color to constantly adapt to lighting and environment.

Good vendors (and I) take formal FCD pics in a solid white environment (box/tent) with a tiny hole for the lens to peek in.
That's why the only color we see is the body color of the FCD itself.
That will never be the case in the real world unless your walls are white, your furniture and wall to wall carpet is white, your cat is white, you are an albino wearing white clothes, etc.

The greenish ones are tricky.
Some on Liebisch photos are gorgeous, but the ones I saw IRL from other sources produced some snotty impression.

Yes, some Greens have nice solid even body color, edge to edge.
Others seem to have just a little green sprinkled here and there, but everywhere else is nearly white ... yet these can get good GIA grades and be very expensive.
The blotchy greens are explained by the origin of the green, the diamond spending millions of years next to radioactive material in the earth.
If the radioactive material happened to be near only one side of the diamond that's where the only green will be.
If the contact was for a short time and/or the radioactive material was not very 'hot' the green will only be at the skin of the FCD ... a nightmare for the diamond cutter.
If the rough was totally surrounded by strong radioactive material for enough time the green will extend deeply into the diamond and it will be evenly green.

I was lucky to grab just such a Green.
The Green is not only even in the top view, it is just as strong and just as even in the side view.
That's not usual in green FCDs, where they carefully cut them for strongest face up color.

 

[kenny]

Arkteia, opps!
See you already bought a yellow.

Sorry to ramble if your FCD safari is complete.

I like your Yellow.
Love the culet and small table too.

 

[Nosean]

Awesome green diamond...

Just want to add that you need a natural on the cut stone with irradiation stains.
Not a fault in green diamonds - the only way to confirm natural irradiation to my knowledge.

 

[Arkteia]

White diamonds look different depending on the environment and especially the lighting.
FCDs even moreso.
Expect its color to constantly adapt to lighting and environment.

Good vendors (and I) take formal FCD pics in a solid white environment (box/tent) with a tiny hole for the lens to peek in.
That's why the only color we see is the body color of the FCD itself.
That will never be the case in the real world unless your walls are white, your furniture and wall to wall carpet is white, your cat is white, you are an albino wearing white clothes, etc.



Yes, some Greens have nice solid even body color, edge to edge.
Others seem to have just a little green sprinkled here and there, but everywhere else is nearly white ... yet these can get good GIA grades and be very expensive.
The blotchy greens are explained by the origin of the green, the diamond spending millions of years next to radioactive material in the earth.
If the radioactive material happened to be near only one side of the diamond that's where the only green will be.
If the contact was for a short time and/or the radioactive material was not very 'hot' the green will only be at the skin of the FCD ... a nightmare for the diamond cutter.
If the rough was totally surrounded by strong radioactive material for enough time the green will extend deeply into the diamond and it will be evenly green.

I was lucky to grab just such a Green.
The Green is not only even in the top view, it is just as strong and just as even in the side view.
That's not usual in green FCDs, where they carefully cut them for strongest face up color.

Your green is to die for!

 

[Arkteia]

Arkteia, opps!
See you already bought a yellow.

Sorry to ramble if your FCD safari is complete.

I like your Yellow.
Love the culet and small table too.

No I did not buy a yellow. I bought a brooch because a liked it and a light-yellow was a plus, but it is not "the stone of my dream", merely a nice old brooch which I plan to wear.

I almost pulled the trigger with one of Liebisch's stones..but someone was faster, lol!

In short, I have not yet bought a FYD.

 

[kenny]

Your green is to die for!

Thanks.

 

[kenny]

No I did not buy a yellow. I bought a brooch because a liked it and a light-yellow was a plus, but it is not "the stone of my dream", merely a nice old brooch which I plan to wear.

I almost pulled the trigger with one of Liebisch's stones..but someone was faster, lol!

In short, I have not yet bought a FYD.

If you're particular and want something you don't see often check their inventory every day.
I've noticed many exceptional FCDs are sold within hours of them being uploaded.

 

[kenny]

Awesome green diamond...

Just want to add that you need a natural on the cut stone with irradiation stains.
Not a fault in green diamonds - the only way to confirm natural irradiation to my knowledge.

Thanks and yes, that's my understanding too.

BTW I've read some greens are submitted to GIA more than once during the cutting process.
That way GIA can verify the identity of the green diamond and track it as it is polished.
If this is done a green may retain GIA's coveted grading as a fully-natural Green even if all the naturals are (or an important one is) polished off.

Actually, for the peace of mind supporting the price paid, I prefer that mine has several naturals around the girdle.
Here's the biggest one, a huge one.

That natural is so big it makes the round have a flat area ... at 11 O'Clock.
But at least they got the largest round possible out of the rough.

 

[Nosean]

TOP!!

Thanks for the pics and informations!

 

[Arkteia]

If you're particular and want something you don't see often check their inventory every day.
I've noticed many exceptional FCDs are sold within hours of them being uploaded.

The problem is, I don't know what "exceptional" is. I was in the "pre-contemplation" phase for two years. Now I look at something and need to "contemplate the purchase". In the meantime, it is sold.

 

[kenny]

The problem is, I don't know what "exceptional" is. I was in the "pre-contemplation" phase for two years. Now I look at something and need to "contemplate the purchase". In the meantime, it is sold.

FCDs are exceedingly rare, and varied.
When you want a specific size, hue, shape, clarity, etc. etc. you want you have to check every day.

When you see it, buy it, because the rest of the world is watching too and chances are others want what you want.
Another reason to not contemplate too long because Leibish has a 30-day money back no questions asked guarantee.

(You do have to pay round trip shipping when you return it ... IMO that's fair.)
I've grabbed plenty and returned plenty.
They've never told me I'm being a pest.

You snooze, you lose.

 

[chrono]

I agree with Kenny; good FCDs go quick and if there's something you want, it's best to check their website everyday. I would have missed my pink if a PS friend hadn't given me a heads up as she knew I wanted a pink.

 

[Arkteia]

I agree with Kenny; good FCDs go quick and if there's something you want, it's best to check their website everyday. I would have missed my pink if a PS friend hadn't given me a heads up as she knew I wanted a pink.

Right... but I don't even know if I want a ring, or earrings, and if earrings, what shape... I am setting my brown round diamond, finally, probably it would give me an idea of what I really want, and can afford.

 

[kenny]

Right... but I don't even know if I want a ring, or earrings, and if earrings, what shape.

One of each, Dahleeng!
One of each!

 

[Arkteia]

One of each, Dahleeng!
One of each!

You know, Kenny, it comes out of not paying attention to diamonds. "Not my stone". And FCDs are not that common at this. So I think I am overanxious about them.

But since you are here... I have a question. In the blogs, they say fluorescence is bad unless it is of the color of the diamond, what about blue fluorescence in yellow diamonds, it seems to make them more greenish? And is faint fluorescence neglectable, or still not good?

 

[kenny]

... they say fluorescence is bad unless it is of the color of the diamond, what about blue fluorescence in yellow diamonds, it seems to make them more greenish?

The reason I'm not sure is, mixing colors is weird and blows my mind.
The 3 primary colors for pigment are different than the 3 primary colors for mixing light.
Check this out:

https://sites.google.com/site/scienceofcolour/how-colors-mix

That said, I'm not sure whether mixing the hue of a diamond with the hue of fluor would behave (mix) like light or pigments.
Maybe the fluor behaves like light, but the body color behaves like pigment when determining the result of a mix.
IOW, over my head.

And is faint fluorescence neglectable, or still not good?

Do you mean negligible, instead of neglectable?

Frankly my bottom line with fluor is I gotta see its effect on the FCD to decide if I want to keep it or return it.

 

[chrono]

Agree with Kenny. I have some blue fluoro in my pink but it doesn't affect the colour negatively under any light conditions, so it's a gotta see it first before eliminating that option.

 

[Arkteia]

Chrono and Kenny, lastly, if I buy from the Internet, for YD, is intense still OK, or should I aim at vivid only? I nearly pushed the trigger at a show, there was an intense 3-carater, yellow with side stones, all for a great price...but it was not yellow enough so i abstained. What do you think?

 

[chrono]

I would not go any lower than Intense, but that's just me. I amped it up with 18K yellow.

 

[kenny]

Chrono and Kenny, lastly, if I buy from the Internet, for YD, is intense still OK, or should I aim at vivid only? I nearly pushed the trigger at a show, there was an intense 3-carater, yellow with side stones, all for a great price...but it was not yellow enough so i abstained. What do you think?

A great price, you say?
The FCD must have a GIA report, or there's no way to judge the price.
Reports from lesser labs are particularly not reputable for FCDs.
Some other labs miraculously won't notice a bit of Brown in some Yellow diamonds that GIA is not shy about mentioning.

Pet Peeve Alert: IMO whenever discussing any FCD we all should mention whether or not it has GIA report.
In the FCD world establishing what we're talking about makes a world of difference.

"is intense still OK, or should I aim at vivid only?"
100% personal preference, aesthetically.
But financially, some may think of a Vivid as a better "investment" ... (enter the caveat about diamonds being a horrible investment).
Yes, Vivid will always be worth more, but since you had to pay more the "investment" aspect may be seen as a wash.
If one is into prestige (not judging, that's their business) then Yes, get a Vivid because it gives you more-exclusive bragging rights than an Intense.

In the years I've been looking at FCDs in person (and in legit pics, like those from Leibish) I've noticed for the Yellow hue I'm more likely to find an Intense I like than a Vivid.
In the Yellow hue Vivid often has a harshness or brashness I don't like.
I strongly prefer a very clean very pure lemony Yellow with no hint whatsoever of Orange or Brown.
If a Yellow has to lean towards another hue a touch of Green is attractive to me.
Again 100% personal preference, so buy whatever you like.

Keep in mind that GIA's FCD color grades are ranges, not just in how much yellow is there but also how much of other hues are there.
Just because GIA did not mention a secondary hue (like Brownish Yellow or Orangy Yellow) does not mean there is zero Brown or Orange in a FIY or FVY.

Imagine a Yellow triangle with pure Yellow in the middle.
Towards one edge of the triangle the Yellow becomes very slightly Green, but not Green enough for GIA to place it in the adjacent grade of Greenish Yellow.
On another side of the triangle is Brown.
On another side is Orange.

NO side of the yellow triangle moves towards Blue or Red because those hues are not adjacent to Yellow in the electromagnetic spectrum range of visible light (look at a rainbow or colors of white light broken up by a prism).
On the rainbow only Green and Orange are next to Yellow ... and brown is a mixture of hues.