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do people exzagerate about how their diamonds sparkle...
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DiamondExpert
Brilliant_Rock
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verticalhorizon
Brilliant_Rock
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Judi W
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I have to say that keeping your diamond clean is a very big part of the sparkle and life that will make it glow. I have seen so many people wearing diamond rings that would probably shimmer and shine...if it could just get through the layers of dirt! There are many products out there for cleaning diamonds. Use them and you will see the diference.
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Fiery diamonds like dim light - if this counts for 'dark'. I would think there is some truth to it, just don't make "darkness" mean what happens in the fridge with the door closed / let some source of light (esp candle). If there is any larger OMC around you'll probably see what I mean: diamonds make great toys
wallace
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No way! It does seem relative to what one considers to be sparkly...
I wondered that too, but I just came from a movie and when they dimmed the lights I could still see my ring sparkling away! And when the screen had a bright scene - there it was, sparkling away! (I did watch the movie, not stare at my ring - I just fidget alot - bum knee - and it sparkled enough to catch my eye). That said, I had cleaned the ring the day before. CLEAN!
I wondered that too, but I just came from a movie and when they dimmed the lights I could still see my ring sparkling away! And when the screen had a bright scene - there it was, sparkling away! (I did watch the movie, not stare at my ring - I just fidget alot - bum knee - and it sparkled enough to catch my eye). That said, I had cleaned the ring the day before. CLEAN!
wallace
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icelady
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Hi V,
I have a radiant cut and yes, I think my diamond sparkles more than anything!!! Yeah, we probably all exagerate a bit on our sparkle, but as someone else said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Mine is very firey, so the more it is starved for direct light(but not total darkness) the more it fires up like what Wallace was describing. I hate to admit this, but I have nearly driven off the road looking at my diamond in direct sunlight. The colors really show up!
The only light that is not very complementary is fluorescent, and nothing (including people!!) looks good in that type of lighting.
I do clean my diamond every day, which definitely helps with the sparkle!
You are right though, we cannot all have THE sparkliest diamond on earth!!
I have a radiant cut and yes, I think my diamond sparkles more than anything!!! Yeah, we probably all exagerate a bit on our sparkle, but as someone else said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Mine is very firey, so the more it is starved for direct light(but not total darkness) the more it fires up like what Wallace was describing. I hate to admit this, but I have nearly driven off the road looking at my diamond in direct sunlight. The colors really show up!
I do clean my diamond every day, which definitely helps with the sparkle!
You are right though, we cannot all have THE sparkliest diamond on earth!!
Iceman
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vtigger86; That was a good question, few around here will step out of the box and question something
I like your style!
In regards to this post.
Diamonds do not have special powers. Diamonds don't take darkness and create light. You put a diamond in a dark room...you get a dark diamond.
It’s sort of like asking: What color is a Blue Topaz in a dark room.
You should get an answer like this: It has no color because a Blue Topaz requires light to create color!
Same with diamonds. A diamond is cut so that all light from a 360 degree Circle around the Diamond will reflect and refract through the diamond and go out the top of the diamond. This creates brilliance and scintillation.
If you look at a Diamond in a darken room or a cloudy and dull day, the diamond does not have anything to work with. In other words....a diamond cannot give you brilliance from a poorly lit environment.
Your question is right in line with the damage being done to consumers by all of this hype about branded super cut diamonds. Consumers expect to be able to look at this diamond in a dimly lit room and have it shine like a halogen bulb in a Jewelry store was on it!
It just won’t happen. The measurable increase in light return that you get from a branded, super cut diamond is measured in extremely small increments....not in bright lights in dark rooms.
If any person tells you that their branded super cut diamond or diamond period is bright with brilliance in a shaded, dimly lit room, then you need to question what else they say or follow them down the yellow brick road to meet the Wizard!
This is the real world we live in folks, that just doesn’t happen.
In regards to this post.
Diamonds do not have special powers. Diamonds don't take darkness and create light. You put a diamond in a dark room...you get a dark diamond.
It’s sort of like asking: What color is a Blue Topaz in a dark room.
You should get an answer like this: It has no color because a Blue Topaz requires light to create color!
Same with diamonds. A diamond is cut so that all light from a 360 degree Circle around the Diamond will reflect and refract through the diamond and go out the top of the diamond. This creates brilliance and scintillation.
If you look at a Diamond in a darken room or a cloudy and dull day, the diamond does not have anything to work with. In other words....a diamond cannot give you brilliance from a poorly lit environment.
Your question is right in line with the damage being done to consumers by all of this hype about branded super cut diamonds. Consumers expect to be able to look at this diamond in a dimly lit room and have it shine like a halogen bulb in a Jewelry store was on it!
It just won’t happen. The measurable increase in light return that you get from a branded, super cut diamond is measured in extremely small increments....not in bright lights in dark rooms.
If any person tells you that their branded super cut diamond or diamond period is bright with brilliance in a shaded, dimly lit room, then you need to question what else they say or follow them down the yellow brick road to meet the Wizard!
This is the real world we live in folks, that just doesn’t happen.
icelady
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Iceman,
This post describes what I was talking about with regard to "starved for light".
Todd from Niceice stated "The real test for a diamond is how it performs when it is starved for light, when it is starved for light and still manages to pick up what little light it is exposed to, that's a winner!" This is how I would describe my stone. Clearly there are other lighting situations, such as a cloudy dull day and obviously total darkness, where it would be impossible for a diamond to sparkle.
vtigger86,
Are you questioning a specific thread where people have made specific claims regarding sparkle in any light? Because sparkle is very subjective and obviously relative to the cut. For example, a person who really loves well cut RB stones would not necessarily like my Radiant nor would they think it sparkles like a RB. It doesn't! But it is exactly the type of sparkle I love.
This post describes what I was talking about with regard to "starved for light".
Todd from Niceice stated "The real test for a diamond is how it performs when it is starved for light, when it is starved for light and still manages to pick up what little light it is exposed to, that's a winner!" This is how I would describe my stone. Clearly there are other lighting situations, such as a cloudy dull day and obviously total darkness, where it would be impossible for a diamond to sparkle.
vtigger86,
Are you questioning a specific thread where people have made specific claims regarding sparkle in any light? Because sparkle is very subjective and obviously relative to the cut. For example, a person who really loves well cut RB stones would not necessarily like my Radiant nor would they think it sparkles like a RB. It doesn't! But it is exactly the type of sparkle I love.
Nicrez
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Mara
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if you've got a H&A...try this.
put hand/ring under running water and angle it slightly so that you can see the diamond but the water it still cascading over it.
it looks really funky and WHITE but you can see the pattern pretty clearly if i recall correctly. i have done this in the kitchen before accidentally and was mesmerized by the stone. it sparkled i guess but more like ICY WHITE shards...funky.
put hand/ring under running water and angle it slightly so that you can see the diamond but the water it still cascading over it.
it looks really funky and WHITE but you can see the pattern pretty clearly if i recall correctly. i have done this in the kitchen before accidentally and was mesmerized by the stone. it sparkled i guess but more like ICY WHITE shards...funky.
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Lynn B.....i continue here because i didn''t want to hijack mara''s thread.
i still haven''t seen a diamond that shoots fire (color lights) under white flourescent office lights.all of my wife''s diamonds just stays white brilliant (no fire) under those conditions. are there such thing as color flourescent light?
home depot,jewelry store,spot lights,macaroni grill,under these light conditions they come alive
diamonds are like Dr.jekyll & Mr.hyde they change under different light conditions......i have yet to see a "MAGIC" diamond that shoots fire in any light conditions even thought a few PS members claim they own one.
i still haven''t seen a diamond that shoots fire (color lights) under white flourescent office lights.all of my wife''s diamonds just stays white brilliant (no fire) under those conditions. are there such thing as color flourescent light?
Mara
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actually the other night I was walking down the hallway into the office and the hallway was entirely dark and the office had a dim light on. I could see my ring in the darkness, it wasn't like it was sparkling madly or anything but I could see it, see the shape and see it doing some sort dim sparkly thing...so since that was technically 'in the dark' though it was not pitch black so it did have SOME light to draw from, it always amazes me when I see that. I also see it in movie theatres and other scenarios.
there are a few places where my ring doesn't look it's most fabulous. at my nail salon, don't know what type of lighting they use but it sparkles, however it doesn't look super great, also in direct sunlight the whole stone looks blue and/or infused with too much light and chaos sparkles are happening which seem to cancel each other out.
my favorites are the car, it looks like shattered icy glass...the kitchen/hallway/stairs with track lighting, lots of sparkles there, and the office which has alot of great sparkles as well, shard-like.
i think it also depends on the diamond. alj was telling me recently that she has noticed that different stones with different specs look just a tad bit different. aka if a pav angle is 40.7 vs 41 she notices that she likes the 40.7 more in terms of sparkle. so everyone's eye is different, each diamond is different. even between my old H SI and this new J stone, i notice sparkle differences possibly related to the minutae of angles being different in relation to table and depth. not necessarily that one is better (but i think the J may be...) but i find that my eye is picking up tiny differences from this new stone than the H SI.
today i was at the nail salon and they had me drying under those hand UV light things and my diamond was all lit up, I could see the arrows, it looked sharp and shattered glass-y and had alot of scintillation going on. i was mesmerized!
i will also say that my original stone did not look as fabulous as both of my ideal stones have at all, my original stone looked great in about 60% of the same lighting conditions that my ideal stones have. i loved how that stone sparkled but sometimes i wondered if there was meant to be more? turns out there was. so there definitely is a difference in sparkles related to cut IMO.
there are a few places where my ring doesn't look it's most fabulous. at my nail salon, don't know what type of lighting they use but it sparkles, however it doesn't look super great, also in direct sunlight the whole stone looks blue and/or infused with too much light and chaos sparkles are happening which seem to cancel each other out.
my favorites are the car, it looks like shattered icy glass...the kitchen/hallway/stairs with track lighting, lots of sparkles there, and the office which has alot of great sparkles as well, shard-like.
i think it also depends on the diamond. alj was telling me recently that she has noticed that different stones with different specs look just a tad bit different. aka if a pav angle is 40.7 vs 41 she notices that she likes the 40.7 more in terms of sparkle. so everyone's eye is different, each diamond is different. even between my old H SI and this new J stone, i notice sparkle differences possibly related to the minutae of angles being different in relation to table and depth. not necessarily that one is better (but i think the J may be...) but i find that my eye is picking up tiny differences from this new stone than the H SI.
today i was at the nail salon and they had me drying under those hand UV light things and my diamond was all lit up, I could see the arrows, it looked sharp and shattered glass-y and had alot of scintillation going on. i was mesmerized!
i will also say that my original stone did not look as fabulous as both of my ideal stones have at all, my original stone looked great in about 60% of the same lighting conditions that my ideal stones have. i loved how that stone sparkled but sometimes i wondered if there was meant to be more? turns out there was. so there definitely is a difference in sparkles related to cut IMO.
WTNLVR
Brilliant_Rock
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Jennifer5973
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Strong sun can "blank out" even the best diamond out...some dimmer lighting is great; others are not. Stores tend to make it explode--from the ShopRite to Bloomingdales, etc. Regardless, what Judi said is key--keep it clean!!!!
My diamond does always sparkle--but I keep it very very clean on top of its cut quality. I never wash my hands with my rings on or use lotion and I don''t wear them while cooking, cleaning, or doing anything manual. And once I am in the house, they come off and go in their boxes.
My diamond does always sparkle--but I keep it very very clean on top of its cut quality. I never wash my hands with my rings on or use lotion and I don''t wear them while cooking, cleaning, or doing anything manual. And once I am in the house, they come off and go in their boxes.
ame
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Lynn B
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Peter,
Thanks for the note. I was paying special attention to my diamond yesterday at work. It does perform better than I probably appreciate, there are definitely shards of color but mostly scint. Which I guess is not unusual for flourescent lights. The office has no natural light (or windows) at all. It is amazing how diamonds vary in different lighting situations. That''s what makes them so much fun to "play with", I guess! "Toys" for grown-up girls and boys!
Lynn
Thanks for the note. I was paying special attention to my diamond yesterday at work. It does perform better than I probably appreciate, there are definitely shards of color but mostly scint. Which I guess is not unusual for flourescent lights. The office has no natural light (or windows) at all. It is amazing how diamonds vary in different lighting situations. That''s what makes them so much fun to "play with", I guess! "Toys" for grown-up girls and boys!
Lynn
cinnabar
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Are there any particular lighting conditions that make diamonds look whiter?
For example, if two ladies are comparing e-rings and one has a D while the other has a J: would one of the diamonds look whiter in, say, bright daylight and the other look whiter in, say, candlelight?
I don''t mean sparkle, so let''s assume both ladies have equal-sized emerald cut solitaires of the same cut standard.
No offense is intended to anyone who has a warm diamond by choice. Let''s assume the lady with the J just doesn''t have as much money as the one with the D but wants her diamond to compare well to the more expensive one. What lighting should she aim for?
For example, if two ladies are comparing e-rings and one has a D while the other has a J: would one of the diamonds look whiter in, say, bright daylight and the other look whiter in, say, candlelight?
I don''t mean sparkle, so let''s assume both ladies have equal-sized emerald cut solitaires of the same cut standard.
No offense is intended to anyone who has a warm diamond by choice. Let''s assume the lady with the J just doesn''t have as much money as the one with the D but wants her diamond to compare well to the more expensive one. What lighting should she aim for?
Scott Terence
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I have a J color and the best lighting condition that makes it WHITE is a walk outside when there is a clear blue sky and no direct light hitting the stone. The blue diffuse light source appears to reflect from the stone which in my eye seems to negate the yellowish tinge. Hope that helps.
Scott
Scott
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I just received a ring yesterday that was custom made and when I first saw it, was a bit taken aback. I mentioned how it seemed a bit "much", (more diamond than I expected compared to what it is modeled on), and the lady said, "well you know it''s real clean right now"... Maybe it does make a big difference? For pricescope standards it is not a large ring (81 pts total) but I don''t wear diamond rings so it seems really impressive to me! I guess it all has to do with what your own internal comparision/standards are.
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ex advise.Date: 4/28/2004 10:50:11 PM
Author: Judi W
I have to say that keeping your diamond clean is a very big part of the sparkle and life that will make it glow. I have seen so many people wearing diamond rings that would probably shimmer and shine...if it could just get through the layers of dirt! There are many products out there for cleaning diamonds. Use them and you will see the diference.
websailor
Brilliant_Rock
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Date: 3/12/2005 21:24 PM
Author: cinnabar
Are there any particular lighting conditions that make diamonds look whiter?
For example, if two ladies are comparing e-rings and one has a D while the other has a J: would one of the diamonds look whiter in, say, bright daylight and the other look whiter in, say, candlelight?
I don''t mean sparkle, so let''s assume both ladies have equal-sized emerald cut solitaires of the same cut standard.
No offense is intended to anyone who has a warm diamond by choice. Let''s assume the lady with the J just doesn''t have as much money as the one with the D but wants her diamond to compare well to the more expensive one. What lighting should she aim for?
No offense to anyone either, but if one is going to compare a J to a D color stone, trying to make the J come out well, the best lighting condition will be in a mine, with all the lights turned off.
IMHO, any lighting that makes the J color stone look better, will also make the D color stone look much better.....
To me, this is like asking how can a college football team (even a Bowl winning team) do well against a NFL Superbowl winning team....
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Well, in candle light the body color of those stones should not be aparent. It would hardly be possible to tell them apart. The one capable to catch more of the scarce light would be brighter.
Haven''t tried with EC - but it is not unusual to find very different OMC in the same setting (say, D color O-P) making such comparison easy.
Patty
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websailor, I''m glad you brought up the "mine with the lights turned off" example.
Once I was in a cave and the batteries on my flashlight went out. I was so scared and I was thinking about my funeral when I looked down and saw a bright white light. It was coming from my ring! Luckily, I was able to point it around the cave as I worked my way out.
Along the way out of the cave, I came across some fellow spelunkers who were not only lost, but injured! One of them was a doctor but he of course could not see. I shone my bright ring light on the injured spelunker and the doctor was able to set his broken bone.
Who says diamonds are luxury items?
Once I was in a cave and the batteries on my flashlight went out. I was so scared and I was thinking about my funeral when I looked down and saw a bright white light. It was coming from my ring! Luckily, I was able to point it around the cave as I worked my way out.
Along the way out of the cave, I came across some fellow spelunkers who were not only lost, but injured! One of them was a doctor but he of course could not see. I shone my bright ring light on the injured spelunker and the doctor was able to set his broken bone.
Who says diamonds are luxury items?
Kaleigh
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Past, Present, Future: The Meaning of Three-Stone Engagement Rings
Past, Present, Future: The Meaning of Three-Stone Engagement Rings - 04/14
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