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Does gray mean light leakage?

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MrsT

Shiny_Rock
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Jun 28, 2006
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I recently viewed an AGS0 Ideal cut diamond and another AGS000 at two franchise type mall stores. Can someone explain what is causing the following effect:

These stones had the most movement (scintilation)I have seen in all my search so far.
I could easily say it was like looking at a fireworks display. Fire and scinitilation were blinding which I loved. I could almost say they were too busy!

But, I think both stones were lacking in the brightness category. My reason for this is that when I viewed the stones in my lap and looked down they seemed to look like deep gray pools with a lot of sparkle/bling going on inside. The gray seemed to encompass the whole stone. For some reason I don''t like to see gray as the main color of a stone. I would rather see a mixture of white/gray/darkgray/black, and flashes of rainbow colors in othe words: a well balanced stone with good contrast.

When I observe a stone and it looks gray in jewelry store lighting does this mean it has light leakage, or, is it a problem with measurements, or is it normal and I''m just obsessing? Maybe it''s just the type of lighting in the store. This point is confusing me a little. Can someone help?

Here are the details I have of these two stones: Both Round Brilliant Cuts

A) Color:G/SI1 AGSIdeal0 - Table:54 - Depth:61.0 - CrownA:34.3% - PavA:41.0% - Culet:pointed
measurements: 8.20 x 8.22 x 5.01

B)Color: E/SI1 AGS Table:56 - Depth:60.8 - CrownA: 34.7 - PavA:40.8

What piece of the pie explains why the overall appearance of a stone is bright white or gray?

Thanks!
Mrs. T
 
if it was a "fireworks display," it's the lighting.

take it into flourescent lighting (no halogens) and see if it's still gray.
 
In my experience trying to look at diamonds in jewelery stores, it was pretty much a waste of time due to the lighting. Nowhere in your real life will you have lighting like that. The only way to tell about a diamond is to take it home and try it in different lighting environments. But be sure they have a no-questions-asked full refund policy!
 
Have there been any discussions on PS regarding sparkle and scintilation in various light conditions?
Is actually buying the stone and taking it home the best way to know how a diamond will perform?
I know shaded outdoor lighting is not the best for seeing sparkle in a stone. At least most of the diamonds I see outside are pretty much flat.
They have not looked gray but they haven''t had much sparkle in that lighting either.

Can I expect a good cut to sparkle in all kinds of light? How good of a cut must the diamond be to perform well in all types of lighting?

Thanks for helping with such silly questions, but I can''t help myself.

Mrs.T
 
Mrs. T, type in scintillation/sparkle in the search box. You''ll get a whole bunch of threads on it, and hopefully some answers!
 
Garry''s video in the conservatory shows this effect quite well, which often happens, I gather, when a stone is in bright direct light. The fire increases but the brightness naturally decreases. Did it look like this?

If so, it''s natural.

^
 
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