Fluorescence, cloud: Is anything wrong with this diamond?

[spril4]

Hi!

I''m buying a surprise engagement ring and have done a LOT of lurking at Pricescope to learn about diamonds. I''m looking for a nice-looking diamond that doesn''t have to look perfect (especially under a gemoscope), but should be pretty. I''ve gone so far as to pick a diamond that looks like a very good price:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?pid=LD01252123&keyword_search_value=LD01252123

I called Blue Nile, and the helpful woman I spoke with called the place that has it, and confirmed that this SI1 is "100% eye clean", and put the diamond on hold for me. Looking for downsides on the GIA "dossier," it has a cloud, and strong blue fluorescence. I like fluorescence, but I''m wondering if there''s any chance that the cloud could be a significant visible problem. The "dossier" doesn''t include a sketch of where the cloud is, or how big it is. I''ve also read that a very small number of strongly fluorescent diamonds exhibit a seriously cloudy appearance that is easily visible--but I presume the GIA wouldn''t designate this as a "cloud" since that''s a specific type of inclusion.

Once again, I want a diamond that looks pretty to the eye, and doesn''t have any obvious blemishes; I''m not looking for something that looks perfect at 10x. I''m planning to put it in a platinum ring. If you have a chance, could you glance at this diamond and let me know if you see any warning signs I might be missing, or misunderstanding.

Thanks very much for the archive that helped me learn everything, and thanks again if you have a chance to reply!

-Tom

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 1/19/2008 10:26:07 AM
Author:spril4
Hi!

I''m buying a surprise engagement ring and have done a LOT of lurking at Pricescope to learn about diamonds. I''m looking for a nice-looking diamond that doesn''t have to look perfect (especially under a gemoscope), but should be pretty. I''ve gone so far as to pick a diamond that looks like a very good price:

http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?pid=LD01252123&keyword_search_value=LD01252123

I called Blue Nile, and the helpful woman I spoke with called the place that has it, and confirmed that this SI1 is ''100% eye clean'', and put the diamond on hold for me. Looking for downsides on the GIA ''dossier,'' it has a cloud, and strong blue fluorescence. I like fluorescence, but I''m wondering if there''s any chance that the cloud could be a significant visible problem. The ''dossier'' doesn''t include a sketch of where the cloud is, or how big it is. I''ve also read that a very small number of strongly fluorescent diamonds exhibit a seriously cloudy appearance that is easily visible--but I presume the GIA wouldn''t designate this as a ''cloud'' since that''s a specific type of inclusion.

Once again, I want a diamond that looks pretty to the eye, and doesn''t have any obvious blemishes; I''m not looking for something that looks perfect at 10x. I''m planning to put it in a platinum ring. If you have a chance, could you glance at this diamond and let me know if you see any warning signs I might be missing, or misunderstanding.

Thanks very much for the archive that helped me learn everything, and thanks again if you have a chance to reply!

-Tom

Looks sweet.
The only way to know more is have an appraiser examine it for you.
Clouds when they are the only clarity issue can cause a slight dulling of the stone - althoough this is far more likely to hapen at SI2 and below.

 

[spril4]

Thanks very much!

-Tom

 

[spril4]

Garry,

Thanks again for your confirmation! The ring is beautiful, the diamond is very clean--while the tiny cloud is visible under a microscope, I have trouble seeing it even through a 10x loupe! I proposed last night, and she accepted.

Between the fluorescence and the large girdle-diameter for its weight, I saved a bundle! We both really like the fluorescence, and I brought a battery-powered black light to show it to her after she accepted. It still amazes me that most people pay more for a diamond that doesn''t fluoresce.

And since nobody sees the weight, but diamonds are priced mostly by weight, a manual search by diameter got me a diamond that looks bigger than its same-weight kin.

I''m very grateful to PriceScope for helping me learn so much before buying!

-Tom

 

[Ellen]

Woohooo! Congrats!

 

[Brilyant]

Congratulations! That''s a great looking stone and setting. So what does the stone look like in regular light? How does the fluorescence show itself?

 

[spril4]

> So what does the stone look like in regular light? How does the fluorescence show itself?

Oh, I should have explained the photos. In the group of 4 smaller photos, the two on the left show what the ring looks like with a black light and a plain old compact fluorescent light. The two on the right show what it looks like when there is a compact fluorescent light with no black light. The photo on top is also just incandescent light. I also have an incandescent light in my room, and I couldn''t notice any color change between using that and the compact fluorescent.

I took these photos late the night before I proposed in my bedroom (holding the camera in one hand and the black light in another, using a small Canon point and shoot camera with the flash turned off) so they''re not the best photos, but they do a decent job conveying what it looks like.

The flash tended to completely wash out the entire ring--diamond and platinum--at the macro distance I was using.

In normal light, the diamond doesn''t look the slightest bit blue--just white. I can''t see any blue-ness except when the black light shines on it.

-Tom