Got a question?

[strash]

I have learn a lot from this website and thank everyone for their inputs. I have gone to a few B&M''s and found some gorgeous stones. My only question is, the diamonds didn''t seem to sparkle and shine as bright in natural outdoor light when I took them near a window as they did when we walked around the store with the diamond. The diamonds did sparkle and shine in dull lit and bright lit parts of the store. At one B&M, they looked fantastic and then didn''t shine as well in the natural light. The other B&M was a little bit better in natural light. Is this bad? Are diamonds suppose to sparkle and shine more indoors instead of outdoors or vice versa? Are the diamonds bad even though they are ideal cut? Any feedback would be great. Thanks!!!

 

[Rhino]

If the diamond only lit up when observed under jewelry store lighting (generally strong direct lighting) but went dull in ambient lighting (neither direct nor diffuse but regular daylight coming through a window) that would concern me. When natural ambient daylight falls onto an excellently cut stone it will light up like a Christmas tree.

 

[strash]

It did light up real bright just not all the color of the rainbow at once.

 

[strash]

Can anyone give me anymore advice?

 

[valeria101]

Not too many would know diamonds better than Jonathan! And he is right. I could at most add that this is true for any gem type: the most examples would only look good in certain lighting conditions (mostly the intensity and fluorescent component of the source making the difference), but the truly great would hold their own in any light.

The outmost quality of diamonds is their sparkle: otherwise any of the other colorless gems would compete with them. If a diamond does not sparkle in most lights (meaning , most of the time you wear it) what's the good ? The better the cut, the more bright the diamond would be in average lighting. here average cannot be the blinding voltage in stores and over jewelers' counter.

Under strong lighting, even the worst diamond cuts deliver a great look, because the material is what it is. However, these would get washed out in broad daylight.

What you have observed, is a stone with good scintillation and fire and so-so light return. So, even when the stone did not appear bright, the "play of light" was still there.

The case is not closed though. All I know is your impression of one stone. All diamonds, the best and the worst would look better under a light bulb! So? Your diamond could actually be great, or could be a real disaster only with marginal merits (as noted above). There is no way one shopper could get to inspect and compare diamonds to tell promising stones from the crowd. Great optics in a round diamond (delivering light return, fire and scintillation all in one) occur in a fairly narrow range of cuts, and less than 5% of diamonds out there are said to comply. Besides, who needs all this comparison exercise?

It would be great if you could obtain a Sarin report on the stones you are considering, or use one of those Ideal Scopes o them. Such an exercise could tell the weeds apart, this, if getting a stone with great brilliance is what you want, and the premium charged for branded cuts touting these optical qualities does not sound attractive.

Just my 0.2 against your $$$, of course