Help my ignorance: is this nailhead?

[Hayley87]

First, it's been so fun reading the heck out of PS the last couple weeks since I joined! I grew up around beautiful jewelry because collecting diamonds and gemstones and designing settings for them was my dad's biggest hobby (my lucky mom! She has quite the pirate's hoard), and this was in the days before the internet made it easier to compare stones. He made some gorgeous stuff; if I can ever grab photos of my mom's things tried on, I'll post in SMTB. Unfortunately, my dad passed away in 2004 before I was old enough to learn anything about jewelry from him aside from appreciating how pretty it can be. But being on PS has been a fun way to connect to a part of my dad.

Second, my question: is my engagement ring center stone suffering from nailhead? Yes, it's my ER, but I'll love it for its sentimental value no matter what, and it's my only diamond that I can really inspect and try to learn on. (I can't exactly go to a jeweler and say, "Show me all your diamonds with nailhead." )

So honest opinions, please

The examples I see of nailhead stones online are CAD images (which aren't particularly helpful) or REALLY bad nailheads; I can't find a real image of a moderate nailhead. My stone's an H, graded as SI2/I1 clarity (which...is a two-level clarity grade even a thing? That's what's on the appraisal from the jeweler who made the setting, but he's a family friend, so I wonder if he was entirely objective). There are two visible clouds under the table, but they're pretty small and not centered, so not distracting. In most lights, the center of the stone appears darker/deeper than the crown...but then sometimes (under bright lights such as in Costco), it looks really sparkly everywhere. I don't have the measurements/specs on the ring because the appraisal just lists color, clarity, and carat (0.75). The stones were all from my husband's grandmother's ring, so I don't have any report on them. I believe they're from the 1940s.

Thanks in advance!

 

[LightBright]

I believe that is a mild form of nailhead caused by the pavillion being too deep. The type of diamond cut you have (on old cut that is nearer to an MRB cut) often exhibits a slight nailhead. It looks like your stone has a larger table maybe 60 percent or more, and a shallow crown, which makes a deep pavillion likely. I have a very similar stone from the 1940s, also with a slightly darker center under the table in certain types of light (in other lighting the stone sparkles brilliantly). I'll try to take a photo of my stone and post it later.

 

[LightBright]

Here's my Early Modern Brilliant. It has darkness under the table in many lighting conditions, but sparkles like crazy in bright sun. Like yours, it has a large table and shallow crown. Because of the fishtail setting Im guessing it was cut in the forties. (Sorry about my "dishwashing mommy" hands!)

 

[bunnycat]

Here's some info on diamond cut that might help you understand what may be going on. There's different ways for obstruction to happen in a stone. Steep crown and steep pavilion is one, steep crown and shallow pavilion is another.

https://www.pricescope.com/journal/role_contrast_diamond_appearance