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Ideal-Scope Question (Calling Cut Nut!)

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dancingmelimel

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Just received my Ideal-Scope in the mail today, and am comparing a stone I''m deciding about with the buying guide on Idealscope.com.

My problem is this....the table is slightly lighter than the crown area, and there are some white areas around the edges....When I compare it to the buying guide I can''t tell whether the lightness is too extreme or not. The differences in table lightness between the rejects and the excellents are so subtle that I''m just not sure where my diamond fits in.

The diamond is A Cut Above H&A from Whiteflash, scoring a 1.1 on the HCA, Ex Ex Ex Vg, so I do have some confidence in it. If the diamond tilts at all while I look at it with the Ideal-Scope, then I get some very light/white areas around the inner edges of the table. If it''s straight on, then the table is just lighter than the crown.

Please help! --Melissa
 

Garry H (Cut Nut)

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That is normal.
You should view the diamond with the patterns lined up (front on) - all diamonds leak when turned side on.
It sounds fine.
If you look closely at the image on the front page of the ideal-scope site you will see that the table area on that stone is also slightly paler. And that is the best stone we have ever photographed at Ideal-scope.com (it is actually one of the new line ACA).
 

dancingmelimel

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Thank you so much for the reassurance. Unfortunately my stone resembles the "fair" picture on the box the scope comes in more than the "excellent" picture on the box, which I believe is the same as the front page of the site. The symmetry is more like the "excellent", but the leakage around the edges is more like the "fair". However, it does seem to resemble some of the excellent examples on your buying example page. (http://www.ideal-scope.com/buying_example.asp)

One thing that may be throwing me off is that all the pictures look quite red, while I see all pinks....some quite strong. It's difficult for me to compare the relative table lightness when the colors are different, and red seems stronger than pink.

Could my lighting be too strong? Too weak?

Thanks again for any advice!

-Melissa
 

Garry H (Cut Nut)

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The red / pink thing is a problem with photography / computer screens etc.
But in general if you use a very strong light source the shade will be paler.
Try soft filtered light via a piece of copy paper stuck to a desk light like the example on the website.
Do you have the master cZ too? If you diamond is as good as or better than that then it will be exceptional
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dancingmelimel

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I (foolishly) did not get the master cz. I thought with all those great examples on the website there would be no need.
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I am definitely seeing where it would be beneficial now. Looking at stones in person, where every movement of your head changes the look, is different than looking at them in a photo.

I was already using a shielded lamp for lighting, but now I've doubled the shield, which does seem to help. Looking at the picture of the calibration cz, I would say my stone looks similar under the table, but has more leakage around the girdle. It is a very pretty stone, I must say!

Thanks again for all your help!

-Melissa
 

Rhino

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The stone is probably fine and if it is an ACA you can bank that it's better than most of the crap being offered today. I would however add this note which I have learned from experience. The angles and length to which the lower girdle facets are cut can affect the light transmission under the table. I have examined many stones with the same proportions that had darker reds or lighter reds depending upon the way the lower girdles were cut. Tweaked lower girdles will display rich dark reds under the table while other will exhibit more pale reds. This graphic is comprised of 2 stones with virtually identical crown/pavilion angles and table size. One scored a triple VH via the BrillianceScope and one scored medium/very high/medium all because of the arrangement of the minor facets. Just some interesting info.

Rhino

lowergirdlestweaked.jpg
 

dancingmelimel

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The light areas of my upper girdle are v shaped.....not quite as tiny as those in the "tweaked facets" stone shown above, but very similar. And my stone does have the same extra white spots slightly in from the edge all the way around as the "tweaked facets" stone has.

My impression is that a stone with tweaked facets has more consistent color in the center, and more contrast around the edge, versus an untweaked stone being the reverse.....more contrasty in the center, more even around the edge. Am I on the right track here? If so, mine appears to be tweaked. So Jonathan, which of those stones got the triple VH's and which didn't?
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-Melissa
 

Rhino

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Take a wild stab.
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Which shows more saturation of dark reds, particularly under the table?
 

Rhino

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Stone on the left via Sarin

35 crown, 40.9 pavilion 57 table.

Stone on the right OGI

34.9 crown, 40.9 pavilion 55 table.

You know as well as I do that the 2% difference in table is not affecting those pale reds under the table. It is the lower girdles and I know it for a fact. You can also see the effect of the lower girdles in the above graphic by the difference in the thickness of the arrows between the 2. Shorter lower girdles always produce thicker arrows and more attention must be heeded to the lower girdle angles & twist if you're going to shorten them. Otherwise ... more leakage under the table.

I don't find any major discrepancies between the Sarin and the OGI except for culet measurements (which I believe the OGI is more precise in that regard).

Peace,
Rhino
 

dancingmelimel

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So while you guys debate
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I'm just wondering exactly how I can tell whether my stone has tweaked lower girdles or not.....My stone is fairly even under the table, but not super saturated.......and my stone has those extra dots of white inside the edge all the way around. Can I tell anything definite from either of these observations?

-Melissa
 

Garry H (Cut Nut)

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ACA and WF would have told you if it was a 'new line' stone.
But do not be concerned, in actual fact Brian the cutter actually prefers the traditional stones with the little white bits around the girdle.
So do not get too hung up about all this anal jargon Dancer
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dancingmelimel

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I'll try, but I am myself anal and tend to get hung up.
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It's a very very pretty stone anyway. And I can always upgrade later.
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Thanks again, so so much, for all the help!

-Melissa
 
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