IdealScope -- it works!

[cpcohen]

I ordered an IdealScope a few weeks ago, and had my first chance to use it today.

A local jeweller assured us that he could get the high-quality cuts we're looking for. After the stones arrived, he gave me their Sarin numbers, and I ran them through the HCA. It came back with unflattering comments about all three stones. .

So, we went down and looked. The stones seemed dull and lifeless, but that could have been the nice flat flourescent lighting in his work area.

Under the Idealscope, it was obvious that there was _a lot_ of leakage through the pavillion on all of them, and _no_ black areas at all. Two had reasonable symmetry (but not full H&A patterns), and one was just a mess.
Best of all, my wife and I saw the same things, which we often don't.

Any doubts I had about the factual basis of these rather abstruse discussions of "ideal proportions", leakage, and the usefulness of the Idealscope as a screening tool, are completely gone. It works.

I have seen with my own eyes . . .

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

thanks CPC

It is hard to believe or imagine a $20 tool could be so powerful, and many people do not as yet.
But they will. One day this will be a primary tool in all good jewellery stores. What did the jeweller have to say? Was he/she stunned?
Garry H

 

[cpcohen]

"Stunned" ? You must be kidding! Hardly even blinked an eye.

I had the same experience today (different shop), but this time in a different order -- "This stone leaks" on the Idealscope, followed by a decent (but over 2.0) HCA result when I got home and ran the numbers.

It was a "Caprice" branded H&A diamond, which I've never heard of. Nice symmetry, but a slightly-too-deep pavillion.

With pavillion angle reduced by 0.5 degrees, the HCA said "Excellent/Excellent/Excellent". But I'm sure that change to the cut would have reduced the weight by a few points.

I'm thinking about getting a ray-tracing program, just to play with.

 

[pricescope]

Yes it's quite strange. I also have the same experience when demonstrated i-s to a gemologist in Spence Diamonds in Toronto - no emotions or interest.

CPC, just keep in mind that all diamonds "leak" more or less. You have to avoid looking through i-s pointing directly to a very bright source of light. A shaded fluorescent lamp (fig. 1a) or facing a well lit, light coloured wall (fig. 1b) will give good results.