Imperfections on my clarity enhanced diamond are bothering me!

[sunsetstar]

My fiance and I went shopping for a ring together 6 months ago. He purchased a 1.55ct E color vs1 asscher engagement solitare for me. I picked it out and it was perfect when he bought it. Now Its only been 3 months since Ive been wearing it and I cant help but to see new things on it all the time. I told the jeweler that I think it needed to have the clarity redone, but he told me it just need a clean. He cleaned it, and I still felt the same way but I didnt want to tell my fiance anything. The thing is that with an asscher cut you can notice everything alot more than other diamonds, and its bothering me because I cant even really enjoy the cut because all I do is see whats wrong with it. So now Im thinking of Trading it in for a different cut all together. A cut that makes it harder to see and a diamond I can get large. But my thing is that if after just 3 month I change it what are people going to think. lol

I havent had the heart to talk to my fiance about it because it would upset him because he wants me to be happy.

 

[decodelighted]

Well ... I''m confused ... because just back on 10/10 you were thinking about resetting that stone in a pave halo or split shank AND posting on a clarity enchancement thread that you LOVE your CE stone.

What''s changed in the last month?

Is the problem

* the clarity enhancement (new flaws "appearing")
* the SHAPE of stone (asscher - looking dirty too quickly)
* the SIZE of stone (you were saying another shape to look "large")
* the SETTING ... you want more bling? Or just to hide the stone''s flaws?

I wouldn''t do anything hastily until you really figure this out. You also mentioned that the wedding isn''t for two more years ... maybe you''re fixating on the ring etc because you don''t have wedding planning to work on?

As to the jealous friends ... I really wouldn''t worry about what anyone else thinks except your fiance.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I am confused too. I have a VS1 EC (which has the same characteristics as an asscher) and you can hardly see the inclusion w/ the jewelers strong microscope. How can you see it with your naked eye? Have you ever put it in a US? I bet it is just dirty. I have gotten my ring cleans at B&M before and it STILL looked dirty. The US is really great for step-cuts.

 

[sunsetstar]

decodelighted

you got me ! its everything

but I really think that the clarity enhancement maybe wearing off because I do see new flaws and if it is a true vs1 then I really shouldnt be able to see them this well.

 

[kcoursolle]

I wonder if the CE is a lack of mind clean thing and it''s bugging you?

 

[sunsetstar]

No there really are things on it that are really bothering me, and it crazy because I was a every slow process. It like when I dont really look at it it doesnt bother me. But I shouldnt have to not look at it. thats crazy! the point is to look at it. and if the reason I picked this cut was to enjoy looking at it . I should just get something bigger and that can hind the imperfections.

 

[decodelighted]

Asscher in general are not for the faint-of-heart! I can''t even imagine a clarity-enhanced Asscher. Mine is a GIA VVs1 ... I''ve never even seen the "flaw" with a loupe & neither could the appraiser ... but it''s still full up of weirdness & angles & wacky reflections & refractions & mirroring. AND it''s impossible to keep clean AND it''s smaller than other stones AND no one even knows what it is AND I''d never want anything different.

You, seemingly DO want something different. Does the vendor you use have a "trade up" or "trade in" policy? It''s only been three months!

 

[sunsetstar]

thats the thing I love mine too. I think what Im going to do is talk to my jeweler when I go and get my monthly cleaning and i''m going to bring in all the information of the stone and show it to him and make him see the new things ive found on it. I''m going to ask him if he can do the clarity enhancement again , because he told me that he would do it for free if I really want it. He Just wanted to have me look at it clean first. Then I''ll just get a halo for now because I really do love my asscher. The halo will still make it look big and if I still feel the same way and continue having problems with it then ill trade it in. Yeah thank god they have a great trade polity. I get the same amount back to play with for life. which reminds me to look for all the paper work ! lol

 

[CaptAubrey]

If yours is a brand-name clarity enhanced diamond, the manufacturer will usually re-do the enhancement free of charge if it should ever fail or be damaged. Check with your jeweler.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/7/2006 3:17:49 PM
Author: sunsetstar
No there really are things on it that are really bothering me, and it crazy because I was a every slow process. It like when I dont really look at it it doesnt bother me. But I shouldnt have to not look at it. thats crazy! the point is to look at it. and if the reason I picked this cut was to enjoy looking at it . I should just get something bigger and that can hind the imperfections.

inclusions don''t just *grow* yanno - what''s growing on the stone is likely dirt and grime!!!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/7/2006 4:13:02 PM
Author: CaptAubrey
If yours is a brand-name clarity enhanced diamond, the manufacturer will usually re-do the enhancement free of charge if it should ever fail or be damaged. Check with your jeweler.

I''m likely not understanding clarity enhancement - I thought it was removing black inclusions with laser - how would they come back? does dirt get into the tiny hole? why would it ever need to be redone?

 

[sunsetstar]

SanDiegoLady

What are the spec of your stone? I have tons of thinking to do, and thank god my fiance would back me up. If I were to mention maybe even trading it up for a different cut that would make it harder to see the Flaws. My fiance would back me up, because he wants me to be happy. Its just that the asscher is so beautiful, but make the flaws easy to see.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Can you exchange it for a non CE asscher?

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 11/7/2006 8:42:50 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 11/7/2006 4:13:02 PM
Author: CaptAubrey
If yours is a brand-name clarity enhanced diamond, the manufacturer will usually re-do the enhancement free of charge if it should ever fail or be damaged. Check with your jeweler.

I''m likely not understanding clarity enhancement - I thought it was removing black inclusions with laser - how would they come back? does dirt get into the tiny hole? why would it ever need to be redone?

What you''re describing is called laser drilling. "Clarity enhancement" is a euphemism for glass filling. Molten glass with a high refractive index is injected into surface-reaching fractures to make them less visible. The results can be dramatic, but the treatment isn''t permanent, since among other things, the heat from a torch can melt the glass again and cause it to flow out. Ultrasonics are also bad. For this reason, the manufacturers offer a free fix if the filling ever fails, and for the same reason most reputable labs won''t grade such diamonds.

What confuses this a bit is that laser drill holes are sometimes filled with glass in the same fashion to make them harder to see.

 

[oshinbreez]

Why don''t you post a pic so we can see what you''re talking about?

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 11/8/2006 7:02:13 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 11/7/2006 8:42:50 PM
Author: Cehrabehra

Date: 11/7/2006 4:13:02 PM
Author: CaptAubrey
If yours is a brand-name clarity enhanced diamond, the manufacturer will usually re-do the enhancement free of charge if it should ever fail or be damaged. Check with your jeweler.

I''m likely not understanding clarity enhancement - I thought it was removing black inclusions with laser - how would they come back? does dirt get into the tiny hole? why would it ever need to be redone?

What you''re describing is called laser drilling. ''Clarity enhancement'' is a euphemism for glass filling. Molten glass with a high refractive index is injected into surface-reaching fractures to make them less visible. The results can be dramatic, but the treatment isn''t permanent, since among other things, the heat from a torch can melt the glass again and cause it to flow out. Ultrasonics are also bad. For this reason, the manufacturers offer a free fix if the filling ever fails, and for the same reason most reputable labs won''t grade such diamonds.

What confuses this a bit is that laser drill holes are sometimes filled with glass in the same fashion to make them harder to see.

thank you SO much for explaining this! I''d rather have a smaller stone than one with "fill" and I''d rather have an inclusion than one with a drill hole. Okay, maybe I wouldn''t, but I''d pass and get something else I think... are they just dirt cheep or something? I guess if it was like a hundred bucks I might... I dunno... weird! thanks though!

 

[Julian]

I'm wondering why you can't send it back to get it redone?

Don't those clarity enhanced stones have some sort of lifetime guarantee? I can't imagine that anyone would buy them if they weren't guaranteed. I'd imagine the resin or whatever they use will cloud or leak out if heated...

Maybe you can have it fixed and THEN your friends will REALLY be jealous!

Hee hee. Totally kidding. I love asschers. Is that tag line from a movie or something?

 

[swingirl]

I read somewhere that they come with a lifetime guarentee. However, there might be some activities that you aren't supposed to do with the ring on. Still the enhancement should last more that 6 months.