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- Sep 3, 2000
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- 6,697
In the quest to bring information to consumers many of us have simplified our limited understanding of light behavior in presenting it. People now say that want maximum light return from diamonds. A few sellers and gemologists actually already know what they mean, but I think it is important for everyone to understand that what is wanted is a highly appealing diamond, a beautiful one, not a bright, white mirror or a 150 watt light bulb.
If you are watching TV and bring up the brightness to maximum, you won''t like the picture. So, you reduce brightness to a somewhat lower level and then adjust the contrast to suit your taste. This equates, in simple terms, to white light return and scintillation / intensity.
Neither brightness or contrast is actually "maximized", but the appealing nature of the image might be called "ideal".
The you might bring the brightness or contrast up or down a few notches, again adjusting them to suit your eyes and taste finding there were other setting equally appealing and worthy. These are also possibly "ideal", too.
A very similar thing is going on with diamonds. Many different combinations have high appeal to the eyes. Ultimately you are the best judge. We can help you make a good selection, but there is definitely more than one specific combination of light return, scintillation and intensity that could be called "ideal". This is all a very recent addendum to the traditional approach to what makes an ideal cut diamond, but you need to get a handle on this as you search for a fine diamond. It widens the possible choices and allows some room in tight budgets because not every beautiful diamond is cut the same as every other and prices sometimes are driven not by looks, but by traditional parameters of cut. You can hunt out some super values in these special, non-traditional type "ideal" looking stones.
This can be done by you with a Ideal-Scope if you are examining actual stones. Via the Internet, it can be done with transmitted images from the Ideal-Scope, Isee2, BrillianceScope, Firescope, and a couple others, too. Even better technology is in the wings, but there is no reason to wait or avoid thinking about using these great methods now.
If you are watching TV and bring up the brightness to maximum, you won''t like the picture. So, you reduce brightness to a somewhat lower level and then adjust the contrast to suit your taste. This equates, in simple terms, to white light return and scintillation / intensity.
Neither brightness or contrast is actually "maximized", but the appealing nature of the image might be called "ideal".
The you might bring the brightness or contrast up or down a few notches, again adjusting them to suit your eyes and taste finding there were other setting equally appealing and worthy. These are also possibly "ideal", too.
A very similar thing is going on with diamonds. Many different combinations have high appeal to the eyes. Ultimately you are the best judge. We can help you make a good selection, but there is definitely more than one specific combination of light return, scintillation and intensity that could be called "ideal". This is all a very recent addendum to the traditional approach to what makes an ideal cut diamond, but you need to get a handle on this as you search for a fine diamond. It widens the possible choices and allows some room in tight budgets because not every beautiful diamond is cut the same as every other and prices sometimes are driven not by looks, but by traditional parameters of cut. You can hunt out some super values in these special, non-traditional type "ideal" looking stones.
This can be done by you with a Ideal-Scope if you are examining actual stones. Via the Internet, it can be done with transmitted images from the Ideal-Scope, Isee2, BrillianceScope, Firescope, and a couple others, too. Even better technology is in the wings, but there is no reason to wait or avoid thinking about using these great methods now.