New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Scope

[coati]

B2C Jewels director of consumer education Brian Pollard has contributed a new Pricescope Journal article outlining the differences between the ASET and Ideal-Scope diamond evaluation tools.

Read the full article featuring both ASET and Ideal-Scope imagery to better understand what these tools offer and how they are used to assess a diamond's light performance. What ASET reveals that Ideal-Scope does not

There are people who claim that you only need a grading report, an idea of proportions and the ability to see a diamond in real-life to get the evaluation you need. But a growing segment of the industry, and many consumers armed with knowledge found on PriceScope, rely on images of diamonds using tools to arrive at a superior assessment of diamond performance than a non-descriptive grade on a lab report. Indeed, there are vendors who have developed lines of top-performing diamonds which use Ideal-Scope and ASET as proof of the performance pedigree.

Brian, thank you for your contribution to the Pricescope Journal.

 

[Rockinruby]

Re: New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Sco

Thank you for posting the link.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

Re: New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Sco

Nice job Brian. Very helpful overview of these valuable tools.

I would add that they also both provide some information about faceting precision. (It might be helpful to show an aset/is image of a stone that does not have good optical precision). In terms of what they don't do, even with perfect l images, a diamond can have light performance deficits by virtue of certain clarity features, some of which might not be obvious.

Look forward to your next article!

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

Re: New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Sco

Nice job Brian. Very helpful overview of these valuable tools.

I would add that they also both provide some information about faceting precision. (It might be helpful to show an aset/is image of a stone that does not have good optical precision). In terms of what they don't do, even with perfect l images, a diamond can have light performance deficits by virtue of certain clarity features, some of which might not be obvious.

Look forward to your next article!

Thank you Bryan. I am looking forward to discussions about those topics mentioned above - perhaps even another article.

 

[JoshuaNiamehr]

Re: New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Sco

ASET images can be set up in photo editing programs to be backlit on a colored background, to be non-backlit on a light-colored background, to have ‘reflections’ appear as though on a polished surface, to be presented in small pixel format which will obscure detail, or any other of an infinite number of possibilities. The important thing to consider in examining the presentation of the ASET is to note that the harshest environment, the environment which will tell you, unequivocally, the most about light performance is a backlit image presented on a white background:

Very interesting take on black background vs white background ASETs! I will be testing this out for sure!

 

[Evert P Botha]

Re: New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Sco

Great article Brian!

 

[OoohShiny]

Re: New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Sco

Great article, will be useful for new forum members learning the ropes, thank you!

 

[WinkHPD]

Re: New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Sco

Nicely done Brian!

I especially liked that you pointed out that the white background is the harshest and most revealing about the diamond being examined. I do not think that most people even know there is an option, let alone the importance of it.

Wink

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

Re: New Article by Brian Pollard Compares ASET and Ideal-Sco

Nicely done Brian!

I especially liked that you pointed out that the white background is the harshest and most revealing about the diamond being examined. I do not think that most people even know there is an option, let alone the importance of it.

Wink

Thank you Wink. This is one of the areas that does not get a lot of mention from consumers or vendors on PS, but is worthy of mentioning anytime an ASET is examined.

 

[KatieT]

View attachment 692598 View attachment 692595
Hi guys,
I am hoping someone can provide some further insights into customers using ASET and idealscopes. I recently purchased a diamond from a merchant; I thought I had covered my bases, getting a "true" hearts and arrows diamond cut within ideal proportions with a HCA score of 0.9. Unfortunately I wasn't aware (and hadn't been informed by merchant) that I should ask for an idealscope and ASET image of the diamond, so it's now too late to get a professional image. I was, however, able to see the diamond under the scopes in person (using the non professional hand helds). When I first looked, there was a whitish ring around the middle of the diamond, which I interpreted as severe light leakage, however, when I tilted my head this area became red. How do I interpret this? Is the tilted angle which makes the area red depicting the true light return of the diamond or is the initial image from straight on more accurate? The merchant took a photo using her iPhone, which ill upload here. She explained that because there was lots of varying sources of light in the room that it was interfering with the image, and that professional ASET/idealscope images are taken in black rooms with controlled lighting and that this explains the difference in image when I tilted my head. She also explained that professional photos always have more colour saturation than hand held, do you find this to be true and to what extent? Do I need to look again at this diamond and control the exterior lighting conditions better? What tips would you give me before I see the diamond again?

Thanks so much

(I've also attached my specs)

 

[OoohShiny]

That image looks very leaky but it might be an extremely (over-)strong backlight and the scope not being positioned correctly.

The lower edge of the scope should be in line with the girdle of the diamond, as I understand it, and both should be parallel to each other in order to avoid the diamond being tilted.

 

[KatieT]

That image looks very leaky but it might be an extremely (over-)strong backlight and the scope not being positioned correctly.

The lower edge of the scope should be in line with the girdle of the diamond, as I understand it, and both should be parallel to each other in order to avoid the diamond being tilted.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I 100% agree that this image looks bad and that there's severe leakage; but I just can't understand how a diamond with the above proportions and symmetry could be so leaky. I'm hoping I can improve my technique and see if I can get an improved image.

 

[KatieT]

That image looks very leaky but it might be an extremely (over-)strong backlight and the scope not being positioned correctly.

The lower edge of the scope should be in line with the girdle of the diamond, as I understand it, and both should be parallel to each other in order to avoid the diamond being tilted.

When you say "in line with the girdle" does that mean the edge of the scope isn't touching the backlight? When I've looked the scope is hard up against the back light.

Do you know if there's a way to use a photo image of the diamond to analyse light performance? Is there software that does this?

 

[tyty333]

I'm thinking its the overpowering backlight that is throwing it off. Lets see if we can get @Karl_K to look at it. He the aset/ideal scope set up man!

 

[KatieT]

I'm thinking its the overpowering backlight that is throwing it off. Lets see if we can get @Karl_K to look at it. He the aset/ideal scope set up man!

You are beyond brilliant, I'm so grateful for your help. I have scoured the internet to find detailed tutorials on how to actually hold the scopes themselves and while a lot of people have gone to effort to create content that helps consumers interpret images, there's a dearth of detailed info on how to actually hold a scope and capture an accurate image. Unfortunately the diamond merchants who found my diamond don't even know how to use the scopes let alone help me make sense of what's happening; needless to say, im pretty anxious to get some answers around what's going on, so thank you so much for your help.

 

[KatieT]

You are beyond brilliant, I'm so grateful for your help. I have scoured the internet to find detailed tutorials on how to actually hold the scopes themselves and while a lot of people have gone to effort to create content that helps consumers interpret images, there's a dearth of detailed info on how to actually hold a scope and capture an accurate image. Unfortunately the diamond merchants who found my diamond don't even know how to use the scopes let alone help me make sense of what's happening; needless to say, im pretty anxious to get some answers around what's going on, so thank you so much for your help.

A couple of additional images which may help you detectives out there

 

[Karl_K]

What is the light source being used?

 

[OoohShiny]

What is the light source being used?

It looks like the sun, going from the brightness lol

 

[sledge]

The lower edge of the scope should be in line with the girdle of the diamond, as I understand it, and both should be parallel to each other in order to avoid the diamond being tilted.

Some very crude sketches to illustrate what @OoohShiny was trying to emphasis.

Correctly Aligned:


Improperly Aligned:

 

[KatieT]

It looks like the sun, going from the brightness lol

Hahaha I genuinely have no idea, this was taken by the merchant and emailed to me. It does seem sun like lol

 

[KatieT]

Some very crude sketches to illustrate what @OoohShiny was trying to emphasis.

Correctly Aligned:


Improperly Aligned:

So this diagram (thank you by the way) shows the diamond being examined from the table down, but the photos of my diamond were taken with the diamond laying on its table with the pavilion side up. Your diagram makes me think I have to be using a different method whereby I hold the diamond with tweezers and align the girdle to the end of the scope with the table, is this a more accurate method?

 

[KatieT]

What is the light source being used?

I am unsure of the light source being used but I can find out. What types of light sources would you recommend?

 

[Karl_K]

I am unsure of the light source being used but I can find out. What types of light sources would you recommend?

It is about 5x to bright for accurate images.

 

[KatieT]

T

It is about 5x to bright for accurate images.

Thank you Karl, that makes sense now

 

[OoohShiny]

Some very crude sketches to illustrate what @OoohShiny was trying to emphasis.

Correctly Aligned:


Improperly Aligned:

Thanks, Sledge!

I was thinking that some diagrams would be useful - you read my mind

 

[OoohShiny]

So this diagram (thank you by the way) shows the diamond being examined from the table down, but the photos of my diamond were taken with the diamond laying on its table with the pavilion side up. Your diagram makes me think I have to be using a different method whereby I hold the diamond with tweezers and align the girdle to the end of the scope with the table, is this a more accurate method?

Are you saying that the diamond was on a glass table, face/crown down, with a light above it, and then the scope being used being held underneath the table?

 

[sledge]

Are you saying that the diamond was on a glass table, face/crown down, with a light above it, and then the scope being used being held underneath the table?

Below is a picture showing what the "upside down" method looks like. Also, if you follow the link, you get some additional nice info on how to properly photograph using an idealscope scope. While @Garry H (Cut Nut) wrote the page for the idealscope, the same principles and techniques generally apply to the ASET hand held scopes.

Upside Down Method:
https://ideal-scope.com/taking-ideal-scope-photo/

 

[KatieT]

Hi Everyone,
I wanted to update you all on my previous post given so many of you went to the effort to give me your guidance and wisdom.

I took your advice and re-examined the diamond under ideal and ASET scopes using a softer, more diffuse back light (which was just the natural light in the room on a cloudy day) and made sure the stone was perfectly parallel. It took a bit of oscillating of the stone but eventually I was able to get a good image, and both scopes showed excellent light return. Lots of red, no light leakage and only small amounts of green. I just picked up my new diamond ring and it is absolutely amazing!!!! I have never seen a more gorgeous stone; it’s fire is incredible. (So the HCA score of 0.9 was spot on too!!)

Thanks again guys

 

[gm89uk]

As well as over exposure, is the scope low enough? You should be getting black on those arrows. Images suggest over strong back light, scope possibly held too high and lots of collateral light coming in from the side. The diamond itself looks lovely.

Edit: just read the above post. Congratulations!

 

[KatieT]

As well as over exposure, is the scope low enough? You should be getting black on those arrows. Images suggest over strong back light, scope possibly held too high and lots of collateral light coming in from the side. The diamond itself looks lovely.

Edit: just read the above post. Congratulations!

As well as over exposure, is the scope low enough? You should be getting black on those arrows. Images suggest over strong back light, scope possibly held too high and lots of collateral light coming in from the side. The diamond itself looks lovely.

Edit: just read the above post. Congratulations!

Thanks for your insights, yes, I think there was lots wrong with the images sent to me. I questioned how a diamond with such good proportions could look so bad under an ideal and ASET scope. It’s true that you have to play around with the scopes to get an accurate image. I also found I got a better image if I pull my eye a couple of cm away from the scope.