PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclusions

[MaximusCruiser]

Hi there...

For those who have been following my past threads, I finally received my e-ring just 2 hours ago!!

However, I have a couple of questions:

1) My diamond is an I-color, when I first opened the box in my living room with warm lighting, the diamond looks very yellow to me, especially when compared to the white gold setting (the white gold looks a lot whiter than the diamond!). I was shocked. I calm myself down and brought it to my kitchen with white (cool) lighting, then it look normally white. Is this normal? Does the diamond look yellow because I was under warm lighting or because it was an I-color? Do higher color grade diamonds behave the same way under warm lighting?

2) My diamond comes with a GIA cert but does not come with laser inscription. I chose this SI2 diamond because its main inclusions are twinning wisps (away from center table) which are more difficult to spot than other inclusions. There in lies the paradox. They are TOO DIFFICULT to spot!! I looked through 45X magnification very very intently and was unable to spot ANY of the inclusions! Without laser inscription, how exactly do I know this is my diamond if I cannot match the inclusions to the GIA plot chart? Does it mean I have no choice but to go to a jeweler (which I don't know any) to verify my diamond? Any other ideas or suggestions?

Here are some initial pictures taken by my phone camera... best I can do for now until I borrow the DSLR camera from my gf (with a good excuse, of course!). Fortunately, the 4-prong setting doesn't make the diamond look square at all to me... it still looks nice and round. For reference... its a 1.6ct RB XXX I-color SI2 diamond on a size 4 ring:

 

[bunnycat]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

An appraiser could surely tell you if the inclusions match the clarity plot on the report.

Diamonds do pick up color from around the room and reflect what is around them. I think the lower down the scale you go, the more ability they have to pick up and reflect colors from the environment. In antique cuts, I find this very interesting though have not seen any colors past M IRL. I have a modern cut I RB stone (with medium blue fluor) and only rarely do I notice tint, but I have become so accustomed to the tint in my M Old European cut that whatever color there may be in the I probably just doesn't register anymore.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

I can't quite understand why you couldn't see the inclusions. I'd try a 10x loupe. That is the level of magnification they are graded under. You should easily be able to see SI2 inclusions with a 10x loupe.

Your ring looks beautiful! (And yes, diamonds will pick up environmental color. I color will show some tint in some lighting.)

 

[MaximusCruiser]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

I can't quite understand why you couldn't see the inclusions. I'd try a 10x loupe. That is the level of magnification they are graded under. You should easily be able to see SI2 inclusions with a 10x loupe.

Your ring looks beautiful! (And yes, diamonds will pick up environmental color. I color will show some tint in some lighting.)

Actually, when I look at diamonds on JA website... with 40x magnification images, I also find it very difficult to spot twinning wisps. So could it be the type of inclusions that is difficult to spot? Or perhaps its just my poor eye sight?

While I understand that diamonds will pick up environmental color, can anyone tell me if colorless range (D-F) diamonds also look yellow under warm lighting? Or don't they?

Thanks.

 

[MaximusCruiser]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

The sun came out so I managed to get a picture under natural sunlight near a window:

 

[arkieb1]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

Seeing the colour of slightly warm stones change in different lighting is very normal. To assess the real colour go outside in natural daylight. Look at the stone top down and side on that is the real colour of the stone. Not all "I" coloured stones are created equal, some are very white facing some have a slight brown hue or tint, some have a slight yellow tint, some have a greenish yellow tint, some have slightly pinkish tint, some even look blue.....

 

[MaximusCruiser]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

Seeing the colour of slightly warm stones change in different lighting is very normal. To assess the real colour go outside in natural daylight. Look at the stone top down and side on that is the real colour of the stone. Not all "I" coloured stones are created equal, some are very white facing some have a slight brown hue or tint, some have a slight yellow tint, some have a greenish yellow tint, some have slightly pinkish tint, some even look blue.....

Thanks for the post... err... sorry if there is any misunderstanding to my original post.... but that is not really my question. Specifically, do higher color grade diamonds (D to F for example), appear yellow in warm indoor lighting? Anyone?

 

[arkieb1]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

Seeing the colour of slightly warm stones change in different lighting is very normal. To assess the real colour go outside in natural daylight. Look at the stone top down and side on that is the real colour of the stone. Not all "I" coloured stones are created equal, some are very white facing some have a slight brown hue or tint, some have a slight yellow tint, some have a greenish yellow tint, some have slightly pinkish tint, some even look blue.....

Thanks for the post... err... sorry if there is any misunderstanding to my original post.... but that is not really my question. Specifically, do higher color grade diamonds (D to F for example), appear yellow in warm indoor lighting? Anyone?

Yes they can but they will look less coloured than say a mid coloured stone. You get the right yellow lighting you can make any stone look yellow.... A D or an E is never going to look the same colourwise as a K in a modern cut for example. Old cuts are different again, some face very white in that type of lighting and the better the cut generally the better the stone will do at hiding or masking the colour.

 

[MaximusCruiser]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

Seeing the colour of slightly warm stones change in different lighting is very normal. To assess the real colour go outside in natural daylight. Look at the stone top down and side on that is the real colour of the stone. Not all "I" coloured stones are created equal, some are very white facing some have a slight brown hue or tint, some have a slight yellow tint, some have a greenish yellow tint, some have slightly pinkish tint, some even look blue.....

Thanks for the post... err... sorry if there is any misunderstanding to my original post.... but that is not really my question. Specifically, do higher color grade diamonds (D to F for example), appear yellow in warm indoor lighting? Anyone?

Yes they can but they will look less coloured than say a mid coloured stone. You get the right yellow lighting you can make any stone look yellow.... A D or an E is never going to look the same colourwise as a K in a modern cut for example.

Thanks!!

 

[arkieb1]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

I have bathroom lighting modern downlights that make all modern cuts (including white graded ones) look yellowish. But old cuts look completely different in there. Sometimes it also depends on wall colour etc and what else the stone is picking up and reflecting as well.

 

[delight]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

Seeing the colour of slightly warm stones change in different lighting is very normal. To assess the real colour go outside in natural daylight. Look at the stone top down and side on that is the real colour of the stone. Not all "I" coloured stones are created equal, some are very white facing some have a slight brown hue or tint, some have a slight yellow tint, some have a greenish yellow tint, some have slightly pinkish tint, some even look blue.....

Thanks for the post... err... sorry if there is any misunderstanding to my original post.... but that is not really my question. Specifically, do higher color grade diamonds (D to F for example), appear yellow in warm indoor lighting? Anyone?

Yes. They do. Diamonds pick up environmental color easily.

 

[MaximusCruiser]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

Yes. They do. Diamonds pick up environmental color easily.

Thanks!

I had some time earlier to take more "artistic" type shots.

 

[nowicanseethemoon]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

I think it's a beautiful diamond in a classy setting. You should be very pleased and your girlfriend is a lucky lady. I think one of the great things about diamonds (as opposed to glass or a cz) is their chameleon nature. They change so much depending on the environment - they're forever interesting. We've been marketed into believing the only "good" diamond is a colorless one, but since most of us don't have an unlimited budget, we have to compromise a little bit. If I recall, your diamond is an excellent cut, which is going to be much prettier than a poorly cut higher color diamond. I know it's a huge purchase and it's natural to want it to be perfect, but I think you did a great job.

 

[MaximusCruiser]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

I think it's a beautiful diamond in a classy setting. You should be very pleased and your girlfriend is a lucky lady. I think one of the great things about diamonds (as opposed to glass or a cz) is their chameleon nature. They change so much depending on the environment - they're forever interesting. We've been marketed into believing the only "good" diamond is a colorless one, but since most of us don't have an unlimited budget, we have to compromise a little bit. If I recall, your diamond is an excellent cut, which is going to be much prettier than a poorly cut higher color diamond. I know it's a huge purchase and it's natural to want it to be perfect, but I think you did a great job.

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Yes... it really sparkles nicely!

Now... if I could only spot those inclusions!!

Will get some rest and try again when my eyes are fresh! If I still can't find them, I will have to visit a local gemological institute to get it verified.

 

[AprilBaby]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

It sure looks beautiful!

 

[MaximusCruiser]

Re: PIX! Qs on diamond viewing lighting & spotting of inclus

More pictures showing the faint fluorescence and ring details.

Finally found some inclusions under natural sunlight but no where near able to match the plot map on the GIA cert.