Please explain ASET image

[darwin1534]

I''m having a diamond appraised and was shown what my diamond looked like through a desk top ASET. I was surprised to see what looked like white or glare off the kite facets. I''ll try to post an image similar to what I saw. Except the image on my stone wasn''t white and cloudy in the table. I don''t see this white fuzzy stuff with the images that I''ve seen online. Is this because they are better cut diamonds, and this much white is light leakage? Or are the images taken using a different ASET then the desktop one?


The diamonds specs...
AGS cut grade 000
Table 55.6%
depth 61.5%
Crown 34.8 degrees
pavilion 40.8 degrees
HCA score 1.4

Thanks,

 

[whatmeworry]

I think it''s the camera setup that is causing the glare. In any case, it''s not leakage. The other photos you''ve seen just are better taken that''s all. It''s a really nice looking stone, well cut.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I think it is probably a very nice diamond and the cloudy table is a result of the desk top dinasaur.
If the jeweller has a hand held device of mine or the demonstration unit, then you can check it or take better photo''s with one of those.

 

[denverappraiser]

Different photographers use different equipment and techniques to take the pictures. There isn’t really a standardized approach. It’s not the photograph that makes it a good stone. That looks like a terrific stone. Ask your appraiser for specific interpretation questions about the image and details about how they took it.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[RockDoc]

I agree here with Neil. THere are variances of how people are able to get photos/images. Doing this is rather tricky and difficult.

So far the best photos I have been able to get is by using the "Desktop Dinosaur".

I have Four different ASETs.

Garry''s original one, the newer handheld now sold by AGS , the desktop one, and the presentation model. I''m disappointed with the handhelds in comparison with the more "robust" units. They do offer a much less costly way for consumers to purchase and use them however. The desktop unit and the presentation unit are priced out of range for the usual consumer budget.

In the photo above I believe the light source was too close to the viewer. In the desktop it is also important to "filter" out excessive light. The type of light source does affect the image too - I''ve learned. Using the desktop the lighting is provided by the individual store. In the presentation model the light source is built in to the base of the unit.

In the Presentation model.... I''ve had a devil of a time getting photos from it, but working on it. AGS has a new camera setup with yet another version of the ASET.

When looking with the human eye the presentation model seems to have the best image. Which is rather different than the photo images that have been posted here.

The differences in these two units is that the stone rests on a glass in the desktop face down, and in the presentation model the diamond sits in a tray with a black section shaped in square shapes or round shapes, and also has a way to look a stone that is mounting in a ring holder. No glass for the stone to be placed on like the desktop. The glass does support the stone with the table on it. The holder in the presentation holds the stone at a level of the girdle plane.

The handheld ASETs are a lot less costly, but the image is no where near as good as the desktop and the presentation models.


Rockdoc

 

[kcoursolle]

The image looks very nice!!

 

[WinkHPD]

The glare that you are seeing can be greatly reduced by putting a "donut" of white paper around the edge of the glass of the desktop model that this photo appears to have been taken with. This was a nugget of great advice given to me by Jim Caudill of the AGS when I complained of having the same problem with my photos.

Wink

 

[darwin1534]

The image that I posted above is not from "MY" stone. Its just an example that I found that demonstrated the white cloudy look that I was seeing with my own eyes on the desktop model(Not just from a camera picture). I''ll see if he can email me the exact picture to post here. The appraiser''s words were..."WOW where did you get THIS diamond?" He then went on to explain how few of the diamonds out there are this well cut. He had said that the white wasn''t light leakage, that is just how diamonds look in the ASET. I''ve looked at a lot of ASET pictures online, just not in person. I just wanted to ask you guys since I''ve never seen pictures that had that white glare look online.

I still have a lot of time to return it so don''t hold back. Hopefully tomorrow I''ll have the real picture to show you.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Rockdoc, Neil and wink - if you want to take photo''s with ASET my hand held or the presentation model (built around my unit) then you will get better results with small consumer digital camera''s than large lens SLR types. They work better thru the very small lens hole.

the ''newer'' hand held is relatively useless because the diameter is far too small to get the relationship between red and green close to correct for anything other than diamonds less than 1mm.

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 5/6/2007 11:16:39 PM
Author: darwin1534 I just wanted to ask you guys since I''ve never seen pictures that had that white glare look online.

I keep the donut of white paper around the glass of my desk top version when I show clients as well as when I take pictures, because of the glare factor. It really works to reduce the glare and to allow you to see the image much better.

Wink