Prong setting - bee or basket - affect on brilliance/fire?

[Sashabella]

If I get a prong setting that is bee hive shaped at the bottom (i.e. does not let light through the bottom) but the crown of the diamond is not covered by the setting, will the diamond have less fire and brilliance than if it is basket set? My jeweller told me that the vast majority of light enters the diamond from the top and it shouldn''t affect brilliance/fire. He said not to bother with basket setting. Is this true?

 

[denverappraiser]

Date: 3/6/2005 3

7:50 PM
Author:Sashabella
If I get a prong setting that is bee hive shaped at the bottom (i.e. does not let light through the bottom) but the crown of the diamond is not covered by the setting, will the diamond have less fire and brilliance than if it is basket set? My jeweller told me that the vast majority of light enters the diamond from the top and it shouldn''t affect brilliance/fire. He said not to bother with basket setting. Is this true?

Yes.

It is quite helpful to have access to the back of the stone for cleaning but I suspect the mounting you describe gives the required access.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ISA NAJA
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[strmrdr]

It depends on the cut of the diamond.
Some less well cut diamonds look dark in closed settings where back light helps brighten them up.
Thats just my unscientific observation.