Should a good diamond perform well in ALL lighting?

[mishy]

I am the proud owner of my grandmother's art deco platinum antique e-ring and wedding band set. I recently had the e-ring appraised for insurance purposes, and it has a .70 center stone plus 10 smaller diamond sidestones, S1-1, and H color, and transitional (european) cut. The ring sparkles like mad and I cannot stop looking at it. It sparkles like crazy in sunlight, flourescent light, store lights, while I'm driving down the road - virtually everywhere. But last night we were in a darkish restaurant with very minimal, indirect lighting, and when I looked down at my ring the main stone looked like a darkish spot with virtually no sparkle. It was kind of shocking to see, as I am used to seeing the ring sparkle like crazy everywhere. I wear a .75 pear-shaped diamond on my other hand, and I noticed that particular stone still maintained it's shine under that lighting, didn't look dark. Is this normal for this kind of stone, or does it have something to do with the cut/color, whatever?

(Don't misunderstand, I am THRILLED with the ring no matter what, whenever I look down at it I am reminded of my grandma. But it just struck me as weird, given how well it performs elsewhere - good thing I don't be spend much time in dark restaurants)!

Mishy

 

[MWG]

I personally think that a well cut diamond performs well in most any situation. Of course, in some situations it will perform better and in others it will perform less than better, but still great. A well cut diamond just performs (or reflects light) well.

MWG

 

[curiopotter]

Shocking? No.. there may have not been enough light to reflect. But seriously, you know what''s really shocking??....



The fact that you haven''t posted pictures of that gorgeous ring!

 

[WinkHPD]

Date: 9/17/2007 9:22:46 AM
Author:mishy
I am the proud owner of my grandmother''s art deco platinum antique e-ring and wedding band set. I recently had the e-ring appraised for insurance purposes, and it has a .70 center stone plus 10 smaller diamond sidestones, S1-1, and H color, and transitional (european) cut. The ring sparkles like mad and I cannot stop looking at it. It sparkles like crazy in sunlight, flourescent light, store lights, while I''m driving down the road - virtually everywhere. But last night we were in a darkish restaurant with very minimal, indirect lighting, and when I looked down at my ring the main stone looked like a darkish spot with virtually no sparkle. It was kind of shocking to see, as I am used to seeing the ring sparkle like crazy everywhere. I wear a .75 pear-shaped diamond on my other hand, and I noticed that particular stone still maintained it''s shine under that lighting, didn''t look dark. Is this normal for this kind of stone, or does it have something to do with the cut/color, whatever?

(Don''t misunderstand, I am THRILLED with the ring no matter what, whenever I look down at it I am reminded of my grandma. But it just struck me as weird, given how well it performs elsewhere - good thing I don''t be spend much time in dark restaurants)!

Mishy

If you were to put it on an ASET tool you would see where the light in the stone is coming from when it reflects to your eye and that would tell you why the lighting in the restaruant was not sufficient to cause that stone to sparkle, even though your other stone still did.

I am guessing that if you were in a restaurant with slightly different lighting that you would receive a totally different view or your grandmothers diamond.

And yes, a top cut grade stone in a modern round brilliant should perform well in nearly all lighting (not going to do much in back lighting) but that does not lessen the value of the older cut one smidgeon, it has something that the new diamond does not, your Grandmothers provenance!

Wink

 

[strmrdr]

no light no sparkle.
The pear was likely catching some low angle lighting that the round wasnt.
That is too be expected.

 

[wolftress]

Date: 9/17/2007 4:32:21 PM
Author: curiopotter
Shocking? No.. there may have not been enough light to reflect. But seriously, you know what''s really shocking??....



The fact that you haven''t posted pictures of that gorgeous ring!

LOL!!! I second that opinion. Pictures, please

I sometimes think old cut diamonds fare better when they''re not in ''enclosed'' settings because they''re so reflective, they seem to absorb and throw back light from everywhere. If you have a classic deco setting, it''s possible that the diamond was covered on all sides and couldn''t find any light to reflect back at you.

 

[mishy]

Curiopotter:
LOL! I would seriously love to post a pic of the ring - that is, if I can ever get a decent picture. I tried a few days ago, and it looked like a blob of white flash, didn''t show much detail. Maybe I''m doing something wrong? I will try again tonight to see if I can get a decent picture.

Wink:
You are right, I have been in plenty of other restaurants (and other places, of course) where the ring performed well, it was just this particular place. And yes, the sentimental value of this ring far exceeds any value of a new diamond I could possibly own. I was merely curious as to why this might be.

Stmrdr and Wolftress:
The pear is elevated on prongs, while my grandmother''s ring is a round stone that is set flush against a square background with fishtail prongs (forgive me, as I am sure I am not using the right terminology here, but hopefully you get the idea). So perhaps the "covered on all sides, not finding enough light to reflect" theory is a possibility. I can''t, however, bring myself to reset the ring because the setting reminds me of my grandmother. As I child I remember her wearing this ring on her finger, and promising she would one day leave it to me. I guess I was a jewelry nut even as a child?!

Mishy