What do the colors mean?

[bettina]

My center stone sparkles constantly but I''ve noticed most of the colors reflected are blue. What does this mean about my diamond? I did not get a certified stone, I just picked out the one I liked the best. Is it possible to have it certified or graded after purchase? Any answers are appreciated.

 

[MMT]

It probably has some blue fluor in it. I find this very pretty. People with warmer color diamonds often look for it to balance the color out. On higher color diamonds you can see it more. I believe you can get you diamond graded. I think the price depends on the size of the diamond and you will probably have to send it away. A jeweler told me a 1.5 carat stone would run about $300 to grade. Hope this helps

 

[bettina]

Thanks. I thought it might be blue fluor but I thought the diamond itself would be tinted slightly blue or respond to black lights and I''ve noticed neither of these things. Just blue flecks of light. Is there any other way to check?

I don''t really need the diamond graded, it would just provide me one more means of obsession.

 

[gemgirl]

bettina, if you have your stone taken out of the setting, you can bring it or send it to GIA for grading for a very nominal fee (if you do it yourself). It''s $100.- up to a carat and a half I think. If you let your jeweler send it to them for you, he''s going to make a profit on his service to you. It takes four or five days for GIA to grade your stone and get it back into the mail to you.

Short of having your diamond certified, you can take you ring to an appraiser who is also a GIA Graduate Gemologist and they can tell you what you have and if it has any flourescence.

 

[innerkitten]

You could buy a black light. I own one. I collect gemstones and it''s a useful tool to have around.

 

[bettina]

Thanks for all the imput, as always.

 

[SYC]

Hi Bettina,

If you''re not looking for a GIA certificate, but just want to get a sense of the specs and learn more about your stone, the easiest way may be to make an appt with a good appraiser in your area, and go through the process with him or her. I think many good people charge by the hour -- I think $150-250 an hour is pretty much the ballpark.

I''ve been curious about teh specific colors that my diamond reflects back too, by the way -- I think it has a lot to do with the environment. So the blue could be fluorescence, or it could from the sky, the walls if you''re inside, or whatever light happens to be shining onto your diamond!

 

[RxTechRN2b]

I adore seeing blue flashes in my diamonds.

 

[jewelerman]

When you move the ring, the light is broken up inside a diamond and is thrown back to you in the form of sparkle and the colors of the rainbow...the better cut the stone ,the more sparkle and flashes of color you will get from your diamond...for a more scientific and gemological explination look on the forum for posts on the cut or make of ideal cut diamonds.

 

[LGK]

Hmm. Interesting! I took a color theory physics class in college (ten years ago!) and one random tidbit I recall is that when light is shattered into the color spectrum, by a prism (like a diamond does when you see flashes of fire) you are most likely to see green fire/light. I am trying to remember why... I think it had to do with the fact that the wavelength of green light is longer, and it''s the biggest part of the prismatic color flash, with blue/indigo being the shortest part of the spectrum and thus the least likely to be seen.

Each flash of fire from a diamond is actually the entire spectrum- redorangeyellowgreenblueindigo- so whatever color the flash appears is actually depending on the angle you are viewing it from, not the flash of fire itself. (Like, if you saw a green spark, a friend sitting next to you would see red from the same flash of light).

Does that make sense?

I could be wrong- I am dredging some of this up from some very dusty corners of my brain!

I would *guess* it''s blue fluorescence you''re seeing, too.

 

[SYC]

Date: 7/17/2008 10:38:03 PM
Author: LittleGreyKitten
Hmm. Interesting! I took a color theory physics class in college (ten years ago!) and one random tidbit I recall is that when light is shattered into the color spectrum, by a prism (like a diamond does when you see flashes of fire) you are most likely to see green fire/light. I am trying to remember why... I think it had to do with the fact that the wavelength of green light is longer, and it''s the biggest part of the prismatic color flash, with blue/indigo being the shortest part of the spectrum and thus the least likely to be seen.

Each flash of fire from a diamond is actually the entire spectrum- redorangeyellowgreenblueindigo- so whatever color the flash appears is actually depending on the angle you are viewing it from, not the flash of fire itself. (Like, if you saw a green spark, a friend sitting next to you would see red from the same flash of light).

Does that make sense?

I could be wrong- I am dredging some of this up from some very dusty corners of my brain!

I would *guess* it''s blue fluorescence you''re seeing, too.

Well explained, LittleGreyKitten! Thanks for the physics lesson!!!

A great scientific explanation for why I spend so much time angling my hand in different ways so I can see all the pretty colors...