What is painting?

[kristy_lyn]

I did a search for painting, and found arguments of why it''s OK, or not OK, whether or not GIA should accept it, degree of painting, etc...

But, I''m still unclear as to what it is?

Is there a link somewhere that describes the process?

Thanks!

 

[davidgelb]

Kristy_lyn,
You can find more about painting here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/girdle-treatments-cheated-girdles-tweaked-girdles-digging-painting.36102/

Hope that helps!

-David

 

[JohnQuixote]

Less than 2% of all rounds that GIA grades are influenced by painting or digging. That''s why it''s difficult to find information. Here are some articles that may help clarify.

http://www.diamondcut.gia.edu/pdf/6_05_RDR_pg239_243pdf.pdf
http://lgdl.gia.edu/pdfs/estimating_painitng.pdf

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 8/8/2006 4:11:28 PM
Author: davidgelb
Kristy_lyn,
You can find more about painting here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/girdle-treatments-cheated-girdles-tweaked-girdles-digging-painting.36102/

Hope that helps!

-David

Page 1 of that thread is an overview of the approaches taken with premium stones, not deleterious painting or digging associated with 'swindling' or 'cheating.' There are some severe examples on page 2, and a good clarification from after the April 06 article was published showing how girdle profiles are used for identification.

Thanks David.

 

[kristy_lyn]

Very interesting...!
How could I have not found that thread???

A few questions -

1. Do certain sizes tend to be more painted or more dug out?
2. Besides just looking at the drawing on your cert - is there any other way to tell if it''s been done?
3. Is this done on most of the branded diamonds? I''m guessing that most of the WF ACAs are cut in this way? Does it tend to be done more on the new ACA cut or the classic ACA cut?
4. Which process has my diamond been through - painting, or digging? http://www.whiteflash.com/pimg/certificates/ci_AGS-7340407.gif Slight painting? It''s really hard for me to tell which girdle facets are bigger from the picture - I''m just curious...

 

[belle]

Date: 8/8/2006 5:57:06 PM
Author: kristy_lyn

Very interesting...!
How could I have not found that thread???

A few questions -

1. Do certain sizes tend to be more painted or more dug out?
2. Besides just looking at the drawing on your cert - is there any other way to tell if it''s been done?
3. Is this done on most of the branded diamonds? I''m guessing that most of the WF ACAs are cut in this way? Does it tend to be done more on the new ACA cut or the classic ACA cut?
4. Which process has my diamond been through - painting, or digging? http://www.whiteflash.com/pimg/certificates/ci_AGS-7340407.gif Slight painting? It''s really hard for me to tell which girdle facets are bigger from the picture - I''m just curious...

since you addressed these questions to sir john, i will let him give the official answer.
i will say that you will need to provide an idealscope image. there is no way to tell whether or not a stone has been possibly painted by the standard grapic on the grading report.

 

[kristy_lyn]

How does the idealscope image indicate painting/digging? Does each create a distinct pattern?

 

[Regular Guy]

I think with painting is the \"new line\" type, with edge to edge red and "flowing" performance...probably cribbed from Mark Twain, where Tom Sawyer says to his friends that "new line"..."uhhh...yeah...painting''s better than stickball...yeah...that''s the ticket!"

 

[JohnQuixote]

Hi Kristy, I'll do my best to give brief answers on a subject with a lot of complexity.

Painting & Digging

It's important to know there is a significant difference between ‘painting & digging’ done in the mainstream (particularly digging, which is never desirable) and the crown-only painting used to beautify some premium diamonds. Since you asked specifically about 'A Cut Above' I'll confine my comments to crown-only painting.

Crown-Only Painting

In this situation a diamond can have its avg. indexing shifted (be painted) anywhere from 1 – 11 degrees. If the painting is taken too far it may cause the diamond to appear dark, but it has to be taken a long way. As long as healthy tolerances and quality control are present there are no worries.

What's the difference?

A diamond with premium configurations, painted to an appropriate degree, will show more balance of colored broadfire scintillation and less pinfire scintillation. It will also have edge-to-edge light return - seen in the all red & black ideal-scope or firescope images. Diamond cutters with the Eightstar company in Japan were the first innovators of this look. ACA New Line followed and several other cutting houses now practice the technique.

ACA New Line vs ACA Classic:

According to thousands of our clients over many years they are at equal levels of beauty. One is not better than the other - though the occasional person may have a slight preference. Most observers over the years don't notice differences in performance immediately and if they do it's an acquired taste. When notable, the difference is in the quality of scintillation in some light conditions: New Line has larger, colorful sparkles. Classic has small, fast sparkles.

To your specific Qs...

Date: 8/8/2006 5:57:06 PM
Author: kristy_lyn

1. Do certain sizes tend to be more painted or more dug out?

No ma'm. The choice is entirely dependent on the needs of the rough under the cutter's hands.

2. Besides just looking at the drawing on your cert - is there any other way to tell if it's been done?

As Miss Belle said, an ideal-scope image is the easiest way to determine painting, but it won't tell you to what degree. Depending on overall configuration a diamond can be painted 1 or 2 degrees and it may not even be apparent (contrast leakage still occurs). However, when you get around 3 degrees and beyond - again, depending on overall configuration - the images appear similar to each other.

3. Is this done on most of the branded diamonds? I'm guessing that most of the WF ACAs are cut in this way? Does it tend to be done more on the new ACA cut or the classic ACA cut?

ACA New Line is painted. We developed the line specifically due to demand for painted diamonds.

4. Which process has my diamond been through - painting, or digging? http://www.whiteflash.com/pimg/certificates/ci_AGS-7340407.gif Slight painting? It's really hard for me to tell which girdle facets are bigger from the picture - I'm just curious...

Oh my gosh...DIGGING!? (gasp) Perish the thought!

Actually, I looked your diamond up and it was traditionally brillianteered. No digging m’lady!

Perhaps mildly painted, but so are many diamonds.

I hope the info on painting & ACA helps.

On the subject-at-large, by now the members of this forum could write a 10 chapter book. We've had oodles of painting threads... I think the most enjoyable one is here.

 

[kristy_lyn]

Thanks for all the info!!!

Very helpful and informative...

I was cracking up reading the "painting" thread. We''re going to try to buy a house within the next year, and it gave me some good insight of what I''m in store for!!! My fiance came up behind me just as I got to the post with the picture of the diamond ring - with comments on the paint color in the background! He was like "OMG - this is never going to end!!! "