when will a diamond show the most color?

[seedslinger]

Just curious under which conditions a diamond will show the most color?

 

[kenny]

Unmounted, up side down against a white background under controlled lighting and viewed from the side - also preferably placed next to a D-colored diamond of the same cut and weight.

 

[seedslinger]

Unmounted, up side down against a white background under controlled lighting and viewed from the side - also preferably placed next to a D-colored diamond of the same cut and weight.

What about lighting? What lighting will show the most color?

 

[seedslinger]

I ask because I recently bought a lower color stone and I would like to see the "worst" color the stones has in a real world condition, like what it will look like mounted.

 

[kenny]

Unmounted, up side down against a white background under controlled lighting and viewed from the side - also preferably placed next to a D-colored diamond of the same cut and weight.

What about lighting? What lighting will show the most color?

I think that is a simple question with a complex answer.

The Human brain/eye system is very good at compensating for the color of the light.
(Cameras are not which is why we have to white balance them by telling them the "color" of the lighting we are using.)
I used to work in a lab with lighting that was VERY yellow so it would not affect the chemicals used.
When entering the room of course everything looked VERY yellow.
Within several minutes you didn't notice it.
When leaving the room and returning to normal fluorescent lighting everything looked VERY purple (opposite of yellow).
After several minutes the brain/eye system readjusted.
This tells me you can't really believe the brain like you could a scientific instrument like a colorimeter.

I digress, but there are fluorescent lights intended for color grading with a specific color temp that are sold by jewelry supply companies.
You may want to research that.

I believe these lights may not necessarily show the most color, but they are just a standard for consistency.

Under something like candlelight it is hard to know if you are seeing the color of the light or the color of the diamond.
It is a murky thing.
Hopefully one of our appraisers or pros will have a better answer than I.

 

[seedslinger]

Really interesting.

The stone is M color, but so far it has looked good in all lighting I have exposed it to. Natural, artificial, direct and indirect.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Great answer Kenny- very interesting about the yellow lighting, and how we adjust our eyes, and mind to color.

Seedslinger- I'd love to know a little more about your M color.
What shape and size is it?
Did GIA or AGSL grade it M color?

From my perspective, I have always appreciated how "top silver" diamonds look.
I know that color decreases the price- but I've never really felt that there's a decrease in beauty.

 

[kenny]

Really interesting.

The stone is M color, but so far it has looked good in all lighting I have exposed it to. Natural, artificial, direct and indirect.

Unless you put it next to a D E F you have no reference, really.
The mind/eye is amazingly flexible in the absence of a reference.

But, looking good is looking good.
Nobody can argue with that.

 

[Dreamer_D]

In low lighting, so that there is no much white light being returned to the eye and you see more body. Or is a taupe or yellow or brown room (all stones look "tinted" in that condition, but tinted stones look particularly so).

 

[seedslinger]

Great answer Kenny- very interesting about the yellow lighting, and how we adjust our eyes, and mind to color.

Seedslinger- I'd love to know a little more about your M color.
What shape and size is it?
Did GIA or AGSL grade it M color?

From my perspective, I have always appreciated how "top silver" diamonds look.
I know that color decreases the price- but I've never really felt that there's a decrease in beauty.

Rockdiamond

You and your site were a great resource for me on my lower color diamond hunt.

My stone is GIA M, faint brown with faint fluro.

It is a 1.23,triple excellent with a HCA of 1.

Clarity is SI 1.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Thank you for the kind words seed!

It sounds like a stone I'd love for sure ( usually I like an HCA score above 4 but for you I'll make an exception )

I assume the stone is loose, yes?
If so, Kenny's method is the best.
Take a white piece of paper, folded in half- and lay the stone in the crease, face down- look through the back and you should see the tint.
Now, turn it over and watch it disappear.

How are you thinking of setting it?

 

[seedslinger]

Yes, its loose right now.

The setting is a box-style illusion head.

Platinum with 3 small rose cut diamonds on each side.

It was my Great-Grandmothers.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Man- that sounds AWESOME!!

Any chance of pics once it's set?

 

[seedslinger]

Once I get it all set, I plan on doing a thread on it.

Ill keep you posted!

Thanks Rock!