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Why do diamonds reflect their surroundings and what does it say about it’s quality/characteristics?

A

aundies13

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 13, 2021
Messages
14
This is probably a stupid question, but I’m just trying to learn more about my stone and how it behaves. It seems to reflect it’s surroundings quite prominitely, and I’m not sure why or what is says about my stone (whether it’s positive or negative, I’m very curious/interested).

I’ve noticed when it’s a clear blue sky my diamond will often reflect it and look a light shade of blue (no fluorescence), but yesterday I was sitting under my lime green patio umbrella and noticed my ring turned green!

Would anyone mind educating me on what this means or why this occurs? TIA! :)
6043F5CC-1E48-490A-B74B-053E8C21A818.jpeg
 
Simply put, your diamond is doing what it should: acting like a hall of mirrors and reflecting back out the top what it gathers in.
If it didn't, then it would be a sure-fire way of knowing that a diamond was so poorly cut that it barely reflects anything back out to the viewer's eyes.
www.pricescope.com

Diamond Performance Explained

Did you know that "fire" and "scintillation" are not the same thing? "Contrast" and "leakage" also differ from each other.
www.pricescope.com
 
A well-cut diamond is constantly scanning the hemisphere above the girdle line, and reflecting back to the eye the light it gathers. In most cases it will be a combination of colors and light sources and not quite as striking as the yellow umbrella shot (cool photo!).
The arrows that you see in hearts and arrows diamonds are actually reflections of you! Your head shadow actually. It is designed-in contrast that creates scintillation and brilliance by causing the facets to blink on and off.
 
My thoughts exactly - it is doing what it was cut to do for all of the reasons stated above. The facets act like mirrors and reflect back what it sees - no worries!
 
aundies13 said:
This is probably a stupid question, but I’m just trying to learn more about my stone and how it behaves. It seems to reflect it’s surroundings quite prominitely, and I’m not sure why or what is says about my stone (whether it’s positive or negative, I’m very curious/interested).

I’ve noticed when it’s a clear blue sky my diamond will often reflect it and look a light shade of blue (no fluorescence), but yesterday I was sitting under my lime green patio umbrella and noticed my ring turned green!

Would anyone mind educating me on what this means or why this occurs? TIA! :)
6043F5CC-1E48-490A-B74B-053E8C21A818.jpeg
Click to expand...

As others have said, yes, diamonds show you the world around you.
Think disco mirror ball on steroids.
If you want the entire story this very long article will keep you out of peoples way for a while!
 
Here is one of my favorite examples of how a diamond can react to the surroundings. In this case, it is picking up the rose gold from my phone and more. (I see a “tree” in my diamond, although no trees were there. LOL!)74C9E49A-3159-454A-B408-0260EE0836BB.jpeg
 
RetroQT said:
Here is one of my favorite examples of how a diamond can react to the surroundings. In this case, it is picking up the rose gold from my phone and more. (I see a “tree” in my diamond, although no trees were there. LOL!)74C9E49A-3159-454A-B408-0260EE0836BB.jpeg
Click to expand...

Wow so cool!
 
The best effect ever is under a broad leaf tree on a cloudy day. If you find a tree with 1,000 tiny pin point gaps of light coming through the diamond will blow your mind!
 
Thank you, Garry! Very educational info!!
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
The best effect ever is under a broad leaf tree on a cloudy day. If you find a tree with 1,000 tiny pin point gaps of light coming through the diamond will blow your mind!
Click to expand...

I have experienced this effect under trees but was wondering is it only very well cut diamonds that exbibit this effect under trees or will a poor cut still do the same.
 
ACruz said:
I have experienced this effect under trees but was wondering is it only very well cut diamonds that exbibit this effect under trees or will a poor cut still do the same.
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If you know how an ASET works, the best lights filtering thru the tree are from up above. The red in ASET.
The lower sources would be green in ASET.
Most nice rounds show very little green. Most fancies show litte red.
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
If you know how an ASET works, the best lights filtering thru the tree are from up above. The red in ASET.
The lower sources would be green in ASET.
Most nice rounds show very little green. Most fancies show litte red.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your response Garry. Would you mind elaborating a bit more? I've purchased both an ASET scope and an ideal scope in hopes of determining how well cut or not well cut an asscher/square emerald I have is and still can't seem to figure things out. Depending on how I move the ASET scope I see different things and not sure what the true verdict is.

The diamond looks amazing and takes your breath away under trees, however, not so great when there are black surroundings or very bright lights, in these situations I see what appears to be something like a maltese cross.
 
Last edited:
ACruz said:
Thank you for your response Garry. Would you mind elaborating a bit more? I've purchased both an ASET scope and an ideal scope in hopes of determining how well cut or not well cut an asscher/square emerald I have is and still can't seem to figure things out. Depending on how I move the ASET scope I see different things and not sure what the true verdict is.

The diamond looks amazing and takes your breath away under trees, however, not so great when there are black surroundings or very bright lights, in these situations I see what appears to be something like a maltese cross.
Click to expand...
Can you send any photos and or videos, including any from the supplier.
ASET is hard to use but if you can take a photo with it?
There is a how to on the IS site.
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
Can you send any photos and or videos, including any from the supplier.
ASET is hard to use but if you can take a photo with it?
There is a how to on the IS site.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your response. I will try to take some photos and yes I've researched the is site.
 
You can also hold the Ideal-scope in different areas and see which positions pink light is being reflected back to you as a little fun experiment ACruz ;-)
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Ever since I received my SIC, I've thought about starting a "guess what color I'm wearing" thread. I love seeing how the color appears to change with my clothes.
 
ACruz said:
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Well done with the photos - not easy!
So imagine you are the diamond and you are inside a giant ASET scope and the floor is the size of a small square room.
Imagine on the floor is this totally covered by the picture of your diamond - taking up the entire floor.
You walk to where the blue is and all you can see when you look up is the blue directly overhead on the ceiling. The red and green parts of the walls are all dark.
Now stand on one of the red arears and all you can see is looking up is the red parts of the ASET scope on the sides of the ceiling and the higher walls above the windows. The blue and green are all turned off.
Then walk to the outer areas where the green is and all the light is coming from the lower walls and maybe a lowish window.
Fun Einstein type thought experiment :cool2:

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Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
BTW its a great diamond doing great things - more a square emerald than an Asscher :-)
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Thank you for your input and I appreciate your time. I'm curious, on a scale from 1-10 what would you consider the light performance and cut quality of this diamond from what you've seen? I'm assuming you don't need specks? Total honesty would be helpful as a guide for the future.
 
8.5 out of ten for brightness
6 for pattern
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
8.5 out of ten for brightness
6 for pattern
Click to expand...

Thanks you're the best! and hopefully last question. Again, on a scale from 1-10, what would you consider the level of contrast/over obstruction and level of light leakage (1 being too much 10 being least) Hopefully I can use this information for any future purchases. Thanks again for your responses.
 
Garry H (Cut Nut) said:
8.5 out of ten for brightness
6 for pattern
Click to expand...

Thanks you're the best! and hopefully last question. Again, on a scale from 1-10, what would you consider the level of contrast/over obstruction and level of light leakage (1 being too much 10 being least) Hopefully I can use this information for any future purchases. Thanks again for your responses.
 
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