Can someone explain or show me a "bad" window

[Ropes4u]

Title says it all, I am looking for an example of a bad window. I have been browsing sights and would lime to know what I am trying to avoid..

 

[Michael_E]

A window is an area, which is seen when looking straight at a stone, in which you can see through the stone to the area behind it. It is caused by the angles of the stone around the culet being below the critical angle of the material so that light does not bounce off the facets, but just goes right through the stone, (as well as light coming through from the back side to your eyes). The example shown is of a pretty window in a pink tourmaline which is listed on E-Bay. The facets next to the culet are all too shallow and so the bright light from the background shines right through the stone through each of those facets forming a star pattern. The downside is that the area where a window occurs appears "dead" and devoid of any sparkle, making the stone less attractive than it could have been, (but it allowed the cutter to make the stone larger and heavier and that's what they get paid for in many areas of the world).

 

[Michael_E]

Here's a really good example. I'll post a link so that you can look at the video down the page a bit. See how flat and flying saucer shaped that stone is? That's what you want to avoid. It is so flat that the window is larger than the table of the stone. No way to fix that one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/3-61-CT-PARAIBA...emstones_1&hash=item3a643727ba#ht_3274wt_1136

 

[Barrett]

Here is a good example of a bad window in the alexandrite. Can you guess which one? Yep the bottom stone has a bad window.

 

[jstarfireb]

Hmmm...how to put this...Amguy, I really enjoy your posts and have a lot of respect for you, but do you really think it's appropriate to post a shot of another PSer's piece as an example of something bad? If I were the owner of that pendant, I'd be pretty offended.

As for the original question, Michael's examples are good. A window creates a dead area in the center of a stone. If you put the stone over a page in a book, you can often read the text straight through it.

 

[currada]

Yes I have agree the pendant is easily recognized as a piece from a fellow pricescopers private collection.

 

[Barrett]

"If I were the owner of that pendant, I'd be pretty offended."

If you notice the owner of the pendant hasn't been around for awhile, do you know why? Because said owner told a few PS'ers to

F*ck-off"[endquote]. Not sure many of you caught that post before Ella(moderator) got to it(well done by the way, Ella ). Not saying that was the reason but wanted to show no love lost there when you lose your cool and resort to telling folks who are trying to be helpful to F-off. Thats a big Pricescope No-no.

That being said, OP wanted a picture of a badly windowed stone and the first one I could think of with what I deem a "bay" window would be this alex. Can I really be faulted for posting a fact? This stone has a window and a bad window at that regardless of whether a PSer owns the stone or the Queen of England.
To help balance things out I will post a photo of a stone I had bought and used to own...a spess with a bad window taken with a crappy camera under bad lighting

 

[Zzz]

Michael, that tourmaline is really flat!!!

and this one :p

almost like a crystal bead! http://www.artbeads.com/5520-olv18.html
lol!

 

[ked123]

Sorry to hijack this post. I've been looking at cushion cut spess and came across this one on ebay. I thought it was just really bad photography on the vendor's part for the stone- but I guess this would be a really good example of a bad window, correct?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220652266155&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[chrono]

Ked,
The stone is tilted in the picture to attempt to hide or minimize the appearance of a true window. I expect a window in that stone but it’s not too horribly big.

If you scroll down to the section labeled CUT, there is an example of a stone with no window, next to a stone with a giant window.
http://www.palagems.com/quality_4cs.htm#cut

 

[T L]

I thought that alexandrite pendant was appraised for a million bazillion gazillion dollars. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Back on topic, everyone gave really good examples of windowed stones. You'll also see tons more on ebay, as many of the stones there are cut to retain weight, rather than for beauty.

 

[stylish1]

by jstarfireb » 28 Mar 2011 22:16
Hmmm...how to put this...Amguy, I really enjoy your posts and have a lot of respect for you, but do you really think it's appropriate to post a shot of another PSer's piece as an example of something bad? If I were the owner of that pendant, I'd be pretty offended.

I'm a little surprised at the comments I've read this AM. I'm sorry I am posting ignorant on describing another persons stones without knowing specifics. I'm in the states and deal with a little of this in my surroundings and am a little surprised to see it here too. I'm sorry to comment on an issue I know nothing about. I do appreciate the information I have gotten in the last several weeks and will continue to learn from the website. Sorry for my comments.

 

[cellentani]

A museum-quality window, from Smithsonian NMNH

 

[T L]

A museum-quality window, from Smithsonian NMNH

The Smithsonian is not the only museum that is privy to huge windows. So is the Field Museum. I believe the Logan sapphire at the Smithsonian also has a huge window.

Windowed aquas from the Field museum.

 

[Barrett]

LOLOL...Cell, that was classic..."a museum quality window"...LOL

 

[LD]

The owner of the Alexandrite pendant kept telling us (over and over and over and over .....) that none of his gemstones had windows. Unfortunately the photos spoke for themselves and I have to say that when I read the title of this thread, his photos immediately sprung to mind.

To balance that and show that none of us are immune to dire purchases, here's one of mine! It nearly went in the bin but was kept as a "what not to buy" curiosity! Interestingly, I bought a setting, popped the stone in just for fun and ............ couldn't believe my eyes when the window virtually closed up! I'd never suggest anybody buying a stone hoping that a window will close up and the best we can hope for is that it will be minimised and I've got more examples of poorly cut gems where a setting hasn't helped!

To the OP - don't confuse a window with a "tilt" window. A window appears when you look at a gem head on. A tilt window may show itself when the gem is tilted to the side. A tilt window is fine and disappear when you look at the gem straight on. It's therefore incredibly important to look at a vendor's photo carefully to make sure it's a window or tilt window.

First photo = tilt window
Second photo = patio door of a window

 

[Ropes4u]

Thank you very much, That was very helpful!