What does "no window" really mean?

[LD]

The close up shows a tilt window.

+1

 

[demantoid]

The close up shows a tilt window.

Here are a few more. Still only a tilt window? I am learning so much. Please continue critiquing this stone in any way. It's helpful to me.

 

[pregcurious]

Please take a picture straight on, like in LD's picture. If the color does not come out perfect, or if there is glare on the facets, that is okay as long as we can see the center. I know it can be hard. It's taken me 3 years to get an accurate picture of my stones for color, so don't worry about color for now.

As for color, you can see the color of your fingers changes with the color of the stone. That's natural, depending on the light.

 

[demantoid]

I'm trying to get it straight on. Some of the photos look really included and its not IRL.

 

[minousbijoux]

Love the setting! You have a window in that sapphire. Its not egregious, and it looks like perhaps because of the setting its not super pronounced, but that's what I see. If you look at the stone, it appears that about the middle third is windowed to me. What color do you see through the center of the stone when you're wearing it? Does the color differ from the color you see in the edges of the sapphire (I know you know you have a window, I'm just asking these questions to determine how noticeable it is)?

 

[pregcurious]

Do you have a macro mode on your camera that will enable you to get a clear picture up close? It looks like the pictures closest to the ring are out of focus. An alternative is to take a picture further away and blow it up (which is what I prefer to do.)

 

[chrono]

Yes, likely to have a medium sized window but it is less noticeable because the tone is darker and the setting blocks out light from the sides.

 

[pregcurious]

You can put something with text (like newspaper or a letter) behind your stone to check if there is a window. If you can read the text, that is a window, which means that you can see through the stone.

You can see a very clear explanation here of windows on Pala's guide to how to evaluate gemstones. They also use a paper with text to illustrate a window.
http://www.palagems.com/quality_4cs.htm

A setting may help "close" a window by stopping light from hitting the bottom of the stone, where there is a window. If light cannot come in through that side (or basement) of the stone, it will _appear_ like the window is not there. However, that area will not glitter the same way as it would if it were not windowed (for real) because a window lets light pass through, instead of having it reflect back at the crown (or top) of the gemstone.

If a stone is very light in color, you will be able to see the color of your skin, and the window may be very obvious and detract markedly from the beauty of the stone. If the stone very saturated in color, you will still see you skin, but it will be colored by the stone; in other words, a windowed red stone would be similar to looking through a piece of red stained glass. You will be able to read the text, but it will be colored by the red of the stone. Similarly, your skin will appear red, instead of flesh colored, and the window will not be as obvious as with the light colored stone.

For example, in the Pala blue stone, the paper is colored light blue, and quite marked. If the stone were highly saturated, the paper would appear darker blue, and the window would not be so obvious because it would blend with the color of the edge of the stone (the portion that is not windowed.)

 

[LD]

What this is is a poorly cut stone. Look at what I've circled below. Normally with a window this would be virtually colourless or little colour. In yours you can see some colour and facets. The colour isn't much different from the surrounding gemstone - perhaps a little lighter in some areas than others. It's not a "normal" window because of this but it indicates a poorly cut stone. The poor cut is emphasized when the stone is moved because it exacerbates a tilt window seen in your other photos.