What lighting conditions are best for maximum brilliance/fire?

[TexasLawyer]

I recently purchased a diamond and will be proposing on New Year''s Eve. The diamond is beautiful (1.50c princess cut, H-color, SI2-clarity, eye clean, premium cut, VG/VG). I have noticed that in "regular" indoor lighting (e.g. halogen lamp, flouroescent lighting) the diamond doesn''t throw off those showers of red/blue/yellow/etc. that you normally see in a jewelry store. However, underneath certain other lighting conditions (under the track lights in my kitchen, etc.) the diamond shimmers and sparkles all different colors.

So I guess my question is...what lighting conditions give the diamond the most sparkle, and why do other lighting conditions reduce the fire and brilliance?

 

[MellowCat]

Date: 12/19/2005 4:02:18 PM
Author:TexasLawyer
I recently purchased a diamond and will be proposing on New Year''s Eve. The diamond is beautiful (1.50c princess cut, H-color, SI2-clarity, eye clean, premium cut, VG/VG). I have noticed that in ''regular'' indoor lighting (e.g. halogen lamp, flouroescent lighting) the diamond doesn''t throw off those showers of red/blue/yellow/etc. that you normally see in a jewelry store. However, underneath certain other lighting conditions (under the track lights in my kitchen, etc.) the diamond shimmers and sparkles all different colors.

So I guess my question is...what lighting conditions give the diamond the most sparkle, and why do other lighting conditions reduce the fire and brilliance?

I''m a mere novice, but I have read that incandescent lighting brings diamonds to life, whereas flourescent lighting "sucks the life" out of them. I have sort of noticed this to be true - in my horrible office lighting, the ring sparkles pretty good, but stick it under any lighting at home, and it''s like a diamond on crack! Of course, the jeweler has custom lighting to make all the jewelery look its very best. I wonder if any expert will show up and "enlighten" us.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Date: 12/19/2005 8:12:59 PM
Author: MellowCat

Date: 12/19/2005 4:02:18 PM
Author:TexasLawyer
I recently purchased a diamond and will be proposing on New Year''s Eve. The diamond is beautiful (1.50c princess cut, H-color, SI2-clarity, eye clean, premium cut, VG/VG). I have noticed that in ''regular'' indoor lighting (e.g. halogen lamp, flouroescent lighting) the diamond doesn''t throw off those showers of red/blue/yellow/etc. that you normally see in a jewelry store. However, underneath certain other lighting conditions (under the track lights in my kitchen, etc.) the diamond shimmers and sparkles all different colors.

So I guess my question is...what lighting conditions give the diamond the most sparkle, and why do other lighting conditions reduce the fire and brilliance?

I''m a mere novice, but I have read that incandescent lighting brings diamonds to life, whereas flourescent lighting ''sucks the life'' out of them. I have sort of noticed this to be true - in my horrible office lighting, the ring sparkles pretty good, but stick it under any lighting at home, and it''s like a diamond on crack! Of course, the jeweler has custom lighting to make all the jewelery look its very best. I wonder if any expert will show up and ''enlighten'' us.

Some of this has to do with the cut of the diamond, which influences how effectively it will return light in different illumination scenarios: All diamond has the same refractive index, and so the same potential for dispersion, but the angles and cut details will determine how much DCLR (dispersed colored light return) you see.

Dispersion is the breaking of white light into spectral colors. Direct lighting of the kind you see in jewelry stores can maximize elements of reflection, dispersion and scint, but the sheer volume of light returned can overpower the nuances of color, or fire. The suite of chromatic flares in a diamond is more observable in indirect lighting. A scenario described on PS that I think is excellent for diamond vieweing is when the lighting is good, but broken up, like underneath a tree where the leaves filter the sunlight. That situation is great for many qualities, especially dispersion and scintillation. My favorite place to view broadfire flashes is in a dark room lit by multiple candles. There is no match for a well-cut round in this environment, where the diamond picks up and seems to amplify available light in robust rainbow sparkles. In diamonds cut to maximize these effects you can see these flashes from clear across a room. Similarly, a dark room, lit only by a computer monitor has been reported as similarly beautiful.

The potency of all of the above depends on the diamond''s shape and quality of cut as much as anything.

 

[strmrdr]

John said my favorite,
Bright day under a tree with a mild breeze.

Multiple small sources of direct light like bathroom track lighting and some elevators is another good place.

I would disagree with a round being best in candlelight they cant hold a candle to a well cut asscher :} (pun intended)

 

[RockDoc]

The best I''ve seen for well cut diamonds is the LED lights. This is not for grading purpose, - just brings out the "oomph" in diamonds. However, LED to spark up the blue spectrum.

The kelvin temperature has a lot to do with it too.

Good luck on your proposal

Rockdoc

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 12/19/2005 9:28:35 PM
Author: RockDoc
The best I''ve seen for well cut diamonds is the LED lights. This is not for grading purpose, - just brings out the ''oomph'' in diamonds. However, LED to spark up the blue spectrum.


The kelvin temperature has a lot to do with it too.


Good luck on your proposal


Rockdoc

Like what kind of LED lights? And what is "kelvin temperature",please? THANK YOU!

 

[RockDoc]

Hi Lynn

For consumers not sure if they are useful.... THey are made by Intel lighting corp and sold by www.kassoy.com

Small unit it $ 300 and larger one is $ 600 .

Kelvin temp is 5700

Rockdoc

 

[blodthecat]

Date: 12/19/2005 9:02:01 PM
Author: strmrdr
John said my favorite,
Bright day under a tree with a mild breeze.

Multiple small sources of direct light like bathroom track lighting and some elevators is another good place.

I would disagree with a round being best in candlelight they cant hold a candle to a well cut asscher :} (pun intended)

Hey, steady on there!

You can''t have the poor guy down on one knee in an elevator.....hehe!

Though it would definitely be original.

Blod

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 12/20/2005 4:56:46 AM
Author: blodthecat

Date: 12/19/2005 9:02:01 PM

Author: strmrdr

John said my favorite,

Bright day under a tree with a mild breeze.


Multiple small sources of direct light like bathroom track lighting and some elevators is another good place.


I would disagree with a round being best in candlelight they cant hold a candle to a well cut asscher :} (pun intended)

Hey, steady on there!


You can''t have the poor guy down on one knee in an elevator.....hehe!


Though it would definitely be original.


Blod

A friend of mine did exackly that.
Its where they met.

 

[Lorelei]

Blimey, all this down on one knee stuff is beginning to sound painful

Good job I don''t have to do it, with my knee joints I wouldn''t be able to get up again

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 12/20/2005 6:54:51 AM
Author: Lorelei
Blimey, all this down on one knee stuff is beginning to sound painful

Good job I don't have to do it, with my knee joints I wouldn't be able to get up again

hehehehe that reminds me of when I proposed,
One of my wifey2b's first comments was get up off your bad leg.
hehehehehehe

 

[Lorelei]

Bless her! Even during her most romantic moment she was thinking of your poor old legs strm! Definitely a keeper!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 12/20/2005 7:22:47 AM
Author: Lorelei
Bless her! Even during her most romantic moment she was thinking of your poor old legs strm! Definitely a keeper!

Thats for sure :}
She deserves far better than me.

 

[appletini]

I just got engaged last weekend and my diamond looks best in softer lighting conditions...its the best in my bathroom, looks great in elevators, restuarants, bars, and next to Christmas lights.

 

[Paul-Antwerp]

How about on a plane. Make sure to be on the sunside in a window-seat, and lower the shades until you just have a small line left.

Then take care, to have that ray of light hit the table, and in a well-cut stone, you will get fireworks.

If that does not do, take the tree on a sunny day, but make sure that the tree has leaves.

Live long,

 

[belle]

the plane..yes!

always good fireworks there.
trees are good...gazebos are too!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Home Depot.

 

[Rhino]

Best lighting conditions to view "brightness".

Outside on a cloudy day.
Outside in sunshine but in the shade (as pointed out, under a tree, behind a house or just simply blocking the direct sunlight).
Office lighting.
Hemisphere or reflected lighting (ie. light bouncing off walls). This lighting also allows you to view optical symmetry in diamonds cut to exacting standards.

Best lighting to view "fire or dispersion".

Direct sunlight.
LED''s or track lighting (as has been mentioned).
Directing the face of the diamond into any strong light source.

One important factor to bear in mind when viewing diamonds when the majority of the facets are functioning as reflectors (as opposed to leakers) is that diamond will act as a reflector of the atmosphere it is pointed towards. If you are standing outside by a building and you direct the crown of the diamond towards the building the stone will appear darker. While observing the diamond, and you turn your body around and direct the crown of the diamond towards the daylight the stone will be brighter. The brighter the light source the more intense the reflections will be. The stronger the light source the more the diamond should function as a prism (allowing you to view spectral colors).

All the best,

 

[Lynn B]

Another of my FAVES is this...

Stand in a room with one window (or windows all on the same wall) - (and no other lighting sources) and with your back to the window(s). (Close the door!) Hold the diamond out in front of you. You will see every color of the rainbow, in little bicycle spoke/pie piece slivers. OHMYGOSH, I just *LOVE* that!

And if you turn around and do it the opposite way - an entirely different "look".

That''s what I love most about wearing a diamond... it''s like a little TOY that can be "played with" any time/anywhere!!!

 

[Rhino]

Date: 12/20/2005 3:33:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
Home Depot.

I hear that! Also the airplane by Paul too. Insane fire. DF, if you have a Tower Records by ya try that at night for an amazing display of fire and scintillation. You could also ask them to play some Pink Floyd as you''re observing the laser show that''ll be going on in the store.

 

[Patty]

Date: 12/20/2005 3:33:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
Home Depot.

How romantic! You could pick up a plunger after you propose!

There is a park where I walk in the woods and on sunny days, when I''m walking under the trees, my ring looks stunning! I''m in the shade but the light is PERFECT for diamonds.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 12/20/2005 4:11:22 PM
Author: Rhino

Date: 12/20/2005 3:33:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
Home Depot.

I hear that! Also the airplane by Paul too. Insane fire. DF, if you have a Tower Records by ya try that at night for an amazing display of fire and scintillation. You could also ask them to play some Pink Floyd as you''re observing the laser show that''ll be going on in the store.

Jon
yes,we do have (2) Tower Records here.in fact, i think one of them is teh original first store.

who''s Pink Floyd ???.

i''m not that old.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 12/20/2005 4:19:00 PM
Author: Patty

Date: 12/20/2005 3:33:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
Home Depot.

How romantic! You could pick up a plunger after you propose!

There is a park where I walk in the woods and on sunny days, when I''m walking under the trees, my ring looks stunning! I''m in the shade but the light is PERFECT for diamonds.

and use it to shut her mouth up.

 

[MellowCat]

who''s Pink Floyd ???. i''m not that old.


The best band EVER.

 

[Patty]

Date: 12/20/2005 7:46:28 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 12/20/2005 4:19:00 PM
Author: Patty

Date: 12/20/2005 3:33:00 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
Home Depot.

How romantic! You could pick up a plunger after you propose!

There is a park where I walk in the woods and on sunny days, when I''m walking under the trees, my ring looks stunning! I''m in the shade but the light is PERFECT for diamonds.

and use it to shut her mouth up.

Careful there baby.