Why does a diamond go dark in direct sunlight?

[catibati]

I finally changed my Emerald cut diamond, for a brilliant (please see previous posts). I love it!!! I can’t believe I did not get the brilliant from day one. I have been wearing it for a week now, and yesterday was the first day where the sun was shining brightly. My diamond is amazing ideal cut, but yesterday in the direct sunlight, the diamond darkened, although it sparkled more than ever. I have read in previous posts that this is normal, but I am still a little worried, especially after the shadow problem I had with my last diamond. Why does a diamond go dark in the sunlight?

 

[Londongirl1]

I''ve got a princess cut and can''t say I''ve noticed it going dark in direct sunlight

 

[kenny]

I have theory.

It does not actually go dark.
The sunlight outside makes our pupils constrict (get smaller) which blocks light.
The bright flashes of reflected sunlight in the diamond makes them constrict even more.

This makes the diamond's body appear darker in comparison to the bright flashes, and especially compared to how bright the diamond's body appears in softer light.

 

[catibati]

Good theory, makes sense. Brilliant cuts I think are more prome to do it than other diamonds

 

[Gypsy]

Was your head in the way?

Direct bright sunlight does interesting things to my diamonds. Never sure what they''ll do.

 

[catibati]

No noting was in th way.... just strange that as soon as direct sunlight hits the diamond, it turns qite dark?????

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/30/2009 2:20:40 AM
Author: catibati
No noting was in th way.... just strange that as soon as direct sunlight hits the diamond, it turns qite dark?????

This is absolutely normal and nothing to worry about, all well cut round diamonds do this in direct sunlight. Look at the middle image below titled direct sunlight, is this what you are seeing? If so this is normal behaviour.

 

[catibati]

Yes Lorelei that is exactly what I see, you have hit the nail on the head. My diamond does that!!!
I have never seen it on any of my friends diamonds, but have read it happens. Do you think that you only see the colour change close up? Do you think that there are any diamond cuts that do this????

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/30/2009 6:50:16 AM
Author: catibati
Yes Lorelei that is exactly what I see, you have hit the nail on the head. My diamond does that!!!
I have never seen it on any of my friends diamonds, but have read it happens. Do you think that you only see the colour change close up? Do you think that there are any diamond cuts that do this????

I can see it at arms length with my diamonds if the sun hits the stone just right, also my pear shape does it too! I normally notice it more with bright sun hitting the diamond directly, if I turn so the sun is behind me I get lots of sparkle and fire but with direct sun the stone goes dead as in the photo above. So it is possible it is the lighting conditions and angle you are viewing your friends stones in that you don''t see them do this.

 

[catibati]

Thanks Lorelei. I just thought that 4 a moment there was something wrong with my diamond.

My diamond is 1.51 in size, so I am guessing it only happens in bigger diamonds? Also, what colour is that diamond in the pic u just showed me

 

[DiamondFlame]

I think in strong light condition, the diamond turns glass-like, with more light going through than reflected back to the viewer. That''s why it looks darker. You also tend to see more fire as the internal prisms break the spectra of light but not so much of the flashes/sparkles.

OK, that''s probably a layman-ish understanding but I''m sure more knowledgeable PS''ers will chime in with more scientific explanations.

 

[bgray]

My Emerald cut blackens out in intense direct sunlight. It is very well cut with no "black cross" or bow tie.

 

[Michael_E]

Date: 12/29/2009 7:52:48 PM
Author: kenny
It does not actually go dark.

The sunlight outside makes our pupils constrict (get smaller) which blocks light.

The bright flashes of reflected sunlight in the diamond makes them constrict even more.

This makes the diamond''s body appear darker in comparison to the bright flashes, and especially compared to how bright the diamond''s body appears in softer light.

I think that you''re right Kenny. This combined with the fact that there''s nothing else in front of the diamond which reflects light with anywhere near the brightness of the sun and the diamond is bound to look dark anywhere other than where the sun is reflecting from it. Just for kicks I''d suggest doing holding the diamond in the sunlight in a room where there is fairly bright, diffuse light, or even just outside...somewhere that the diamond can reflect something other than darkness. Take a piece of cardboard and shade the diamond and notice if there''s a change in how it looks when blocking the sun. It should change pretty dramatically from dark in the sun to light with the sun blocked.

 

[catibati]

I am thinking that it must be the angle that you look at the diamond from. As I have asked pple if they see darkness and many say no. I have noticed that the diamond can darken in the inside lighting, under strong down lights as well. Does anyone thing I would have been better off choosing a good cut diamond that may not have this effect?

 

[stone-cold11]

Date: 12/30/2009 5:51:22 PM
Author: catibati
I am thinking that it must be the angle that you look at the diamond from. As I have asked pple if they see darkness and many say no. I have noticed that the diamond can darken in the inside lighting, under strong down lights as well. Does anyone thing I would have been better off choosing a good cut diamond that may not have this effect?

No, then you will be seeing a darker stone all the time.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 12/30/2009 5:51:22 PM
Author: catibati
I am thinking that it must be the angle that you look at the diamond from. As I have asked pple if they see darkness and many say no. I have noticed that the diamond can darken in the inside lighting, under strong down lights as well. Does anyone thing I would have been better off choosing a good cut diamond that may not have this effect?

Well, about 9 years ago (before PS) when I was choosing my upgrade diamond, I went with a well-cut stone rather than an ideal cut because of this. I remember the jeweler holding up the ideal cut diamond under a strong light, the stone went black, and shot a laser-like red beam into my eye. I wanted my diamond to stay white (I thought that was how a diamond was supposed to look) so I have a well-cut 60/60 model instead. It is a beautiful stone, very bright and almost as sparkly as an ideal cut.

It''s up to you, but ideal cut stones are awesome and I''d keep it if I were you.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 12/30/2009 6:04:46 PM
Author: Stone-cold11

Date: 12/30/2009 5:51:22 PM
Author: catibati
I am thinking that it must be the angle that you look at the diamond from. As I have asked pple if they see darkness and many say no. I have noticed that the diamond can darken in the inside lighting, under strong down lights as well. Does anyone thing I would have been better off choosing a good cut diamond that may not have this effect?

No, then you will be seeing a darker stone all the time.

That''s not true, Stone-cold. My well cut diamond has awesome white light return and looks brighter under sunlight than an ideal cut stone.

 

[stone-cold11]

Case by case. Depends on the exact angle of the stone and other proportions.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 12/30/2009 6:13:37 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
Case by case. Depends on the exact angle of the stone and other proportions.

Agreed. Looking back, I was very fortunate that my jeweler went to all the trouble he did to find this stone for me. If I were doing it over today, I would select an ideal cut beauty, and just enjoy that fire and not worry about red light beams in the eye.

 

[Karl_K]

The dynamic range of the light is larger than the eye can see at one time.
Since bright light can damage the eye it moves in that direction and anything under or near the lower end of the range goes dark.
dynamic range == the difference between the brightest and darkest area.

 

[LGK]

Date: 12/30/2009 6:50:16 AM
Author: catibati
Yes Lorelei that is exactly what I see, you have hit the nail on the head. My diamond does that!!!
I have never seen it on any of my friends diamonds, but have read it happens. Do you think that you only see the colour change close up? Do you think that there are any diamond cuts that do this????

My two Old European Cuts do this- one falls within modern ideal cut proportions for a FIC, and that one gets deep deep grey with lots of fire. The other is more typically antique-cut proportioned, and it doesn't get quite as dark. My transtional cut, which is the furthest away from a modern ideal cut, doesn't go nearly as dark as the OECs. The size doesn't seem to make much difference really- just the cut. Better the cut, darker it gets.

 

[4ever]

Date: 12/30/2009 6:53:31 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 12/30/2009 6:50:16 AM
Author: catibati
Yes Lorelei that is exactly what I see, you have hit the nail on the head. My diamond does that!!!
I have never seen it on any of my friends diamonds, but have read it happens. Do you think that you only see the colour change close up? Do you think that there are any diamond cuts that do this????

I can see it at arms length with my diamonds if the sun hits the stone just right, also my pear shape does it too! I normally notice it more with bright sun hitting the diamond directly, if I turn so the sun is behind me I get lots of sparkle and fire but with direct sun the stone goes dead as in the photo above. So it is possible it is the lighting conditions and angle you are viewing your friends stones in that you don''t see them do this.

I have a pear and it does this as well. I''m actually really glad I stumbled across this thread because I also thought there was somthing wrong with my daimond and that it must be really badly cut. In indirect sunlight there is not even a hint of a bow tie and the body colour melts my heart but direct sunlight makes it look so lifeless and in photos the camera flash creates a large bow tie I almost never see IRL.

 

[sarah95]

I find this topic fascinating. I have a GIA triple ex and have the same problem -it goes dark in direct sunlight and certain other lighting. A good friend of mine has an EGL D SI2 and it is always bright, white no matter what the lighting situation.

 

[catibati]

Wow ummm so what cut is the D S12????? With your friends stone, the DS12, perhaps this stone does do it, but only in certain angles? I get very embarassed when mine goes black.

 

[bgray]

Date: 12/31/2009 5:48:57 PM
Author: sarah95
I find this topic fascinating. I have a GIA triple ex and have the same problem -it goes dark in direct sunlight and certain other lighting. A good friend of mine has an EGL D SI2 and it is always bright, white no matter what the lighting situation.

it may be shallow

 

[catibati]

Which diamond my be shallow? The GIA or the EGL?

 

[bgray]

EGL. A shallow diamond and /or diamonds with minimal crown and a big table can look very white/light and stay "white"/light but they really tend to have no fire or brilliance and often look dirty and dull very easily

 

[marcy]

That question is what I searched for a few years ago and led me to Pricescope. I was devastated when I saw my ideal cut diamond went dark in the sun.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 12/30/2009 5:18:56 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 12/30/2009 2:20:40 AM
Author: catibati
No noting was in th way.... just strange that as soon as direct sunlight hits the diamond, it turns qite dark?????

This is absolutely normal and nothing to worry about, all well cut round diamonds do this in direct sunlight. Look at the middle image below titled direct sunlight, is this what you are seeing? If so this is normal behaviour.

Thanks Lorelei,
Thats Drena''s rings at 35,000feet in an airplane

Most of the answers given here are right, but in addition - the sun is a very very small point light source and when you look at the diamond you can only see 1-4 very bright sparkles. So the rest of the diamond is indeed dark because the accomodation of our eyes to the bright sperkle makes all the other surrounding light sources effectively dark.

Would someone please try this - focus a camera directly at the sun on auto exposure and the photo will show the surrounding environ as dark dark dark. (you might want to use a very old camera as it might get damaged)

 

[catibati]

thanks everyone for your help...... so now where to go from here. How do I learn to love the dark stone in the sun? How did u gyes get over the initial fact that the diamond went black?