Will this close up when set?

[kingsgrove]

Hi everyone. I'm having trouble getting an idea of what types/sizes of windows can close up when the stone is in it's setting. I Guess the only way I can my head around it is by looking at examples.
Using a picture of the stone below as a starting point. Would this window close up when set? Or will it always be a dead spot?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Upgradable]

That looks like quite a small window and the pic is straight on. I'm pretty sure that would close up quite well when mounted.

 

[chrono]

It will appear to "close up" once set. That window is quite small.

 

[LD]

Your question is impossible to answer because there are too many variables. The size of the window IS NOT an indicator as to whether the window will close up when set.

You have to look at the size of the window AND the actual setting. If you have a setting with an open basket and the stone has a window the chances are the window won't close up. It may be partially minimised but not always.

If you have a medium sized window in an open backed setting (and most settings have open backs to let in light) the window will still be apparent.

If you have a closed back setting then the chances are a window can be minimised and in rare cases disappear altogether BUT you have to chose the settings well.

If a gemstone has a window, it has a window. If you are sensitive to them then you will always see them.

 

[kingsgrove]

Hello everyone, thank you for your input.
It's helping me get an understanding of all this. I've never really been able to see practical examples in real life of settings affecting stones, windows, colours etc (before and after), so this is all valuable info for me.

As I understand it, there are many variables involved. The main one being the setting. If I understand things correctly, a Bezel setting would be best for windowed stones? And something like a Tension Setting would be absolutely the worst?
So if there was a halo setting for instance with less light entering front he side and underneath (compared to a tension setting), there would still be a chance of a small window being disguised/closing up?

Is it the reflective nature of the metal on the opposite side of the window viewing angle that can help minimize the appearance of a window?

Thanks for all your help. Like I said, I've never had the opportunity to see windowed stones before and after setting, so have no first hand knowledge to work from. I hear people mention settings closing up windows on pricescope from time to time and have never been able to understand completely how/why this can happen.

Thanks again

 

[chrono]

There are also drawbacks or limitations to what setting you can use for a particular gemstone though. Depending on the size of the bezel, it may not be able to hide the window completely. Not only that, if the stone is a medium dark and upwards, an enclosed bezel could tip the stone into the dark to very dark range and you'll end up with an inky looking stone. A tension setting requires the stone to be very clean and I think only sapphires are safe and strong enough to withstand the pressure.

Some people are just very sensitive to seeing windows in gemstones so no matter what, they will always spot it.

Yes, the reflective nature of having a metal underneath the stone helps reflect that metal or stone colour back to the eye. Remember that it is called a window precisely for that reason - you can see right through it like a clear colourless glass.

 

[LD]

Hello everyone, thank you for your input.
It's helping me get an understanding of all this. I've never really been able to see practical examples in real life of settings affecting stones, windows, colours etc (before and after), so this is all valuable info for me.

As I understand it, there are many variables involved. The main one being the setting. If I understand things correctly, a Bezel setting would be best for windowed stones? And something like a Tension Setting would be absolutely the worst?So if there was a halo setting for instance with less light entering front he side and underneath (compared to a tension setting), there would still be a chance of a small window being disguised/closing up?

Is it the reflective nature of the metal on the opposite side of the window viewing angle that can help minimize the appearance of a window?

Thanks for all your help. Like I said, I've never had the opportunity to see windowed stones before and after setting, so have no first hand knowledge to work from. I hear people mention settings closing up windows on pricescope from time to time and have never been able to understand completely how/why this can happen.

Thanks again

No and no (to the highlighted sections).

Bezels do not necessarily have a closed back so this wouldn't stop a window from showing. A tension setting can have a solid bottom so can be good for a window BUT it depends on the setting.

Yes, the reflective nature of the back of the setting is what helps to minimise a window BUT it doesn't always work.

The only way to illustrate how this MIGHT work is to show you! You will see below a gemstone with an ENORMOUS window. To be honest, I was going to throw this away because it's so awful. Just for fun I popped it in a setting I had lying around and couldn't believe my eyes because the setting magically minimised the window. However, you can still see that the gem has a window from the cut but the loss of colour is less obvious. The last photo shows the base of the basket of the setting so you can see how it's fairly solid and it's this that has helped the sapphire.

BUT and this is a big BUT ......... this doesn't always work. At the end of the day this is still a fugly gemstone. I've just made it look a bit more acceptable but it's still not a wearable gemstone for me. I still see the window.

Another example in the next post ............

 

[LD]

Last example!

This is a large paraiba tourmaline that would depreciate in value to have it recut so it had to be left windowed. Here's a photo of the stone unset and you can see the window. Then you can see it set. Again the setting has minimised the window but it's still there. There is nothing that will make this window disappear short of putting a pair of curtains over it!