Finding a diamond that really sparkles
Filed under: Rings, Budget Advice, Engagement
A friend of mine called the other day to ask for help finding a diamond for his girlfriend. He's a law student at a competitive school -- the boy knows how to do research -- but he wanted to ask me about any secrets of the trade I could pass on. So I asked him what he was looking for in a diamond.
"She has one request. It has to SPARKLE!" Simple enough. You don't need piles of appraisal documents to know if a diamond sparkles -- you can tell by looking at it, right? You'd think...
Actually, how a diamond twinkles in a jewelry display case can be very different from how it looks in natural light, and most jewelry store sales clerks don't even know about the characteristic that could have the most affect on a diamond's sparkle: fluorescence.
"She has one request. It has to SPARKLE!" Simple enough. You don't need piles of appraisal documents to know if a diamond sparkles -- you can tell by looking at it, right? You'd think...
Actually, how a diamond twinkles in a jewelry display case can be very different from how it looks in natural light, and most jewelry store sales clerks don't even know about the characteristic that could have the most affect on a diamond's sparkle: fluorescence.
Fluorescence is a gemstone's tendency to react to ultraviolet (UV) light. Many gemstones exhibit fluorescence, and the amount of fluorescence varies from stone to stone based on trace elements within the gem. Gemologists test a stone's fluorescence by holding it under a concentrated UV light. Most stones will have some reaction, usually a faint glow, but many will react very strongly, giving off an intense blue, green, or orange glow under UV light.
When a stone reacts very strongly to concentrated UV light, it is likely to fluoresce even under natural sunlight. You won't get the intense glow, but instead the stone will appear cloudy and discolored -- i.e., not sparkly.
Because it's not a characteristic that's visible to the naked eye or even under a microscope, fluorescence is often overlooked, but if you want a stone that really sparkles, you need to check its fluorescence. A diamond certificate will contain this information, or if your stone is uncertified, see if your jeweler has a UV light to test for fluorescence. If you get a blank stare from your salesperson, shop somewhere else.
If a stone has light to medium fluorescence, you won't need to worry about its reaction to natural UV rays. It's only when the stone exhibits strong or high fluorescence that you want to rule it out. Take a look at the gallery below for examples of fluorescence in gemstones.
When a stone reacts very strongly to concentrated UV light, it is likely to fluoresce even under natural sunlight. You won't get the intense glow, but instead the stone will appear cloudy and discolored -- i.e., not sparkly.
Because it's not a characteristic that's visible to the naked eye or even under a microscope, fluorescence is often overlooked, but if you want a stone that really sparkles, you need to check its fluorescence. A diamond certificate will contain this information, or if your stone is uncertified, see if your jeweler has a UV light to test for fluorescence. If you get a blank stare from your salesperson, shop somewhere else.
If a stone has light to medium fluorescence, you won't need to worry about its reaction to natural UV rays. It's only when the stone exhibits strong or high fluorescence that you want to rule it out. Take a look at the gallery below for examples of fluorescence in gemstones.
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