Let us begin by examining static scintillation in a patterned diamond.
Here is a chart depicting different flavors of patterned Hearts & Arrows type diamonds available on the market. Each exhibiting superior craftsmanship in what we refer to as "optical symmetry". For all sakes and purposes it would be very possible that each of these have identical or very similar crown angles, pavilion angles, table size and other basic proportions. There is so much more that go into diamond appearance than the basic Sarin measurements most people get when seeking to gain more knowledge about the diamond they are desiring to purchase. We will be covering that in an upcoming paragraph entitled "The Futility of Numbers".
As you view each of these patterned round brilliant cuts bear in mind GIA's 2nd definition.
"Pattern: The relative size, arrangement, and contrast of bright and dark areas that result from the internal and external reflections seen in a polished diamond when it is viewed face-up while that diamond is still or moving."
While the appearances above may only change slightly from one stone to the next, look at how different the appearances change from the first to last stone. These images represent the on/off contrast of bright and dark areas GIA is talking about. In these hemisphere pictures this static scintillation becomes easily visible. None of them are best and they all get ideal ratings for GIA's metric for scintillation (remember AGS has not incorporated this into their system as of yet).
Let us now take these examples and correlate them to checkerboards as we've been using all along in this study.
By altering facet structure amongst lower girdles, stars and upper girdles (referred to as "the minor facets" [for more see our tutorial Minor Facets, Major differences]) we can, in effect, add more squares to the checkerboard thus altering scintillation and ultimately diamond appearance. Which is best? None of them. Only you can answer that question. More square on the checkerboard may appeal more to some people, while less may appeal to others.
Note: For further discussion about scintillation and the nature of it (ie. what constitutes the squares and what causes them) I refer you to our chapter on the subject "Translating the Optical Signature" in our article entitled "A Comprehensive Guide to Reflector Based Technology" where we discuss these elements in more detail how modern technologies correlate to the data.
In this article are the basics and sufficient information for the layman.
Many consumers seeking advice often ask, which diamond is the most sparkly, most brilliant, most fiery? Answer: They must see it for themselves and compare to others to ultimately determine if it truly meets the personal preference of the woman you are giving the diamond to. |
