Ther is no doubt you have heard about the diamond fire, brilliance and scintillation, but do you know what these terms are? Let’s see what they mean, and why you should care about these.
What is Diamond Fire, Brilliance and Scintillation?
Diamond fire, also known as dispersion, is the coloured sparkle that you can see when the stone is exposed to light. It is caused by the light that is broken down into spectral hues when it enters the diamond.
Diamond brilliance is the white light that is emitted from the stone, which is the foundation of a diamond’s brightness and sparkle.
Scintillation, or sparkle, refers to the flashes of light from facet to facet towards the centre of the diamond when you hold and move the stone.
How Diamond Cut Affects Fire, Brilliance and Scintillation?
As you might know, facets make up the surface of diamonds. When light enters the facets it will bounce around, like it would do if it hit a series of mirrors. Where the light bounces will be determined by the proper cut of the gemstone.
If a diamond is cut in “ideal proportions”, the stone will bend and reflect light in such a way that fire, brilliance and scintillation will be maximized.
On the contrary, the further away from the “ideal cut” proportions, the less fire, brilliance and scintillation the diamond will show. For example, if a diamond is cut too deep or too shallow, the light will leak out of the bottom of the stone and not return to the observer. As a result, the diamond will appear dull and less lively.
To get a good amount of fire and brilliance, go for a cut that is graded Excellent, Very Good or Good, and do not settle for Fair and Poor grades.
Can Light Affect Diamond Fire, Brilliance and Scintillation?
Have you ever noticed, that in jewellery stores the lights are arranged and combined in such a way that diamond’s fire, brilliance and scintillation are all enhanced? That’s because the type of light a diamond is exposed to is another important factor that affects how much fire and brilliance you will see in the stone. A good combination of light sources maximizes the beauty of a diamond.
Always keep in mind that lights in the store can make the diamond you are looking at seem fierier than it would be in normal daylight. That’s why it’s very important to see the diamond in natural light before buying.
How Clarity Affects Diamond Fire, Brilliance and Scintillation?
Clarity has a great impact on a diamond’s fire, brilliance and scintillation.
The bigger and more numerous inclusions there are in a stone, the more likely they are to stop light from moving inside and bounce around properly. A diamond that is heavily included will always look dull even if it has an ideal cut.
