DIAMONDS THAT DON’T SPARKLE

Why don’t Diamonds Sparkle?

Let’s face it, Diamonds that don’t Sparkle just SUCK!

There are plenty of reasons why Diamonds don’t Sparkle (or lose their Sparkle), and many of them we can actually control.

So let’s see what keeps those beautiful Diamonds from achieving such Brilliance, Sparkle, Fire and Scintillation.

1. Cut
2. Fluorescence
3. Darkness
4. Mountings
5. Dirt

Now let’s take a closer look at these and what we can do and what we can avoid doing.

Cut

The Cut of a Diamond plays a huge factor in Sparkle. In fact, it’s the biggest Sparkle maker.

If a Diamond is Cut well, it will produce more flashes of White Light (Brilliance) and more flashes of Colored Light (Fire).

The Cut has to do with the Proportions of the Stone (not the Shape of the Diamond), the angle of the Crown and Pavilion Facets, and the Table Width and Diamond Depth. They all work together to achieve the proper dimensions and the right balance of light performance.

Ideal Cut Diamonds (Excellent Proportions) and Super Ideal Cut Diamonds (Excellent Proportions and Excellent Symmetry & Polish) really maximize light and sparkle.

See an Ideal Cut Diamond’s Proportions below…

If the Diamond Depth is too deep, light will leak out the bottom of the stone, hence the Diamond won’t sparkle much.

Likewise if the Diamond is Cut too Shallow (narrow), you’ll also lose light and have a huge lack of Sparkle.

See Diagram below of Diamonds too Deep, Too Shallow and Just right! :)

So how do you know if your Diamond is Cut good?

1. The Diamond will Sparkle like Crazy
2. The Certificate will tell you so

Diamond Certificates (like GIA’s Diamond Report) will tell you if a Diamond is Cut Poor, Fair, Good, Very Good or Excellent.

The closer to Excellent you get, the better the Sparkle will be. See the Diamond Certificate below of GIA’s Excellent Cut Grade…

Without a Certificate, you’ll never truly know if it’s Cut well or not. Your eye will then have to be the best judge. I would compare stones side by side in this instance. One without a Certificate, and one with a Certificate (Excellent Cut) just to see if you spot any differences.

Fluorescence

Diamond Fluorescence is when the Diamond reacts to Ultra Violet Light Waves and makes your Diamond Glow in the Dark.

Often this Fluorescence can be Strong or Very Strong and sometimes it can make a Diamond look Hazy, Foggy, and even Cloudy (no matter what the Quality of Diamond is).

This can make a Diamond look Dark, Dull and Lifeless.

If the stone’s Certificate says it has Fluorescence (versus stating it has None), view the Diamond with your naked eye to see if it hinders light. Some do, some don’t. Each one has to be judged independently.

See the Strong Blue Fluorescence in the Diamond Certificate below…

Darkness

This is actually a silly one, but it’s true. Without light, Diamonds are dull and dark.

The more light that enters your Diamond, the more your Diamond will come to life. Some people will cup their hand over the Diamond to see if it shines out of the strong Jeweler’s overhead lights (why I don’t know), and guess what? It doesn’t! LOL Why do you think they have such awesome bright spot lights? It makes the Diamonds Dance!

Diamonds need light to shine. This is what makes them Bling… Otherwise, it’s just another boring rock from the driveway.

So get the Diamond out of the shadows and bring it towards the light… Your Diamond (and you) will be happier!

One thing that really keeps the Diamond in the dark is the Mounting…

Mountings

Sometimes a Diamond is covered up by too many Prongs or too much of the Mounting. Sometimes a Diamond is set down into the Mounting and all this does is keep the light out.

If light can’t come into the Crown of the Diamond, bounce across the Pavilion and be transported back through the top, then it’s just a dark stone with no beauty.

Watch the Mounting you put them in. They can drastically hinder light.

Channel Set Diamonds block light. So do Bezel Settings, Partial Bezels, Gypsy Settings (Diamonds set flush with the Mounting), Tension Set stones, Pave Set, and even Invisible Set Diamonds can all Hinder Sparkle.

Anytime you stop or block the light, you stop the Sparkle.

The Best Mountings for Diamond Sparkle

The Best Mountings to have for enhancing Diamond Sparkle are: 4 Prong (my favorite) or 6 Prong heads that set the Diamond up above the Mounting. I love Tiffany Style Mountings and Cathedral Mountings, they are the Best. They look awesome, present the Diamond well, make your Diamond look larger and help light up your stone like no other Mounting can. It’s pure perfection!

See images below of Tiffany Style Rings and Cathedral Style Mountings…

Dirt

Dirt, Dust, Oils, Perfumes, Soaps, Hand Lotions and Debris that collect on the outside of your Diamond will block light and make the Diamond lack Luster, Shine and Brilliance.

It’s like dirt on a windshield… You can’t see through it!

Keep your Diamond Clean and light will pass into your stone and make it Sparkle and dance like a million bucks.

And the most important area to clean… The BOTTOM of your Diamond! This is the part that gets the dirtiest and depending on the Mounting you have it set in, it can get very difficult to get in there and clean it. I advise using a soft toothbrush and my special Jewelry Cleaner Formula as shown below…

P.S. if you want to purchase Great Jeweler Cleaners (and yes, these are affiliate links), check out these Awesome Jewelry Cleaners Here, and if you really want to clean your stone the professional way (tested and approved), purchase this Jewelry Steam Cleaner (Read my Steam Cleaner REVIEW Here). It works wonders on a Diamond and will keep it spotlessly clean!

And when you clean your stone, clean all sides of your Diamond, top and bottom. Scrub it lightly with a solution of Hot Water, one part Ammonia, and also a squirt of Dish Soap. That’s what the Jewelry Stores use, that’s what I advise. It works like a charm. Plus it’s way cheaper than buying Expensive Jewelry Cleaning Solution.

The Bottom Line

If your Diamond doesn’t Sparkle… Do something about it! Clean it, Upgrade it, Re-Mount it… Because if it doesn’t Sparkle, it’s not worth having.

We can’t really help the Cut of the Diamond much or if a Diamond has Fluorescence (except for not purchasing them), but everything else we can control.

You can pick the right Mounting. You can set the Diamond up high so light enters the stone and lights it up. You can keep it clean!

Doing these things will get you the prettiest Diamond around. All because you now know what makes a Diamond Sparkle, and how to keep it that way! :)

P.P.S. Larger Diamonds Sparkle more than Little Diamonds! :)

Bling Bling!