Scintillation is the play of light and dark in diamonds. It’s one of the qualities gemologists look for when evaluating the jewels. As with brilliance, it’s a major component to a diamond’s beauty. Diamond rings’ scintillation changes as their wearers move, delighting the eye.
The white light inside a diamond is deeply admired. This is why cutters are always striving to increase the brilliance of the stone. However, just white light is monotonous, and may create a greyish jewel. Scintillation provides contrast among the brilliance, further underscoring the light.
When cutting a diamond, the total depth, or length from top to bottom, matters. Too deep or shallow throws off the balance of light. Symmetry meanwhile promotes an even pattern of brilliance and shadow. The patches in scintillation should be of moderate size and have a sharp contrast against light.
On the hand, diamond bands are rarely still. Whether typing, jogging or other activity, they’re always moving under light. Designer engagement rings are even more fascinating when brightness and dark keeps changing position. To see if a ring you’re considering has pleasing scintillation, gently rock it back and forth.
Fiery Diamonds – Little Flecks of Color
As with brilliance, fire, also known as dispersion, is a major element of bright diamonds. It’s the name for colored light that appears throughout the stone. Different cuts styles have varying amounts of fire. Depending on the location, the same diamond engagement ring may have more or less dispersion within.
White light is made of different wavelengths blended together. When the light enters a diamond, these wavelengths travel at different speeds. Light splits into the colors of a rainbow and appears as flecks among the brilliance. This happened more often when light enters at dramatic angles, or where two facets meet.
Sometimes individual colors recombine into white light as they exit the diamond. Cutters who want a diamond with more fire play with faceting. Jewels cut so light keeps traveling in the crystal will have hues which spread further apart. This in turn keeps fire from becoming brilliance. Some cuts may even modify their crowns to encourage fire.
Brilliance and fire together highlight a diamond’s beauty. Fire creates variety inside the jewel, adding variety. White light serves as a background for the bits of rainbow. On diamond rings, the brilliance and fire display will shift with the wearer’s movements.
The quickest way to bring out the fire in diamond engagement rings is lighting. Spotlighting, such as from a penlight, plays up the shadows in a diamond, making color stand out. Another method is experimenting with clothing and accessories, seeing which hues promote a fiery look.
