Again, this assumes the cut quality of the diamonds being compared is the same. But when it comes to choosing a diamond, typically you’re making a selection between diamonds that fall within a narrow size range, so slight differences in diamond size would have no effect on your perception of sparkle. For example, a 0.25 ct diamond may appear to sparkle less than the 1.00 ct diamond next to it. Visually, you might perceive a difference when comparing two diamonds that are dramatically different in size. But in reality, diamonds with identical proportions, color and clarity have the same amount of sparkle regardless of size. You may think: the larger the diamond, the more sparkle. Looking for more visual bang for your buck when purchasing a diamond engagement ring? Here are some tips for getting the most diamond sparkle.ġ. Maximizing Diamond Sparkle – What Works/What Doesn’t Learn more about how GIA grades diamond cut. Photo: Al Gilbertson and Barak Green/GIA. It has significantly more prominent dark areas there’s a much smaller bright area. Given the choice, most people would pick diamonds with either Very Good or Excellent grades. This tells you that the cutter created the best possible stone from the rough.Ī Very Good cut grade means the diamond has bright areas evenly distributed across the stone’s crown and few distracting areas.Ī diamond with a Good cut grade isn’t quite as bright – reflections aren’t as sharp and there’s more darkness or dullness in the diamond.Ī diamond with a Poor cut grade has much more prominent dark areas or dullness. It shows an even pattern with good contrast between light and dark areas, so the reflections appear crisp and well balanced. GIA issues one of five cut grades for a round brilliant diamond: Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair and Poor.Ī diamond with an Excellent cut grade is very bright.

A GIA Diamond Grading Report can be of great value in finding a diamond that sparkles. There’s another solution for standard round brilliants, if you’re unsure about judging a diamond’s sparkle. This 8.06 ct Asscher cut diamond from Cartier, circa 1935, is spectacular. Learn more about how light affects the appearance of a diamond. And, finally, don’t forget to view the diamond in natural daylight. Third, try to view it in a mixed lighting environment of spotlights and diffused lighting.

Then look at the diamond in diffused lighting - fluorescent lights that bounce light off a white ceiling are best. To avoid this, observe the diamond in an environment where the spot lighting is not overwhelming. However, if there are too many spot lights and they are too bright, there will be so much glare that one diamond will look just as good as any other. Spot lighting (or a lot of individual light sources) is the best way to see all the elements that produce sparkle. Be sure to examine the diamond under four different light sources. Since diamond sparkle is all about how well the stone interacts with light, the environment in which you view the diamond and the diamond’s cut quality are critical.ġ. This contrast is dynamic and causes, in layperson’s terms, sparkle. Copyright: GIA and Harold & Erica Van Pelt.Īs you or the diamond moves, an effect called scintillation occurs – visible as alternating flashes of white and spectral-colored light and the contrast of dark and light that moves around the diamond. Light leaving a diamond as spectral colors can be quite breathtaking. It then either leaves the diamond as white light, called brightness, or it divides into the spectral colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, called fire. When light enters a diamond, it travels through it, reflecting off its interior surfaces, called facets.

But gemologists who have closely studied diamond’s signature light show break it down this way: The long answer: You probably use the word “sparkle” in a very general way to describe the overall visual effect of a diamond’s interaction with light. The angles and relative measurements of a diamond’s facets, as well as its other proportions, have a dramatic effect on how light performs when it strikes a diamond. The type and quality of the cut govern how a diamond reacts to the light around it. The short answer: light’s interaction with a diamond’s cut. The diamonds weigh a total of 1.46 carats. A pavé set diamond halo surrounds a center stone, creating numerous opportunities for sparkle.

Sparkle bands