Quick Answers
There are several tricks you can use to make a diamond appear brighter and more brilliant:
– Clean the diamond thoroughly to remove dirt, oils, and film that can dull the stone’s appearance. Use warm, soapy water and a soft brush. Rinse and dry completely.
– Have the diamond professionally cleaned by an expert jeweler. Methods like steam cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning can deep clean a diamond.
– Make sure the diamond’s setting and prongs are clean and in good condition. Dirt in the setting can make a diamond look dull.
– Consider having the diamond re-cut and re-polished by a professional to improve its reflective qualities. This brings out the most brilliance.
– Replace an old or scratched mounting with a new, high-quality setting. The best settings have high, claw-like prongs to allow maximum light into the stone.
– For illumination, position the diamond under soft, diffused light. Direct overhead lighting can make a diamond look dark.
– When wearing a diamond, apply lotion or powder to exposed skin. Oils from skin can transfer to the diamond and attract dirt.
How Diamonds Reflect Light
To understand how to make a diamond look brighter, it helps to know how diamonds interact with light. A diamond’s brilliance comes from its exceptional reflective and refractive properties. When light strikes the surface of a well-cut diamond, it reflects back to the viewer in a dazzling display. Here are some key principles:
– Diamonds have a very high refractive index, meaning they bend and disperse light effectively. As light passes through a diamond, it refracts and reflects internally, giving diamonds their sparkle.
– The cut quality of a diamond determines how well it handles light. Ideal cuts with proper symmetry and proportions maximize light return through the crown (top).
– Diamonds have a high dispersion rate. This splits white light into the color spectrum, producing flashes of rainbow colors.
– A diamond’s many facets serve to reflect and refract light. More facets generally increase brilliance.
– The quality of a diamond’s polish is also important. Smooth, glossy surfaces enable better light reflection.
– Surface blemishes like nicks, scratches, or cloudiness disrupt light transmission and diminish brilliance.
Cleaning and Maintaining Diamonds
Keeping a diamond clean is essential for making it look its brightest. While diamonds are the hardest natural material, they still require some basic maintenance. Here are effective cleaning tips:
– Routine cleaning: Use warm water with mild dish soap and a very soft brush to gently scrub. An old toothbrush works well. Rinse thoroughly.
– Ultrasonic or steam cleaning: Jewelers have machines that use ultrasonic waves or steam to deep clean diamonds and settings. This should be done periodically to remove accumulated dirt and oils.
– Ammonia solutions: An ammonia-based household cleaner diluted with water can be used to dissolve oil and debris on diamonds. Soak for a few minutes then brush gently.
– Jewelry cleaner solutions: These chemical baths are formulated to clean diamonds safely. Follow directions and soak the diamonds, then rinse.
– Avoid abrasives: Do not use harsh chemicals like bleach, acids, or abrasive toothpaste which can damage or erode a diamond.
– Dry and inspect: After cleaning, dry the diamond thoroughly with a lint-free cloth. Inspect under magnification to ensure it is free of residue.
Cleaning the Diamond Setting
In addition to the diamond stone itself, don’t forget to regularly clean the metal setting:
– Use a soft brush and mild soap solution to scrub the mounting, underside of stone, and around prongs.
– Rinse and dry completely. Residual water can dull the metal over time.
– For jewelry with gems, avoid chemical dips as these can damage softer stones and materials.
– Have the jeweler do a periodic ultrasonic cleaning to deep clean the entire setting.
Choosing the Best Diamond Cut
The cut quality of a diamond has a major impact on its brilliance and fire. When selecting a diamond, choose one with a cut grade of Excellent or Ideal if possible. Here’s what to look for in a well-cut diamond:
Symmetry
– Precise, aligned facets. Reflects light evenly.
– Avoid stones with irregular, misaligned facets.
Proportions
– Narrow pavilion and thicker girdle maximizes light return through the crown.
– Avoid diamonds with extremely shallow or deep cuts.
Polish
– Silky, smooth, glossy facet surfaces.
– Avoid diamonds with external polish lines, nicks, or scratches.
Girdle
– Slightly thick to resist chipping. Neither extremely thin nor overly thick.
– Avoid diamonds with overly thin girdles prone to chipping.
| Cut Grade | Features |
|---|---|
| Excellent | Highest light performance, precise cut angles and symmetry. |
| Very Good | Excellent brilliance but slightly imperfect symmetry. |
| Good | Reflects most light that enters. Some cut inaccuracies. |
| Fair | Allows some light leakage. Noticeable cut flaws. |
| Poor | Substantial light leakage. Poor symmetry and angles. |
Diamond Setting Styles and Considerations
The style of the diamond’s metal mounting also affects its visual performance. Here are some setting tips:
Prongs
– More prongs allow increased light into the diamond crown.
– High, claw-like prongs give a diamond maximum exposure.
– Knife-edge prongs refract light into the diamond.
– Ensure prongs are thick, secure, and regularly checked for looseness.
Metal Choices
– Platinum’s white luster maximizes diamond brilliance.
– White gold also has a brightening effect.
– Yellow gold is traditional but can impart a yellowish tint.
– Rose gold offers a unique, warmer tone.
Accent Stones
– Smaller diamonds surrounding a center stone add extra sparkle.
– Baguettes, tapered cuts, fit neatly into channel settings.
– Colorful gemstones can complement or accent a diamond.
– Too many accent stones can overwhelm and compete with the main diamond.
Styles to Avoid
– Bezel settings can obstruct light entry into the crown.
– Cluster or three-stone settings can distract from a main diamond.
– Intricate, ornate shapes may require heavier metal that blocks light.
Professional Re-Cutting and Re-Polishing
With repeated wear, even well-cut diamonds can lose some brilliance. Older diamonds may suffer from inferior cut quality. In these cases, consider having a professional diamond cutter re-cut and/or re-polish the stone:
– Re-cutting can improve angles, symmetry, reduce carat weight slightly.
– Re-polishing restores worn, scratched facets to a smooth, glossy finish.
– Requires highly skilled cutters to retain carat weight, avoid damaging stone.
– Can noticeably increase light performance and brilliance.
– Allows customizing cut design, like adding more facets.
– Moderate expense, with costs depending on improvement level.
If a diamond has many inclusions or flaws near its surface cavities, re-cutting risks damaging the stone. The cutter will evaluate suitability first. Re-cutting is usually only done with larger diamonds above 0.50 carats.
Before and After Comparisons
Here are some before and after examples of diamonds that were re-cut and/or re-polished:
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Dated style with unreflective table and misshapen crown facets. | Re-cut with proper angles/symmetry to optimize light return. |
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Facets worn down and scratched over time. | Re-polishing restored facets to smooth, glossy finish. |
Shopping Tips for Maximizing Diamond Brilliance
When shopping for a new diamond, keep these guidelines in mind to find one with the most dazzle:
– Prioritize cut quality over carat weight or clarity. An ideal cut reflects the most light.
– Look for an Excellent or Ideal cut grade on the certificate. This indicates superior workmanship.
– Choose a mounting with high-rising prongs to maximize light exposure.
– Inspect diamonds in person when possible, not just online. Assess sparkle under lighting.
– Diamonds with very strong or fluorescent glow may look hazy in daylight.
– Buy from a reputable retailer that stands behind their diamonds and offers trade-ins.
– Get an independent appraisal after purchase to verify the diamond’s quality specifications.
– Understand the GIA diamond grading standards and what each metric means for appearance.
– Compare options of similar cut, clarity and color to see which diamond exhibits the most brilliance.
– Be realistic about your budget. The most dazzling diamonds are rare and therefore costly. Focus on cut over size.
How to Visually Enhance Diamond Brilliance
Proper care and quality craftsmanship maximize a diamond’s light performance. You can also employ some simple tricks to give a visual boost to its sparkle:
Use Complementary Colors
– Diamonds look whiter against black, navy blue or dark green. Light colors make them appear more yellow.
– For jewelry, choose white metal settings like platinum or white gold.
Clean Regularly
– Dirt, oils and soap residue inhibit light reflection. Follow the cleaning guidelines.
Consider Illusion Settings
– Optical effects like tapered prongs, mirrored facets, or concentric rings give added sparkle.
Light Properly
– Ensure even, diffuse overhead lighting. Avoid direct sunlight or harsh lighting.
Photograph Strategically
– When taking photos for marketing, position the diamond at a slight angle on black velvet. Use diffused light sources and zoom in tight. This creates more brilliance and spread in the images.
Conclusion
A diamond’s brilliance is determined by the quality of its cut, polish and symmetry. While these factors are mainly controlled by the skill of the diamond cutter, there are still ways to enhance the appearance and sparkle of a diamond through proper care, cleaning, lighting and setting selections. Following the tips provided, you can maximize light performance and achieve the most dazzle from your diamond. With the right techniques, it is possible to make even an older, less precisely cut diamond look significantly brighter.
