Brilliance than diamonds used today. Myth or Reality
Olden Days Diamonds were better. They had more Shine, Brilliance than diamonds used today. Myth or Reality
When we talk about the Beauty of a Diamond there are in fact two broad aspects to it.
- The Lustre (also called as the Brilliance). It is the amount of light reflected back to the viewer.
- The Fire – the internal reflection of Light from the Diamond.
The Lustre of a Diamond is directly proportional to the size of the Diamond and its facets. The larger the reflecting surface, greater is the reflected light seen.
The Fire of a Diamond depends on how well the facets are aligned and cut. The more the number of facets greater is the times the light is internally reflected before it comes back to the eye.
Until the mid 19th Centuries when Diamonds were traditionally Cut by hand, greater importance was given to the weight (Carat) of the Diamond that could be retained after the final cut and polish than the symmetry of cut. So the diamonds used were generally larger in size than those used today.
The advancement in Science and Technology has actually given us the ability to bring out more fire (internal reflection of LIght). The number of facets are far more than old cut diamonds.Hence the fire or the scintillating effect from a modern cut diamond is more than an old cut diamond.
The smallest Diamond used in Jewellery in the Olden Days were 3 cents (0.03 carats) . The generally used sizes were 5 cents (0.05 carats) and above. Hence the reflection surfaces were larger. In the Diamond Jewellery today there is a large usage of half to one cent (0.005 -0.01 Carats) diamonds.
So, when we talk of the Shine or Brilliance of a Diamond, it is a combination of both the Lustre and the Fire. And for this both the size AND the quality of the cut of the diamond are equally important. Hence in reality the modern day cut diamonds, aided by modern science are definitely more shining than a SAME size diamond of the Olden days.
http://www.brilliantearth.com, in their Article on “ANTIQUE DIAMOND CUTS” very beautifully admit to this aspect…..”Diamond cutters in past centuries used techniques that are no longer common today. ……………..Diamonds cut using the old techniques may exhibit less fire and brilliance, though they sometimes are preferred for their warmer, more romantic glow. ……“
We at N Gopaldaas Jewellers have always be extremely conscious of the importance of the Cut. Sri Chandrakant B Shah my Grand Father was respected by Diamond Merchants from all over. There were many instances when Diamond Traders used to seek his guidance and teachings on subject of the Diamond Cut. Mr Mihir D Shah, our current group CEO and my brother has taken on the legacy of the lineage where he is approached by the stalwarts of the the Diamond Industry to guide them on the Diamond Cut.
Refrences:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_cut This link from wikipedia gives us fair idea on theory and evolution of the cutting of a Diaomond. And also the basics of the diamond cut.
The video at http://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research-round-brilliant-cut-diamond-pay gives a very good understanding of the above concepts. The educational content at the Gia Website is always so informative. I would whole heartely thank the entire team at GIA for their limitless support in educating the Industry and the public.
