Is Diamond Fluorescence Good or Bad?

Learn about what causes diamonds to glow in ultraviolet light and how it affects their value from an expert's perspective.

Is Diamond Fluorescence Good or Bad?

In reality, it is a natural characteristic found in approximately 30 percent of diamonds and that can affect the cost of the stone depending on the level of fluorescence. In general terms, diamond fluorescence is blue, but from time to time, a diamond is seen to fluoresce another color, such as yellow. So you're looking to buy a diamond and you start to hear the word fluorescence. What does it mean? Some jewelers tell you it's a good thing, others tell you it's terrible.

Who is telling the truth? Who is right? To tell you the truth, both may be right and both may be wrong. We'll try to guide you through the diamond fluorescence and get to the bottom of it. When exposed to ultraviolet light, there will be a diamond that will shine in different colors. GIA rates diamond fluorescence as None, Weak, Medium, Strong and Very Strong. So if you're wondering why some diamonds shine under UV light, think about how UV light makes your whites look whiter and your blacklight posters shine.

In the same way, some diamonds fluoresce when under UV light. Is diamond fluorescence good or bad? Does fluorescence improve diamond color? Should I buy a diamond that exhibits fluorescence? When buying a diamond, it is important to consider fluorescence. When fluorescence is used correctly, you can find a magnificent diamond like this one by James Allen. If you ignore fluorescence, you can make a big mistake, like this diamond from Blue Nile. If the diamond only shines when exposed to UV light, then naturally it should only matter if you are someone who spends their days in dark rooms with blacklight lamps. But the fact is that most diamonds that exhibit Strong Blue Fluorescence appear mildly to severely hazy under normal lighting conditions.

If you've done your homework and googled diamonds for fluorescence, you may have read about a certain GIA study that claims that even strong blue is almost always completely undetectable to the average diamond consumer. If the diamonds you are viewing have a strong or very strong blue fluorescence, they will most likely appear hazy, oily, or hazy, and this will also make the diamonds appear less transparent. When comparing diamonds to each other, you will definitely see a difference between a diamond with a strong fluorescence and one with little or no. It's also important to note that this extreme level of haze for a fluorescent diamond is also not typical and is not as common as you might think when talking about diamonds that are H and below. Some studies done on fluorescence make a statement that is correct. Fluorescence generally improves the appearance of color in diamond.

As I suggested in my final recommendation above, if you are buying a diamond with an H color or lower, look for a diamond with medium blue fluorescence. A fluorescent medium blue diamond can even help counteract any yellowish tint diamonds may have and can make them appear much whiter. In effect, this will cause the color and appearance of the diamond to have a higher color grade. Fluorescence can cause diamond to shine and shine brighter than a diamond that lacks fluorescent properties. It will be more affordable, and since you are there in person, you can see for yourself if the diamond exhibits haze or milkiness. Be sure to ask to see the diamond in a variety of different lighting settings, if possible.

Before buying a diamond, get personal buying advice from industry veterans. We'll help you get the best diamond for your money. Fluorescence is the glow that is sometimes seen when an object emits visible light. Some diamonds fluoresce when exposed to long-wave ultraviolet (UV) rays from sources such as the sun. This can cause them to emit a bluish light or, more rarely, a yellow or orange light.

Once the UV light source is removed, the diamond stops emitting fluorescence. About a quarter of all diamonds have some measure of fluorescence; however, only a very small part has so much that it actually affects appearance. When the fluorescence is a normal amount, or in most cases, the color appears blue. But in the rare cases where it causes the diamond to appear yellow or white, the fluorescence is seen as negative. Fluorescence is the phenomenon of a material that glows when exposed to certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light. This is very common in natural diamonds.

Diamonds glow with black light due to a phenomenon called fluorescence, and approximately 35% of natural diamonds exhibit some degree of this effect. In nature, the presence of certain chemical impurities within the diamond composition triggers this brilliant effect in the presence of an ultraviolet light source. As a result, diamonds with color grades I to N with very strong to medium bluish fluorescence may have a slightly higher price per carat than diamonds with similar color grades that do not fluoresce. Weak fluorescence can have the advantage of increasing one degree of color of your diamond, making your “almost colorless” diamond appear “colorless”. Blue fluorescence can help a diamond look whiter by counteracting the yellowish tint that a diamond has and can improve face up vision to half or a higher degree. The truth is that brilliance and brilliance are determined by the quality of the cut and not by whether the diamond has the ability to shine with black light.

Jerome Tarrants
Jerome Tarrants

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