What Is Diamond Brilliance?

The brilliance defines the elegance of diamond jewelry enthusiasts. The diamond gemstone has a fascination that cuts across generations thanks to its hardness, brilliance, and sparkle. However, you have to carefully evaluate the gem to ascertain its legitimacy. Do not just rush for the sparkle. While the sparkle is a common way of evaluating a diamond, it is not the only method.

In fact, you could easily go for the wrong stone if you rely on one characteristic. A legit diamond should be evaluated on three components: fire, scintillation, and brilliance. Although some people use the terms interchangeably, the aspects are distinct. Read on to learn more about diamond brilliance. 

Fire vs. Scintillation vs. Brilliance 

The fire in a diamond means the colorful flashes that happen when a diamond disperses light. Scintillation is the manifestation of light that is only visible when the gem is in motion. Brilliance, on the other hand, means the white light return experienced when light hits the diamond.

What Makes A Diamond Brilliant?

A diamond appears brilliant because of reflection, refraction, and dispersion of light. However, the brilliance in a diamond does not occur naturally. Brilliance depends on how the diamond is cut. Diamonds must be well cut to bring out the best contrast to build its brilliance.

Other than the cut, the stone should be well polished to reveal the brilliance. The cutting and polishing removes any blemish that could limit the amount of white light reflection. Well-cut and polished diamonds gather the white light and redirect it to the eyes to give the gem a perfect brilliance.

The next time you are shopping for a diamond, do not just go for the sparkle; look for the fire, scintillation and brilliance. A combination of these aspects elevates the brilliance of your diamond.

We Can Help

At Siebke Hoyt, our diamonds are well cut and polished to give you the brilliance that makes you stand out among your peers. Contact us today at (319) 363-2003 to place an order.