As you already learned earlier, diamonds are highly reflective. If you want your diamond to look white and less yellow, you should select a white metal like platinum or white gold for your setting.
A naturally white metal, platinum maximizes the brilliance of your diamond. And because platinum is naturally hypoallergenic, it is ideal for those with sensitive skin.
However, white diamonds do get their color due to the presence of more sub-microscopic inclusions. These inclusions are vital for allowing light through the stone, which then scatters to give it a translucent snowy, milky, or opaque white face-up appearance.
Instead of going for a white setting, it is recommended to opt for a coloured metal such as yellow or rose gold. The metal's colour will mask the yellowish tints of the stone and make it look whiter against the mounting.
Because of this, expert gemologists and jewelers often recommend going with a yellow gold engagement ring setting to give your diamond ring a harmonious look.
The downside of Platinum is that it tends to lose its high polish and sharp edges fairly quickly. This is not because they are being worn away but, more accurately, they are being moulded like clay around the surface of the ring.
Although 18K yellow gold has been the traditional choice for engagement rings, 18K white gold and platinum are currently hugely popular and their silver colour is particularly effective at enhancing the sparkle and brilliance of diamonds.
Diamonds gain their characteristic sparkle by using lasers to scrape away their dull, rough outer surface and create and polish angled facets that allow them to sparkle.
Jewelers use ultrasonic cleaners with high frequency sound waves and chemicals, which create bubbles that latch on to the dirt on the diamond. The high frequency sound waves pull the dirt away from the stone and bring them up to the surface.
A diamond's sparkle is a result of its interaction with light. Gemologists describe sparkle as both brightness and fire. When light is reflected off the interior surfaces (facets) of a diamond, it's either reflected/perceived as white light (brightness) or colored light (fire).
Bezel setting: In this setting style, a band of metal surrounds the diamond's girdle. As a result, the diamond's circumference may appear to be larger. Bezel engagement ring settings also afford extra protection against accidental bangs and bumps. TIP: The bezel setting is generally used for round and oval diamonds.
Clarity is more important in shapes like emerald, princess, and asscher. Colour is important for cushion, radiant, pear and oval. Generally speaking, as long as you choose an eye-clean diamond, your diamond will still look beautiful in terms of clarity.
The most brilliant, or sparkliest, diamond cut is the round brilliant cut. Round brilliant diamonds are cut to have 58 facets (including the culet), allowing light to enter the diamond and reflect off of every facet to create a beautiful sparkle.
In terms of durability, platinum also is a great choice. It is the most durable metal used to make jewellery. Platinum should last a lifetime and you should not have to reset your platinum engagement ring. Platinum is a naturally white metal that is highly resistant to tarnish.
Platinum holds diamonds and other gemstones more securely than other precious metals. Over time, platinum takes on a satiny sheen known as patina. It's platinum's natural mark of authenticity and enduring value. Platinum's durability allows jewelry to stand the test of time.
Platinum does not fade, tarnish, or turn color. However, with age, it does take on a patina and show slight scratches.
Keep the diamond clean.
A diamond that's dirty will not sparkle. Diamonds have an affinity for grease, so it's important to clean them regularly. Find out how to keep your diamond clean.
Refraction creates a sparkle in a diamond as a result of light bouncing around the inside, which hits your eye when the stone is in motion. The brightness, or brilliance, of light that exits through the top of a diamond is a result of both reflection and refraction.
The oils, lotions and soaps you use everyday can leave traces that accumulate over time and create a filmy layer over the stones, making them lose their sparkle.
Most synthetic diamonds look too good to be true all due to their extreme brilliance. Does your stone look really bright with lots of rainbow reflected colors? If so, it's most likely cubic zirconia. Yes, real diamonds are brilliant, but they are much more subtle than synthetics.
While diamonds don't lose their sparkle, they do tend to get dirty. Use the following tips to keep your diamonds brilliant and clean: Clean your ring regularly. The best way to make sure your diamond is nice and shiny is to clean it at least once a week with a mixture of water and mild dish soap.
The short answer is no. Toothpaste is not a good option for cleaning your ring. Toothpaste contains scrubbing particles to polish your teeth, but these particles are often harder than the metals in your ring, especially gold or white gold. Using toothpaste on your jewelry could cause scratches or pitting in the metal.
Diamonds are expensive. Diamonds cost more than gold or platinum.
The gold quality is determined by the amount of pure gold in the piece. While white gold may seem like a cheaper option for the same look, it is actually a less strong metal than platinum. Platinum will scratch easier as it is a movable metal, but Platinum is stronger against breakage.
Fluorescence is the glow you sometimes see when an object emits visible light. Some diamonds fluoresce when they are exposed to long-wave ultraviolet (UV) rays from sources like the sun. This can cause them to emit a bluish light or more rarely, a yellow or orangy light.