According to the provided reference, the term “brilliance” refers to the white light that a diamond will reflect. This reflection of white light is a key factor in how bright and lively a diamond appears.
Understanding Diamond Brilliance
Brilliance is essentially the internal and external reflection of white light within and off a diamond. When light enters a properly cut diamond, it should bounce off the internal facets and return to the viewer's eye as white light.
How Brilliance Affects Appearance
The level of brilliance directly impacts a diamond's visual appeal:
- Excellent Brilliance: Diamonds with excellent brilliance will appear very bright, showcasing a lively and radiant look.
- Poor Brilliance: Stones that are lacking brilliance will appear dull. This lack of brightness can result in large dark areas within the stone, making it look lifeless.
Think of it as the sparkle you see from the white flashes of light. A diamond with good brilliance effectively captures and returns a significant amount of white light.
Factors Influencing Brilliance
While the definition focuses purely on reflected white light, several factors inherent in the diamond influence its ability to achieve excellent brilliance. The primary factor is the cut of the diamond. A well-executed cut ensures that light interacts optimally with the facets, maximizing the return of white light.
Understanding brilliance helps in evaluating a diamond's overall beauty and light performance.
