Five Reasons Why You Should Consider a Diamond with Fluorescence

Diamond fluorescence is one of the most misunderstood concepts in terms of diamond quality. Many people feel that fluorescence is a bad thing, but in reality a majority of the time, fluorescence works in favor of the diamond or has no effect. To understand a bit more about fluorescence, see this link from GIA that explains the concept. Basically, fluorescence is an inherent quality in the diamond and a diamond with these characteristics will glow a particular color when exposed to UV light most diamonds fluoresce blue while rare diamonds will fluoresce yellow, green, or white.

Top Five Reasons to Consider a Diamond with Fluorescence:

1. They appear whiter. Diamonds that are "near-colorless" (H-J for the most part) will have a hint of color in them however when these stones have some nature of fluorescence it can make the stone look whiter/more colorless face-up.  Because these non-colorless diamonds have the smallest hints of yellow, the bluish tint of fluorescence helps counteract and balance the yellow creating a more neutral effect.  For this reason, you can have a "J" color diamond with fluorescence that will appear like a G or H color face-up.

2. In many cases diamonds with fluorescence are slightly less expensive simply because of their bad reputation. Not many know that fluorescent diamonds are not considered "bad" quality and therefore these stones will be marked down many times. This offers a nice amount of savings without sacrificing the look

3. "GIA studies show that for the overwhelming majority of diamonds, the strength of fluorescence has no widely noticeable effect on appearance." We can attest to this because we notice that diamonds with fluorescence do not always have a negative impact on stones. For a very small percentage of diamonds, a stone with fluorescence might appear hazy or milky but this is usually only true in one that is graded as "Very Strong" intensity. However, this is not true in almost all cases. Most diamonds with fluorescence do not appear hazy meaning you would not lose anything in terms of appearance. According to GIA, less than 0.2% of diamonds emit a hazy, milky, or oily look to them because of fluorescence. "In the GIA Fluorescence Study, it was found that the average person could not make a distinction between a diamond with fluorescence and a diamond without."

4. If you go for a diamond with some fluorescence, you can afford a stone with higher clarity. For example, a J color diamond with Strong Blue fluorescence will appear more white and because of the lower price point might allow you to go for higher clarity in the VVS-VS range if that is preferable.  This would be a good trade off to consider when budgeting for your center diamond and allows you to consider a wider range of options.

5.  Fluorescent diamonds are something to strongly consider if you are interested in a colorled metal setting.  Diamonds set in rose and yellow gold settings tend to take on the color of the gold metal they are held next to. Because of this, the diamond that is graded G may begin to look like an H because of the color bleed. We find that diamonds with some fluorescence look better in colored settings because it bolsters the look and whiteness of the diamond creating a starker contrast with the setting.

Selecting a center diamond can be a harrowing task for many because of all the nuances to consider.  The four C's are what most people will focus on but taking into account secondary factors like fluorescence can help you find the perfect center diamond at the right price.