Yes, you should look at a diamond in daylight as well as indoors. A stone can look quite different in a bright window, in the softer light of a room at home, and under the stronger lights often used to display jewellery. The Gemological Institute of America recommends looking at diamonds under different lighting, and considering the light you will wear the ring in most often, rather than judging a stone in only one setting.
Why the light changes what you see
GIA notes that many jewellers use white spotlighting, which brings out a diamond's brilliance and fire and will make most diamonds look dazzling, while most day to day situations are less dramatic. It suggests seeing how a diamond performs in more ordinary conditions: outdoors in light or shadow, under the diffused fluorescent light of an office, or in the warmer light common in most homes. In the same guidance, GIA explains that fluorescent lighting brings out a diamond's brightness, while incandescent lighting brings out its fire, and that mixed light can show both. Our guide to brilliance, fire and scintillation explains those three qualities in more detail.
Fluorescence and the light you wear the ring in
Some diamonds fluoresce under ultraviolet light, which is present in daylight. That is a separate question from cut, and it does not show in every kind of indoor light. If a stone has a fluorescence grade on the report, it is worth looking at it in daylight as well as indoors, rather than assuming the two views will be identical. Our guides to fluorescence and to the GIA fluorescence scale set that out in more detail. GIA also suggests paying attention to the lighting you will wear the diamond in most, whether that is an office, a home or a mix of both.
How we look at stones with you
We work by video consultation and message, with no showroom. During a call we can move a stone between lights, and we can also send photographs or a short video so you can look at them in your own daylight and in your own rooms. We still read the report with you, including the 4Cs, because the light in a single picture should not be the only thing you judge by. Nothing is made until you approve the design and the stone in writing. A 70 percent deposit is paid then, making time is 5 to 6 weeks, and the ring is UK hallmarked before insured, tracked FedEx delivery. If you would like to look at a stone in more than one light, get in touch or browse the diamonds we can source.
Frequently asked questions
Should you look at a diamond in daylight as well as indoors?
Yes. A diamond can look quite different in daylight, in warm indoor light and under the brighter lights often used to display jewellery. GIA recommends looking at a diamond in more than one kind of light, including the sort of light you will wear it in most often.
Why do shop lights change the look of a diamond?
GIA notes that many jewellers use white spotlighting, which brings out brilliance and fire and can make most diamonds look dazzling. Day to day light is usually softer, so it is worth seeing the stone in more ordinary conditions as well.
Does fluorescent light show the same thing as incandescent light?
Not exactly. GIA explains that fluorescent lighting brings out a diamond's brightness, while incandescent lighting brings out its fire. Mixed light can show both. That is one reason we like to look at a stone in more than one room.
How do you look at stones if you are commissioning remotely?
We work by video consultation and message, so we can look at a diamond with you in more than one light during the call, and you can also look at photographs or a short video in daylight at a window as well as indoors. Nothing is made until you approve the stone in writing.