One of the most important factors when buying a gemstone is its brilliance. Many times a gemstone’s brilliance will be defined as its internal luster. Obviously, the more brilliant the gemstone, the higher quality and more valuable the stone will be. Here are some quick tips to determine how brilliant a gemstone is.
Most macro crystalline gemstones such as Diamonds, Tanzanite, Topaz, Amethyst and Rubies have a wonderful attribute of being brilliant. You generally want to see a flash of light from within the gemstone when observing it. You should hold the gemstone directly underneath the light and hold the stone at an oblique angle. Now gently move or rock the stone. You should see light fluctuations go on and off. It is a good idea to have no distractions such as glossy materials or mirrors near by.
You can tell a lot about a stone due to its brilliance. Obviously a stone that has a higher degree of brilliance will be more in demand. Usually the more brilliance, the more transparent or clear the gemstone is. This is true with diamonds as well. The brilliance should be even and not lop sided. If the brilliance is even, it can mean that the cut is satisfactory and properly proportioned.
It should be noted that microcrystallines have this effect; you won’t see brilliance from Jade or onyx. These types of stones are cryptocrystalline and have very small crystal structures.
Another reason brilliance is important is that it can also tell you about inclusions in a stone. If a stone is densely populated with inclusions or even has just a few inclusions, brilliance will not be even or have dark spots in areas. Understanding brilliance can ultimately help you choose and pick high quality gemstones. |