Fluorescence – What Is It?

We’ve already discussed the 4Cs of diamonds – cut, color, clarity and carat weight. But diamonds also have a certain quality called fluorescence that is factored into the value and price of the stone. It’s actually called photo-luminescence, and it’s caused by small amounts of the chemical boron in the diamond, and it’s activated by UV light.

This fluorescence is graded by how much blue there is in the diamond – None, Faint, medium, medium Blue, Strong, Strong Blue, and Intense Blue. As the value of colorless stones has increased, this fluorescence, while still attractive, has decreased in value. You want to be sure when buying a diamond that you examine it under a variety of different lighting conditions, such as sunlight and fluorescent light, as well as the jeweler’s black light. Some diamonds with a fluorescent quality can become hazy in different types of light.

If you’re buying a less than flawless colorless diamond, some fluorescence may actually be a good thing because it may increase the stone’s value and attractiveness. For example, the blue fluorescence can offset other colors in the less than perfect stone, like yellow.

We’ve already discussed the 4Cs of diamonds – cut, color, clarity and carat weight. But diamonds also have a certain quality called fluorescence that is factored into the value and price of the stone. It’s actually called photo-luminescence, and it’s caused by small amounts of the chemical boron in the diamond, and it’s activated by UV light.

This fluorescence is graded by how much blue there is in the diamond – None, Faint, medium, medium Blue, Strong, Strong Blue, and Intense Blue. As the value of colorless stones has increased, this fluorescence, while still attractive, has decreased in value. You want to be sure when buying a diamond that you examine it under a variety of different lighting conditions, such as sunlight and fluorescent light, as well as the jeweler’s black light. Some diamonds with a fluorescent quality can become hazy in different types of light.

If you’re buying a less than flawless colorless diamond, some fluorescence may actually be a good thing because it may increase the stone’s value and attractiveness. For example, the blue fluorescence can offset other colors in the less than perfect stone, like yellow.