Do Diamonds Shine In The Dark? (Real, Fake, VVS + More)

Diamonds are known to sparkle and shine. But what about in the dark? Do diamonds shine in the dark?

Diamonds do not shine in the dark. They don’t make their own light. Diamonds can only shine when light enters from the outside and reflects, bouncing in and out of the facets inside the stone. In the absence of any light, diamonds don’t shine or sparkle. However, even a small ray of light can create sparkle.

Sometimes, diamonds look so sparkly, it’s as if they have their own light. But they do not. We’re looking at how diamonds shine and what features cause the best shine. Keep reading to find out what makes a diamond shine.

What Makes Diamonds Shine?

The shiniest diamonds have precision cuts and good clarity. Larger diamonds tend to shine more, also, because they have more places for the light to enter. 

Good clarity is important because nothing gets in the way of the light. When the light enters the stone, it needs to be able to reflect and bounce from facet to facet to create the sparkle. Inclusions interrupt the bouncing and distort the shine.

It’s highly important for the diamond cut to be on point, as well. A bad cut could also disrupt the reflection of light inside the stone.

A well-cut diamond with good proportions and symmetrical angles shines and sparkles the best.

Diamonds shine when light enters them. They do not shine on their own.

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Do Fake Diamonds Shine in the Dark?

Fake diamonds do not shine in the dark either. A fake diamond doesn’t create its own light any more than a real one does. 

Fake diamonds shine when light enters them from the outside, as well. They don’t typically shine or sparkle as brightly as a real diamond, though.

Fake diamonds aren’t cut with the precision technique like a real diamond. They may also include other substances that absorb some light instead of reflecting it. 

Why Is My Diamond Glowing in the Dark?

You may have noticed your diamond glowing in the dark. So then, you’re thinking, how does it do that if it doesn’t shine in the dark?

Some diamonds can fluoresce. Fluorescence is glowing of an object. With diamonds, they can fluoresce when they’ve been hit with UV rays.

If you’ve worn your diamond out in the direct sunlight for an extended period of time, you could see your diamond fluoresce later on. The stone appears to emit blue light.

Do Diamonds Sparkle in Low Light?

High quality diamonds sparkle a lot in low light. This is due to the brilliance of the diamond. It’s tied to the cut. If your diamond was well-cut, it will bedazzle you in low light.

When diamonds aren’t cut well, the low light just fizzles upon entering the stone. The diamond can even look dull.

Why Is My Diamond Not Shiny?

When diamonds appear dull or cloudy, it’s usually because they’re dirty. It’s a simple thing to remedy.

Dirty diamonds can’t shine because the light can’t get into the stone. The dirt and grime on the outside of the diamond keep the light out.

So, all you have to do is clean your diamond to make it look shiny again.

How Do I Clean My Diamond?

Diamonds are super hard and durable. They’re quite easy to clean. You’ll have to be more concerned with the metal your jewelry is made of than the diamond. 

One of the simplest ways to clean a diamond is with warm water and dishwashing liquid soap. Mix these together first. Then, you can put your diamond ring, or any other piece of jewelry, into the solution for about 20 minutes of soaking time. 

Once you’ve soaked the diamond jewelry, take a soft-bristled toothbrush and use it to clean the diamond and setting gently. This helps get in between the stone and the setting to get the dirt from underneath.

Make sure to rinse the jewelry thoroughly. You don’t want to leave behind soap residue that will cloud up the diamond all over again. You also need to dry the piece completely.

Should you need more cleaning, repeat this whole process again.

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How Do You Know If a Diamond Will Sparkle?

You can get a good idea of how much a diamond will sparkle from its cut. Diamonds have varying numbers of facets, depending on their cuts. 

Diamonds that sparkle a lot have many more facets than those that don’t shine as much. Take for instance a brilliant cut round diamond.

It has around 58 facets throughout the stone. That makes for a lot of sparkle because the light bounces from one facet to another and another, and so on. All that reflection creates the sparkle you see.

Some diamonds only have about 17 facets. These will still shine and sparkle, but nothing like the brilliant cut round diamond.

What Diamond Cut Sparkles the Most?

If you’re looking for the most sparkle for your money, go with a round cut diamond. Round cut diamonds have plenty of facets inside.

They also do not have corners that distort or trap light. Round cut diamonds are the best combination of shape and number of facets to get the most shine.

What Diamond Cut Sparkles the Least?

Baguette diamonds do not sparkle like other cuts. For this reason, this cut is usually only used to accent jewelry pieces. 

An example of baguette accents on a diamond engagement ring is to use them down the sides of the ring band.

There would be a setting on the top with the featured stone or stones, then the baguettes would drop down the sides of the ring.

What Does a Diamond Look Like When It Is First Found?

A diamond looks more like a piece of dirty glass when it’s first found than a brilliant sparkly diamond. They can be clear, yellow, or even brownish tinted. 

Raw diamonds don’t look anything like the shiny stones you see when you go to a jewelry store. Those stones have been broken down, cut with the greatest precision, and polished many times. 

It’s a long process for a raw diamond to go from its natural state to the beautiful gemstone you wear on your finger or anywhere else.

What’s the Best Light to Make a Diamond Shine?

White light is the best for making diamonds shine and sparkle. White light is what comes out of fluorescent lighting.

It’s the best for showing sparkle because it draws out the fire of a diamond. Fire properties are what make diamonds look brilliant and sparkly. It’s how the diamond reflects light.

Sunlight also brings out the fire properties of diamonds. You’ll notice more sparkle outside in direct sunlight than you will inside under most kinds of light.

What’s the Most Popular Diamond Shape?

You may have guess it already, but round is the most popular diamond shape. Round cut diamonds sparkle the most, so it makes perfect sense why they’re the most popular.

Round cut diamonds have been popular since the 19th century. Today, more than half of all proposals are done with a round cut diamond. It’s somewhere around 60%. 

How Are Diamonds Cut?

Highly trained gemologists can cut diamonds after plenty of learning and practicing with the cutting tools. It’s not an easy skill to master. The work is detailed and tedious.

Diamonds are cut using diamonds. Yes, that’s right. Diamonds have to be cut with other diamonds. This is because a diamond is the hardest substance on the Mohs Hardness Scale.

You can’t cut a diamond with a material that’s softer than it is. 

Which Diamond Cut Holds Its Value Best?

The round cut diamond wins again. Round cut diamonds tend to hold their value better because they are so popular. That popularity is based on how well they sparkle and shine. 

Since they hold their value better, round cut diamonds are usually priced higher than other diamonds with various cuts.

Conclusion

Diamonds don’t shine with their own light. They shine when an outside source emits light that enters the top of the stone and reflects from facet to facet inside.

If there’s no light to enter the diamond, as in a completely dark space, it won’t shine. 

The cut is the biggest factor that determines how much a diamond will sparkle. You also want to keep your diamond clean to get the most shine and sparkle.

References

https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/diamond-guide/diamond-cutting-polishing-process/

https://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/blog/hot-to-get-most-diamond-sparkle/