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The fire of a diamond: What is it and why is it important?

You may have heard of the 4 Cs of a diamond, but have you heard about the fire of a diamond?

When shopping for a diamond, there is a lot to consider, and having that knowledge could be the difference between choosing an average stone over an outstanding one.

The fact that there is so much to learn about diamonds is what makes them so fascinating, and we love teaching people all about them, which is why we have created this helpful guide, outlining everything you need to know about the fire of a diamond!

So, what exactly is fire of a diamond?

When you think of a diamond, two words naturally come to mind: Fire and Brilliance.

Brilliance is seen as the brightness and flashes of beautiful white sparkles, whereas fire is the dispersion of white light into radiant rainbow colours, so the coloured sparkles.

The fire of a diamond doesn’t mean it is literally on fire, but rather is a reference to the colourful flashes of light that the stone diffuses whilst under the light. It’s otherwise known as ‘light dispersion’ as this is an accurate description of how the colourful flashes are formed. Arguably, fire is one of the biggest key contributors to a diamond’s beauty.

Fire in a diamond is like seeing a rainbow after a heavy rain. It is always breath-taking in its beauty and fleeting in its presence, which adds to its rarity.

What affects a diamond’s fire?

Whilst most diamonds have a fire, there are a few factors which affect how visible the fire is. This is where the importance of some of the 5 Cs crops up again.

Cut

The cut of a diamond refers to its overall shape, style, proportions, and symmetry. It’s argued that the type of diamond cut has the biggest impact on the fire, as it ultimately determines the diamond’s interaction with light. It’s often the case that the greater the cut grade, the more visible the fire will be. Cut grades range from deep cut, well cut, to shallow cut. Ideally, diamonds should be well cut for maximum fire. This is simply to do with the angles in which light brightly reflects off. If a diamond is cut too shallow or too deep, light will not reflect directly out the top.

Diamond Cuts and how they reflect light

Clarity

Generally, the lower the clarity of the gemstone, the less powerful the fire and sparkle in the stone will be. A diamond with poor clarity would have small imperfections on the surface that are visible to the naked eye, meaning light will be unable to enter inside the diamond and reflect out. Diamonds with a higher number of inclusions can often look dull and lacklustre. So keep an eye out for this when shopping for your perfect diamond. You can head to our diamond section on our page here.

Colour

Typically, diamonds with less colour allow more light to pass through, so, the whiter or transparent the stone, the greater the light dispersion. So, referring to the diamond colour guide below, a grade D, E or F diamond would give off the very best fire.

Diamond Colour Guide

Light

Light affects light. From sunlight to artificial light, not all lighting is the same, and diamonds can respond differently to different types of lighting and environments. A diamond’s fire may not be so vibrant in dimly lit environments, as opposed to brighter and more direct light.

How to keep the fire burning

Even though your diamond might not look dirty, that doesn’t mean you should avoid regularly cleaning it. The importance of cleaning diamonds is often undermined but cleaning is what ultimately keeps them sparkling and the fire alive. The fire in your diamond will soon fade as the stone surface becomes dirtier and inclusions become more visible, making it difficult for light to enter and reflect. Cleaning diamonds is quite simple. We recommend soaking it in a gentle degreasing solution once or twice a week to help keep it squeaky clean.

The fire of a diamond is just as important as other attributes, like brilliance and scintillation. As well as contributing to the overall beauty of your diamond, the fire also contributes to the quality of it.

Our highly skilled team of jewellers are always on hand to help you find the perfect diamond with a stunning fire!


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We are located in the Argyll Arcade in Glasgow and we would love for you to visit us in-store. The products online are only a small selection of our stock in store. Please visit us in Glasgow to discover our full collection of new, vintage and antique gemstone and diamond jewellery.