Diamond Fluorescence

What is Diamond Fluorescence?

Many ask, “What is a diamonds fluorescence?” “Is diamond fluorescence good or bad?” “Will fluorescence in a diamond affect its value?” Let’s start with a simple definition: Diamond’s Fluorescence refers to the way that a diamond glows when illuminated by a UV lamp. When Diamond Fluoresce under UV light they usually display a blue color, but they may also look violet, green, yellow, orange, red or white. A fluorescent diamond can even show a combination of two or more of those colors. Sometime they even continue to glow after the UV light has turned off.

Lab reports usually indicate the strength and color of a diamond’s fluorescence to long wave UV light. The description is not considered a grade; merely an additional way to identify a diamond. The GIA Gem Trade Laboratory categorizes the levels of diamond fluorescence strength as ”none,” “faint,” “medium”, “strong” or “very strong”.

What Causes Diamond Fluorescence?

Trace elements and irregularities in the atomic structure of a mineral can cause fluorescence in diamonds. Even though the chemical formula for a diamond consists only of carbon, it can have traces of other elements such as nitrogen, aluminum or boron. When nitrogen and aluminum substitute together for carbon atoms, blue fluorescence can result. Single nitrogen atoms coupled with a carbon vacancy can cause yellow diamond fluorescence. While two nitrogen atoms associated with crystal irregularities due to radiation damage can activate greenish yellow fluorescence in a diamond.

Are Fluorescent Diamonds Undesirable?

It seems common sense that a diamond’s beauty should be judged on its appearance in normal light. After all no one walks around with a UV light to check for fluorescent diamonds. Nevertheless some diamond jewelers have scared consumers into not buying diamonds with fluorescence. Those who believe that that diamond fluorescent diamonds are bad claim that a diamonds fluorescence makes the diamond look oily, hazy, or milky white also fail to mention that a lot of highly transparent valuable diamonds are fluorescent.

So are diamonds with fluorescence undesirable? No, I do not think that they are undesirable. A diamond with fluorescence can be just as a diamond without fluorescence. When we buy a diamond, we are buying a gemstone, not a lab report. Sure the GIA certificate is important but fluorescence can only be seen under UV light. We should pay more attention to how the diamonds looks under normal lighting.

Finding a diamond in the desired size, shape, color, quality and price is challenging enough to be adding an additional variable that really can not be noticed under normal circumstances.

Advice on Diamond Fluorescence

If a seller offers a discount for a diamonds fluorescence, accept it.

If a seller asks for a premium because a diamond has blue fluorescence, don’t pay it unless you can see that it has a positive impact on the diamond’s color.

If a colorless, near colorless, or yellow diamond has medium to very strong blue fluorescence, be glad because this is a good indication that the diamond is natural and not synthetic.

Base your diamond choice on its actual appearance, rather than the description of fluorescence in a diamond.

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