Advanced Diamond Tutorial by Emma Parker & Co. Chapter 3

admin    Adobe After Effects     Advanced, Chapter, Diamond, Emma, Parker, Tutorial

Advanced Diamond Tutorial by Emma Parker & Co. Chapter 3

Diamond Cut: The Basics – Understanding Technology
Chapter 3

In order to understand the different measurements, tests, and evaluations that diamonds are put through, and what the results of these test mean to the diamonds visual performance, it is necessary to first have a solid grasp on the technologies and techniques used to gather this data.

There are many different tools that are used by gemologists and diamond graders to determine facts about a diamond’s properties. This section is going focus mostly on the more complex and less understood tools, and is also going to focus mostly on tools used to determine cut and light performance.

Non-Contact Scanners

The Sarin machine is the most popular device in a small group of machines called “non-contact measuring devices”. These tools are, in essence, scanners that scan the outside surface of the diamond and measure all the flat surfaces of the stone. They do this by taking many 2 dimensional images of the diamond’s silhouette, and from these images, constructing a 3 dimensional model of the diamond, complete with measurements, that is able to be manipulated by the gemologist. Basically the Sarin is able to reconstruct the diamond in a virtual world with extreme accuracy.

This is extremely useful for gaining measurements on the diamond, examining the cut of the diamond, determining angles, and more. In addition, the computer software is able to simulate light sources, thereby allowing the gemologist to subject the diamond model to different types of light, at different strengths and from different (single or multiple) angles, and more. This allows the diamond to be analyzed scientifically in a completely virtual realm with astonishing accuracy. The data gained from this analysis is very useful in determining the quality of the diamond’s cut, and hence, its ability to reflect light.

Similar scanners to the Sarin are the Helium Scanner and the OGI Scanner. At Emma Parker & Co. we use the Sarin.

Reflector Devices

A simple yet critical set of tools that is used to study and critique a diamond’s cut and light performance are the “reflector devices”; the most well known of these devices is called the Ideal Scope.

The premise of these tools is quite simple; they show the light that is being reflected by the diamond in a form that is visible to the human eye. This allows a person to observe “light return” vs. “light leakage” in a diamond easily.

Having read the Emma Parker & Co. Diamond Tutorial, you should have a solid grasp of the function of the Ideal scope and other devices such as the AGSL ASET reflector. If you have not yet read the Emma Parker & Co. Diamond Tutorial, please stop here and read that in its entirety before continuing on, as it will be necessary in order to understand the upcoming chapters of this tutorial.

DiamCalc Software

The DiamCalc Software is a wonderful program that is designed to take the diamond models that are generated by a “non-contact measuring device” and put them into a visible model that can be manipulated in a plethora of conditions, angles, lighting, and so on.

It can even take the diamond models and simulate them under “reflector devices” such as the Ideal Scope, ASET, Firescope, and more. This program is able to “skin” the diamond, if you will, with a visual appearance that is very similar to the real life diamond.

One of the strongest features of this program is that it allows the user to enter different parameters for the diamond. For example, if we know that a diamond with proportion set 1 looks good, but we want to see what would happen if the table was a different size, we can change the table in the program, and see the effects of this change on the diamond, both visually, and through a reflector device. This is an incredibly powerful tool for research and demonstration.

GEMEX BrillianceScope

The BrillianceScope was designed to measure the light return/optical performance of a diamond in direct light. The technology is actually a very simple and logical design.

Have a look at Figure 3.1

Figure 3.1

This is a basic diagram of the inner workings of the GEMEX BrillianceScope. The diamond rests on a circular piece of glass.  The cover over the diamond is then closed, creating a completely white environment surrounding the diamond. (See Figure 3.2

Figure 3.2

Courtesy of GEMEX

Light, generated by a fiber-optic ring light is then projected up, through an opening in the white half-sphere, through the glass, into the top of the diamond, as illustrated in Figure 3.1.

The light moves to 5 specific sets of three individual points, stopping briefly at each of the 15 points. For each set of points, a camera, at the bottom of the machine, aiming up through the center of the ring light, triple exposes an image of the diamond, one picture at each point in the set, “laid” one on top of the other, as it were.

Once these images are captured and stored, the software breaks down each image on a pixel by pixel basis, and looks at three distinct items.

1. The amount of White Light being reflected by the stone. This will account for brightness or brilliance to the viewer’s naked eye.

2. The amount of Colored Light being reflected by the stone. This will account for the fire or rainbow colored light to the viewer’s naked eye.

3. The “movement” of light within the diamond, otherwise called Scintillation. This will be seen as sparkle to the viewer’s naked eye.

These results are then compiled, and compared against a controlled database of diamonds that have been tested on the machine, and the results of these tests form the basis for the “grading by comparison” system used by the GEMEX software. The result is a report like the one pictured below.

Figure 3.3

Courtesy of GEMEX.

The results of the GEMEX report, displayed above in Figure 3.3,  are heavily curved; i.e. meaning that from the bottom of the chart to the middle of the “HIGH” grade encompasses up to the 85th percentile of all diamonds tested, while grades from the middle of the “HIGH” mark to the end of the scale at “VERY HIGH” comprise the 86th – 100th percentile of all diamonds tested.

The GEMEX is an interesting tool, and is useful to a point for gaining a perception of how a diamond will perform in direct lighting conditions, such as direct sunlight, direct spotlighting, etc.

The GEMEX is limited by the fact that its results only apply to direct lighting, and that its “grading by comparison” system is a totally subjective grading system which, by its nature, will always be subject to any influences that affected the block of results from the control group upon which the entire basis of the grading schematic rests.

Another drawback to the GEMEX is that results can be manipulated slightly by a crafty user. Something as simple as placing a finger print smudge on the top of the diamond can cause a much higher rating on the White Light performance than the stone would have if it were totally clean. Meticulous cleaning of the diamond and the glass is absolutely necessary to ensure a proper scan. GEMEX inspects each scan before a report is issued and will reject reports that show excessive dirt or smudging, however the ease with which results can be manipulated remains a draw back in our opinion.

Having an enormous amount of experience with the GEMEX BrillianceScope, both as a selling tool and as an analysis tool, I do believe that the technology is by enlarge sound, and the results valid. I have also found that consumers place far too much importance on the report, and often find themselves crippled with “analysis paralysis” and the fear that they should be waiting for a diamond that scores “the perfect 10” on the BrillianceScope, while letting world class diamonds go by on a technicality from a subjective, computerized, “grading by comparison” system. This is foolish and should be avoided. It is important to consider all aspects of a diamonds performance when purchasing a stone. To do this, one must consider a full body of analysis, of which the BrillianceScope is an informative, albeit non-essential piece.

ISEE2

Figure 3.4

Courtesy of ISEE2 Diamonds

The ISEE2 machine is another technology that measures a diamonds Brilliance, Fire, Scintillation, and Symmetry in a controlled light setting using mainly diffused light. The inventor of the ISEE2 states that the machine subjects diamonds to 48 different lighting conditions. The ISEE2 takes 15 images a second, and analyzes these images, breaking them down to analyze White Light, Colored Light, Light Movement (Scintillation), and Optical Symmetry (the pattern cut into the stone, in this case the machine is looking for the hearts and arrows pattern that is most commonly displayed in a properly cut 57 facet, traditional pattern round diamond).

Having extensively used the ISEE2 machine for both the sale and analysis of diamonds, I can say that the results of the ISEE2 are consistent with other technologies, and are valid for consideration, provided that they are not overly weighted by a consumer in making their decision.

As with the BrillianceScope, the rating system used by the software program is proprietary and unknown to anyone other than the developer. As with the BrillianceScope, this would not normally be a reason for concern, as the results have been shown to coincide with scientifically established measurements for “ideal light performance”, save for one critical piece of information; the ISEE2 machine was developed by the manufacturer of ISEE2 Diamonds specifically for the sale and marketing of their own ISEE2 Branded Diamond, which is a 57 facet Ideal Cut Hearts and Arrows Diamond.

This fact does not invalidate the ISEE2 as a technology, nor yield its results as void, it merely casts a rebuttable shadow of doubt on a technology that has tested positively in private lab tests with both ISEE2 Diamonds and non-ISEE2 diamonds. The problem lies within the subjective “grading by comparison” standard that is employed by the software, which is proprietary, and therefore not discernable by consumers. So far, independent testing, including my own extensive use of the ISEE2 seems to show that the grading put forth by this technology is consistent and relatively accurate when compared to the current positions, in regards to cut, of the major gemological laboratories, such as GIA and AGS.

As with the Brilliance Scope, the ISEE2 is an interesting, albeit non-essential source of information that can be considered when purchasing a diamond. The most prominent danger posed by this technology is the overemphasis that is often placed by the consumer on the importance of its results.

GIA Diamond Dock

Figure 3.5

Courtesy of GIA 

The GIA Diamond Dock is a lighting source that is used to evaluate diamonds. (Figure 3.5) This lighting environment is intended to simulate true “daylight” as closely as possible. Using a combination of diffused fluorescent lighting and L.E.D. direct lighting, it is able to simulate daylight fairly accurately.

This is very useful for observation, photography, and “naked eye” light performance analysis of a diamond.

The Diamond Dock also doubles as a color grading environment.

TECHNOLOGIES THAT DO NOT PRETAIN TO “CUT GRADE ANALYSIS”

Traditional Jeweler’s Triplet Loupe

Figure 3.6

Courtesy of Kassoy.com

A traditional jewelers “triplet” loupe is a simple tool that you will find in almost any good jewelry store. This is a simple, hand-held magnifying lens that allows a viewer to inspect the diamond under magnification fairly easily and in almost any location and situation. The standard magnification for these loupes is 10x, however different loupes are available for 20x and 30x as well.

This particular kind of loupe is referred to as a “triplet” because the magnifier is actually made up of three different lenses in order to provide the highest clarity to the viewer.

At first, using a loupe can be tricky, however with a little bit of practice, it is possible to gather a vast amount of information about a diamond simply by taking a good, long look at it through a loupe.

High Power Microscope with High-Definition Camera

Figure 3.7

Courtesy of Kassoy.com

A good source of high magnification is critical to the proper analysis of any diamond. While observing a diamond through a 10x triplet loupe is good, having the ability to zoom in to 50x or 60x magnification allows a jeweler to learn much more about a diamond and its imperfections, as well as its cut. In addition, having the ability to share this information with a customer is vital to ensuring that the customer feels confident in the diamond they are looking to purchase.

At Emma Parker & Co., we use the microscope pictured above. It is a 50x magnification microscope, with glass lenses produced by the company Leica, a leader in the optical glass industry. The microscope also has a high definition camera mounted on it, through which images of inclusions can be taken, and live video of the magnified diamond can be streamed.

The pictures taken by this microscope allow customers to see, in remarkable detail, the characteristics of the diamond magnified. See examples below…

Figure 3.8

The red arrows point to the “grading inclusions” in the diamond. These are the imperfections that contributed towards the diamonds clarity grade, as given by the grading laboratory, such as GIA or AGS.

At Emma Parker & Co., we point out these inclusions with red arrows in a picture taken under the microscope so our customers can easily locate the incusions in their diamonds.

Colorimeter

Figure 3.9

Courtesy of Kassoy.com

In today’s advanced technological market, advanced and accurate tools have emerged for determining the color of a diamond. The tools, called “colorimeters” have advanced to such a point that they are quite accurate and sophisticated. These are fantastically costly machines, and are not used by everyone in the industry.

Like many of our fellow colleagues, we here at Emma Parker & Co. prefer the old fashion way of color grading, the way that GIA and AGS still use to grade diamonds, a white tray, a color grading light, and set of master stones.

We feel that some things are better left to the human eye and trained observation.

Written by Timothy Andre, Emma Parker & Co.     www.emmaparkerdiamonds.com

More After Effects Tutorials Articles

Search Engine Optimization – Advanced Strategies – Steps To Setting Up An Autoblog For Seo Optimization

admin    Adobe After Effects     Advanced, Autoblog, Engine, Optimization, Search, Setting, Steps, strategies

Search Engine Optimization – Advanced Strategies – Steps To Setting Up An Autoblog For Seo Optimization

For example, a real estate website could automatically pull postings from their local MLS listing service and create effective web posts on a realtors blog about each properly by listing information and pictures for visitors, this type of auto blogging is fairly common in the industry and saves agents countless hours of copy and pasting listing details from other websites.

Let’s take a look at how to run an effective auto blogging package, it takes a little experience and technical knowledge but these may be easily overcome hiring a web professional  for the more complicated parts of the process.

Install WordPress

Step one of course is to install Wordpress a great and flexible blogging package that happens to be free.  There is a ‘5 minute’ quick WordPress setup FAQ online.  It is really pretty simple.  However, once you’ve done it a few times you can join me in saying that. You can download WordPress directly and install it on your web host of if you’re less technical you can setup your hosting with a good host provider that handles Wordpress on the Linux platform and can push cron jobs and use their automated process to easily install WordPress with a quick click of your mouse.

Install Appropriate Plugins

Plugins are add ons to WordPress, they’re like super powered steroids that make WordPress do extra stuff. In this case, you’ll need to download and install Feedwordpress or your ‘auto posting’ software to make WordPress import RSS feeds from around the Internet.  There are a ton of Wordpress Plugins and they really help out immensely if you know which ones to pick (both free and commercial) to assist in your autoblog process.

What’s an RSS feed? Well simply put, its call Real Simple Syndication.  Like a news feed to a newspaper from a main news source. RSS feeds are used to let one computer or software program talk to another, basically it’s a specially formatted file that tells one website about the content of another website.

You’ll need to use it to automatically pull content from one website to display on other.

Now, to make sure you’re really cutting down on your workload, there are a few more Plugins that you’ll need. See, FeedWordPress will fetch thousands of posts … some are duplicated so lets add some WordPress Plugins to make your life a little easier.

WP Auto Tagger will add keywords to each post automatically, this helps cut down the work you’ll have to do to each post if you’re using feed WordPress though others do this automatically.

Delete Duplicate Posts is a quick way to make sure you don’t have duplicate posts in your database if feed WordPress or others are being used that create these posts.  Again, you’ll hear this often, there are some programs that don’t require this plug-in.  If they do, it is only intermittent and it can be ‘shut off’ when not needed.

Setup Your Feeds

Now that you have your blog setup and running, you’ll need to add feeds from popular sources to automatically populate your blog. For example, you may wish to add a feed from Google for blog posts FeedWordPress. Once this is done, your website will scan the blogshere on a schedule, looking for all new posts about the subjects you choose.  This can create duplicate posts, junk posts and a ‘runaway blog’ if you’re not careful.  And it only does RSS feeds.  There are other ways to autoblog, which I’ll cover on the blogs and websites I frequent. You can do the same with Google News, to ensure you always know what’s happening.

Manage Posts

When you setup FeedWordPress it asks if you’d like posts to be held for moderation or posted, it’s best to always hold posts for moderation while you’re getting used to the system and make notes of things you need to delete or edit before they go live.  You really want to edit posts if at all possible when Autoblogging, however, I like to have ‘main categories’ I add my posts to, those that are the main visual categories and I use a lot of ‘long-tail-keywords’ with some auto posting or Autoblogging software that basically forces the feed to provide the most relevant information or nothing at all.  I am still up late going through 5,000 posts as I write this…….

Advanced WordPress users will also be able to build special functions into their websites to automate complex parts of the process. As you’re are reading this, however, technology is in place that eliminates most of need to learn Linux cron.

Approval

The final step of auto blogging and one that I believe is often overlooked is the final approval of an article. Personally, I believe it is critical that people (not machines) do a final scan of each article being posted and ensure it is accurate, maybe this isn’t true auto blogging but it’s impossible for robots to ensure everything is right so a quick scan of the article will ensure that you’re sharing the right information with your target audience.  Again, 5,000 posts……4,999…. 4,998…..

Who is Auto Blogging Right For?

There are a lot of industries that Autoblogging simply wouldn’t work for I do believe that scanning trusted data sources and automatically processing listings for car dealerships, financial reports, real estate, news services, syndicated news etc. is a wonderful use of RSS and auto blogging technology.  There are some reputable blogs you can hit and again some tools allow keywords to strip out unnecessary content.  Overall it works out pretty well.

I use it on all of my sites and other clients sites to get good relevant content, news, research or other information that would be critical to complete a website or blog which could normally take a very long time to complete (even 1 to 2 years of work, relationships, writing, networking, et al.)

So if this sounds like it might be something you’d want for your website, you may want to look at hiring a professional to set this up due to the technicalities and / or finding the best quality software package to simplify the process.

Outsourcing Advanced Web Site Design and Development with Flash Animation to the Philippines

admin    SEO Flash     Advanced, Animation, Design, development, Flash, Outsourcing, Philippines, Site

Outsourcing Advanced Web Site Design and Development with Flash Animation to the Philippines

The world wide web is the new arena of competition where businesses vie for the attention of online visitors. A company’s web site is its online office and storefront, carrying the company’s image and reputation. Good web site design is, therefore, not good enough anymore. To really attract more visitors, convince them to stay and entice them to return again and again, a company’s web site design needs to be a cut above the rest, especially in its landing pages. In today’s online battle for supremacy, this calls for the use of flash animation.

Flash animation is achieved with the use of Adobe Flash, considered one of the most advanced graphic designing tools available today. It enables website designers to create more dynamic pages that have more visual appeal, enhanced with animated logos, banners, interactive movies, games, business presentations and other creative animations. It can even be used to make each visit a unique experience for the visitor. Undeniably, a web site with flash animation will have greater impact on a visitor and will leave a more positive impression about the company it represents.

Advanced web site design and development, especially when enhanced with flash animation, is not something that can just be done in the office unless there already are experts in this field among the company’s employees. Otherwise, the company will have to hire programmers and designers who are experts in php, mysql, JavaScript, Adobe Flash and other programming languages and tools, as well as in the correct use of flash animation. It must be borne in mind that when used inappropriately, flash animation can actually even backfire on the company and turn off visitors. It can cause slow loading of the company web site pages, prompting visitors to leave. It can look like cheap advertising and be ignored. Only true web professionals will know how to avoid these mistakes.

Aside from hiring web developers, the company will also have to purchase the equipment they will need to develop the web site and to maintain it. The whole thing will be a considerable investment. To cut costs without sacrificing the company’s need for an excellent web site, the solution is outsourcing.

There are many good reasons why a company should choose to outsource its advanced web site design and development with flash animation to the Philippines. On the matter of design, the Philippines can boast of top artistic talent. The best web designers can draw up original and highly aesthetic looks appropriate to a web site and pleasing to its online visitors. Skillfully implementing such design plans is also a challenge that Philippine web site developers have already had much experience with, and have long been known for.

One BPO company in Manila that can be trusted to meet your needs in advanced web site design and development with flash animation is Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. It has ten years of experience in serving clients in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Korea, the British Virgin Islands and the Philippines, providing low cost advanced web site development and business process outsourcing packages.

These packages can cover advanced interactive database driven web site development, advanced portal development, heavy web based programming, web application development, content management systems, website design, graphic design and multimedia components including flash animation development, e-commerce site solutions including a shopping cart using osCommerce, website maintenance and support, search engine optimization, search engine marketing and social media marketing. Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. is also a web hosting provider that can help with domain name registration.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. is your One Stop Shop Internet and Contact Center Solutions Vendor for the Global Market.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc.
Address:
2nd Floor, BT&T Center
#20 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Libis (C-5),
Quezon City, 1110 Philippines
E-mail: info@webdc.com.ph
Telephone numbers: (632) 634-4625; (632) 635-6104

Related SEO Flash Articles

Advanced Diamond Tutorial by Emma Parker & Co. Chapter 4

admin    Adobe After Effects     Advanced, Chapter, Diamond, Emma, Parker, Tutorial

Advanced Diamond Tutorial by Emma Parker & Co. Chapter 4

Diamond Cut: The Basics – Cut, Part 1 – Facet Structure
Chapter 4

Having a well-grounded understanding of a diamond’s facet structure is critical to gaining a full understanding of cut. In this chapter, we are going to breakdown the facet structure of a round diamond and discuss the basic purposes of the facets of the diamond. In the following chapters, we will be taking each shape, with its unique facet structure and discussing it, its cut, what measurements, angle combinations, and facet lengths bring out the stone’s beauty.

THE CROWN

The Table Facet

Figure 4.1

The table facet is the largest facet on the diamond. It is common to all main-stream shapes (Round, Square, Cushion, Pear, Marquise, etc.), and cut patterns produced in the market. The major function of the table facet is to allow light to enter the diamond through the top. Since a diamond’s sparkle is actually light that is being reflected up out of the diamond, it is critical that large amounts of light be able to ender directly into the diamond. In order to allow a maximum amount of light to enter the stone directly, a large, flat facet on the top of the diamond is essential.

The “perfect” table size has been a topic of fierce discussion and debate between experts over the years, with each side being deeply entrenched in their own opinions. As with many areas of diamond cut, many of the experts’ positions overlap, showing that there is a certain amount of veracity and consistence to each of their arguments. Rather than to take a stance with any one school of thought, we prefer to look at the intersection of the major, scientifically supported theories.

There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to table measurements. Each one is unique in the way that it interacts with the other measurements around it, and certainly, from shape to shape, proper table measurements take on totally new ranges and rules.

We will be looking closely at optimal ranges for table measurements a little later on when we break down our discussion of cut for each different major diamond shape on the market.

Something that is very important to remember, not just with the table facet but with all facets on a diamond, is that they live in a 3 dimensional world and can move in multiple directions.

Most often, when a facet’s measurement is discussed, we talk about its diameter, depth, length, or angle. However, a facet can “move” in other ways that need to be considered. For example, is the table off-center? Is the table tilted, in relation to the girdle of the stone? Is the table warped, or skewed? Is the shape of the table symmetrical? Is the facet pattern of the stone symmetrical? Are the facets on the pavilion and crown lined up with each other? Is the culet off-center? Is a facet shifted, twisted, rotated, beveled, curved, etc. While this is a topic that we will not be touching on again until later, it seemed fitting to mention it here in order to set the tone for discussions to come.

The Star Facets

The star facets are small, triangular facets that surround the table, in stones that exhibit the “brilliant cut” pattern, such as rounds, ovals, pears, hearts, marquise, princess, radiant, etc; as opposed to a step cut pattern, such as an emerald or asscher; or even a proprietary cut, such as a Lucida, Criss-cut, etc (we will address their facet structures later on). See figure 4.2.

Figure 4.2

The stars are the first of three sets of facets that make up the angled portion of the diamond’s crown. Light that enters these facets will be bent as it passes through them, in contrast to light that enters through the table. See figure 4.3 and 4.4. (These illustrations are of a diamond cut to AGS Ideal proportions, using a single “ray-trace light source” in the model to illustrate the path that light takes through the stone.

Figure 4.3

Figure 4.4

The facets that make up the crown of the diamond are very important, because they will bend light passing through the diamond in two way, when it enters the stone, and when it exits the stone. If these facets are cut to angles that are inconsistent or improper, it will have significant effects on the sparkle and brilliance of the diamond.

The most common measurement used to express the dimensions of a star facet is that of length, which is expressed in the percentage of the distance which the facet covers between the edge of the table and the edge of the girdle (this was already discussed in the first chapter of this tutorial).

Again, there are many schools of thought as to what is the optimal measurement. Rather than proclaim the perfect measurement, it is more informative to look at how different star facet lengths affect the diamond, and how their measurements, when combined with various measurements from the pavilion of the diamond, will yield different optical results, within in which it is possible to find differing appearances which may appeal more to one person than another. The result of such truths is that no one measurement is “the best”, but rather a range of measurements and combinations should be considered. We will breakdown the different measurements and combinations for each shape later on in this tutorial.

The Bezel Facets

The bezel facets are the major facets in the crown of a diamond with the “brilliant cut pattern”. It is the angle of these facets that is depicted as the “crown angle” on the lab reports. These are the largest facets in the crown, and have the greatest impact on the light performance of the stone. The bezel facets of a diamond are illustrated in Figure 4.5, shown below.

Figure 4.5

The important statistic to consider about bezel facets is their angle. Since they are the major facets of the crown, they impact the bending of light more than the other two facet groups on the crown.

The key to finding a diamond with a good or great cut is not in the in angle measurement of the bezel facets alone, but rather in the combination created by the angle of the bezel facets and the pavilion main facets (pavilion main facets will be discussed later in this chapter). It is this combination that will produce the bending and reflecting of light. If only one set of these facets fall into the proper range, the variance in the non-conforming set of facets will offset the other.

Focusing on good combinations and how this will affect the diamond’s ability to reflect light is key if you want to find a diamond that is going to have the “wow” factor.

The Upper Girdle Facets

The upper girdle facets are those facets that have one edge touching the girdle. In stones with a “brilliant cut pattern” especially rounds, these small facets can play a very big roll. See Figure 4.6.

Figure 4.6

There are two issues that can happen with these facets that can affect the appearance and beauty of a diamond. They will both be covered under the section discussing the cut of a round diamond. So you know to look out for these topics, they are called Painting and Digging. As with any other portion of diamond cut, these points are hot points of controversy and argument. We will thoroughly discuss these issues a little later.

THE PAVILION

The Pavilion-Main Facets

The pavilion-main facets, sometimes called “the mains”, are the major facets that extend from the culet of the diamond to the edge of the girdle. These facets are responsible for the majority of the light reflection from the pavilion of the diamond. It is the angles of these facets that will determine where the light that enters the diamond will be reflected.

Figure 4.7

The measurement used to define this facet set is an angle measurement. You can see this measurement represented on a lab grading report as the “pavilion angle”. This measurement is a very important one, and, particularly in rounds, a very small change in the angle can result in huge impacts to the visual beauty and sparkle of the diamond.

Again…as with the crown angle…there is no one measurement that is the “best”. It is all about the combination of the crown and pavilion angles, working together to produce beautiful optics. Of course, there are limits, and angle measurements within certain ranges that tend to produce the nicest diamonds.

As we move through the coming chapters on cut, we will examine different shapes, and how changing the angles of the pavilion-main facets can affect the performance and beauty of a diamond.

The Lower Girdle Facets

The lower girdle facets, as their name would suggest, and just like the upper girdle facets, are the facets that extend from the edge of the girdle, down towards the pavilion. They are found in between the pavilion main facets and are grouped two together.

Figure 4.8

The primary measurement used to describe the lower girdle facets is that of length, expressed in a percentage…which is the percentage of the distance the facets cover between the edge of the girdle and the culet.

Their length is significant, as it can affect the visual beauty and appearance of a diamond, although their effect is not as great as the “pavilion mains”. Also…like their opposites (the upper girdle facets), lower girdle facets can also suffer the affects of Painting and Digging…which we will discuss later.

The Culet

The culet is the point at the bottom of the pavilion. The purpose of the culet is really to keep the diamond from being damaged on the bottom. Today, it is most common to see culets that are referred to a “None” or “Pointed”, since most diamond are brought to a sharp point at the bottom. This was not always the case however. Particularly in more antique cuts, it is quite common to see culets that are flattened, creating another facet on the bottom of the diamond.

The issue caused by having a large girdle is that it creates a facet that is parallel to the table. This opens an exit point for light to pass through at the bottom of the diamond, which allows light to pass directly through the diamond, without being reflected back to the viewer, i.e. “light leakage”.  Although the look of a large culet can be very enticing, especially in an antique stone, it is important to understand that it will allow a fair amount of light to be lost through the bottom of the stone, and will affect the overall light return of the diamond.

It is important to remember, once again, that diamonds are personal, and that something that one customer may consider undesirable, could be sought after and prized by another.

The Girdle

The girdle is the thin “band” around the widest part of the stone. The girdle is very important to the cut of a diamond, but not so much in the way of light performance. Rather, the girdle has to do with the structural soundness of the diamond. After all…the diamond will be held in the setting by the girdle, and, while being worn on the finger by its owner…there is a greater chance that the wearer will bang or knock the stone on its girdle than any other part of the diamond.

The girdle measurement, on a lab grading report, is expressed in either millimeters, or as a percentage of the stone’s total depth. It is important to have a girdle that is the right thickness. The girdle should be thick enough to be secure for setting, and secure against chipping or cracking, however if the girdle is too thick, this will hide “extra weight” in the stone. “Extra weight” is carat weight that you pay for in the price, but don’t see in the actual millimeter diameter of the diamond. There are many places that diamond cutters can hide weight in a stone…the girdle is just one. We will discuss them more in detail later on in this tutorial.

Now that we have taken the time to breakdown the different facets a diamond…we are going to focus on breaking down our next look into the world of cut by considering one shape and cut pattern at a time.  We will continue this discussion in Chapter 5.

Written by Timothy Andre, Emma Parker & Co.     www.emmaparkerdiamonds.com

Related After Effects Tutorials Articles

Advanced Music Making Techniques – Sound Envelopes For Cubase Plugins and Synths

admin    Adobe After Effects     Advanced, Cubase, Envelopes, Making, Music, Plugins, Sound, Synths, Techniques

Advanced Music Making Techniques – Sound Envelopes For Cubase Plugins and Synths

Lets assume that you start off at full blast and you stay there, then you let go of the key and your patch disappears. Implying no envelope involved. They’re the important element for sound articulation. It’s as a result of the envelopes that you could be creative and express dynamic sounds via your synthesizer. You’ll study about them briefly, although they’re rather tough to understand. Think of the average envelope being as 4 primary entities.

Entity 1 :

If you require good string sounds then do the following. Set it moderately high where the sound will gradually decline. If you set to nothing then the sound would immediately be at full tilt. So you want to attack meaning the sound is rising up to its maximum level.

Entity 2 :

When the attack brings the sound up and stays at the level how long it stays there is known as the decay. If you set it at max. level then it will stay there permanently which means the sustain stage is of no value.

Entity three :

Once the decay stage has ended it’ll be at the sustain level where it stays. In various cases reckoning on your synthesiser you would have a dedicated sustain time setting, which means it’ll decay the sustain stage after an adjusted time period.

Entity four :

The sustain level takes a period of time to decline to silence. This is the release, and its nearly like reverb at the sound ending. If you want it to be instant then set the release level to nothing.

Get a picture in your head of the envelopes then with practising the programming of the envelopes you would master it. Think of every entity on graph paper where you are dedicating higher to lower points as it goes through the various entities and the sound changes. Picture the sound increasing through the attack, decreasing through the decay, remaining in the determined level of the sustain, then eventually it disappears through the release when you let go.

To articulate the filter it wants a filter envelope. You should be able to see a dedicated knob for the filter frequency. Youre going to programme the filter envelope simply as you will whatsoever average envelope after you turn down the normal cut off filter, and turn the filter envelope cut-off higher.

It’ll take a little getting used to. To hear something impressive turn the sustain on the filter envelope off, forget about the release and attack. Then make the decay short and turn up the release. What youre doing here is using the envelope to cut-off the frequency, thus youre not changing the volume. Say you increase the attack on the filter envelope, you’ll create brass sounds.

Now you can use all these techniques with VST plugins. But how easy are VST plugins? Simply stated, it is a drop-dead easy-to-use method to start churning out music tracks so YOU can start rolling out these beats, loops and samples effortlessly even if you’re doing them for the first time.

It is as easy as PUSH-BUTTON. Just run and vst audio software and load the plugins and effects and it’ll all come together and work for you.

No matter if you’re a beginner in music software production or a seasoned pro, you will be delighted with the arsenal of effects and plugins available to you. You no longer have to fiddle with complex synthesizers or software settings. All the hard work has already been done for you!

Advanced Artistry Photoshop Tutorials

admin    Adobe TV     Advanced, Artistry, Photoshop, Tutorials

If you’re a Photoshop user with a working knowledge of the basics, you may well enjoy the Advanced Artistry Photoshop tutorials. With this intermediate level training package you can hone some very advanced Photoshop skills. Here is what you’ll learn.

The Introductory CD will tell you all about the course and the instructor, including some tips on how best to learn from the Photoshop tutorials. You’ll learn about the technical aspects of the presentation and its variations from Mac to PC.

The next of the Photoshop tutorial CDS is called Utilities. Machine basics are included in this lesson plan, as well as PS preference and essential shortcuts. You’ll learn navigation shortcuts, as well as those for imaging, tools, and workspace.

You’ll get a quick review of all the keystroke and Photoshop super shortcut techniques and help setting up your own workspace.

The next of the Photoshop tutorials tackles the subject of retouching. In this CD you’ll learn the professional retouching techniques, how to assess the Photoshop image, how to analyze the histogram, as well as the contrast, lighting and texture.

You learn how to do an analysis of the focus and to manage the contrast controls. You’ll learn the ins and outs of contrast levels, and the use of each level. You’ll learn to use curves, to enhance color and the advanced techniques to avoid saturation.

These Photoshop tutorials will also teach you to use the patch tool and the healing brush, and to burn and dodge demos without destruction. You’ll also master the technique of red eye reduction.

Advanced artistry tutorials in this Photoshop lesson package will also include a CD that teaches how to adjust for focus and the center of interest, how to sharpen the focus, how to enhance the field depth and how to fish or burn edges.

In the fine art toning CD you learn intermediate and advanced techniques of producing black and white photos from color originals, how to work with and create sepia tones, selenium tones, digital cyanotypes and maps with gradients.

Fine art photograph effects lessons include soft focusing, angelic and dramatic posing, high contrast and high keys and cross processing.

Including in this Photoshop tutorial is mastery of fine techniques for people’s skin, giving them the look of perfect skin, of radiant and dramatically glowing skin, advanced techniques in metal skin looks, infrared and translucent skin, and the use of maps for displacement.

Natural media and landscape techniques are taught in Photoshop advanced artistry tutorials as well.

Enhancing the skies and adding sky from other photos are techniques taught, as well as using the history and art history brushes, and burning and dodging without being destructive.

If you want to create a professional hand drawn look you can master that technique through Photoshop tutorials, and can also learn watercolor, logos, and vector illustration too. Hand tinting lessons are varied and include painting in a color mode and adjusting of layers.

Grid and Tech glows, TV scan lines, pixel drags, and edges and borders that are soft, painted, beveled or burned are all advanced artistry Photoshop tutorial lessons.