ASET images and their importance.

When buying a diamond it is helpful to use data in order to guide your search. Some vendors provide ASET images along with a grading certificate while others provide only a certificate or nothing at all. ASET images and a diamond certificate can help you understand each individual diamonds unique characteristics.

The purpose of this post is not to say that you need an ASET image to find a beautiful diamond, it is help you make sense of these images and to understand why vendors who provide them charge a premium for their products.

Vendors such as Whiteflash and Brian Gavin provide ASET images for all of their in house diamonds. Consumers can use a combination of grading certificate and ASET images to find diamonds with maximum sparkle and brilliance. In reality the in house inventories from both Brian Gavin Diamonds and Whiteflash are called "in house" because they actually own the diamonds they sell (excluding virtual selections). These diamonds are all above average when it comes to cut quality. This is unlike many drop ship style vendors that can be found online. Some of the vendors who use a drop ship business model will never actually see the diamond they are selling you in person. Brian Gavin and Whteflash provide ASET images because they own the diamonds they are selling and want to show customers the superior light return data of their truly world class stones.

So let's do a quick breakdown of what these images represent and how to use them.

Brilliance or what is often perceived as whiteness in a diamond is in large part due to light return. The Color of the diamond which is well known from the 4 C's is only part of what makes a diamond white. The response to light in a well cut diamond will create a series of reflections that help it to be described as bright or illuminated across all types of lighting conditions. In natural light, low light and direct light super ideal diamonds will outshine the rest. How much better they shine is open to interpretation but the market for super ideal diamonds is active. For the discerning buyer super ideal diamonds are a great option.

A couple of side notes. Both Whiteflash and Brian Gavin will notate a diamond as being eye clean on their site so, if you are considering a diamond with a lower clarity grade you can be sure that there will be no visible inclusions from a normal viewing distance. Super Ideal diamonds will produce a phenomenon known as hearts and arrows. You will see hearts and arrows in diamond photos and videos as well as in advertising campaigns. Some vendors sell hearts and arrows diamonds with varying standards of quality and while those products are probably well cut to be kindly optimistic, the super ideal hearts and arrows diamonds sold by Brian Gavin and Whiteflash are on a tier above the rest.

So now you know why Brian Gavin and Whiteflash provide ASET images. They want you to see, that the diamonds they sell have stellar performance. Their diamonds are some of the best you can find on the world market.

You will pay a premium to own one of these products in most part because it takes more raw material to create a diamond of this caliber. Cut is not sacrificed for size or carat weight which costs them more.

The other part of the premium is because Whiteflash and Brian Gavin save you time and give you peace of mind. The Signature Series diamonds by Brian Gavin and the A Cut Above diamonds from Whiteflash are essentially guaranteed to be the best of the best.

If you need any more upside, it is said that super ideal diamonds look bigger and face up whiter than traditional ideal or triple excellent diamonds. So if you want the ring to look extra big and bright, super ideal is a superb choice. Some will advise that it is better to put your budget towards a larger carat size rather than going with a super ideal. I would counter by asking them if they have any data to support that opinion. Which brings us to our examples of ASET images below.

This image shows superior light return in a diamond with super ideal cut quality and proportions. Red indicates brightness, blue or dark blue shows contrast which is a good thing. Green indicates slightly less brightness than red and will generally be seen in the center of a well cut diamond.

So solid red color along with green in the center indicates excellent light return. Solid red along with blue in a defined contrast pattern shows that the diamond will have a good balance of brilliance and scintillation. This means that the diamond should look white and illuminated in varied lighting conditions and should have large flashes and chunks of bright light that seem close to the eye even from afar.

What to look out for when using ASET to asses a diamond is: too much white, pink or faded areas, too much green, shades of brown or light green. In this split screen style image you see murky or pale areas on the right that show poor light return and contrast within the diamond. The left side shows above average light return like in the previous image we examined.

Next we see an image with a fair amount of green. While this image may be on par with many diamonds in the market and is not technically a very poor choice, it would not meet the standards of a Whiteflash or Brian Gavin branded diamond.

Using reliable data to make an informed decision is important whether shopping in store or online. ASET images and certificates are available to you from vendors like Brian Gavin and Whiteflash. Need a hand in you search? Interested in having an independent advisor to look at a diamond you are considering? We are always happy to assist and our service is always free. See how enjoyable buying a diamond can be. Click Here to contact us today.