What is a Seng Firey Diamond and why is it any different?

Thoughts expressed by Greg Stanfield
Seng Photographer/Graphic Designer/Gemologist

For years now you have seen in our ads "Do You Have The Fire? The Seng Firey Diamond™", but when it comes right down to it, what does that mean?

To make a long story short, it was proven in 1919 though optical science by a gentleman named Marcel Tolkowsky, that if you cut a diamond to specific proportions, the light that entered the top of the stone, would be internally refracted (bounced) and come back out the top of the stone. Cut to any other angles, the light would escape the stone from the bottom or sides. (Refer to illustrations below)










The proportions shown below, as well as how good the symmetry and polish are on the stone are what the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the American Gem Society (AGS) use today to determine the cutting grade of a stone. Yet in spite of this knowledge, why is it estimated that only 4% of all diamonds used in jewelry today are cut to ideal proportions.















I feel the reason is, that most (unenlightened) people have a bigger is better mind set which the diamond cutting industry is well aware of.

In order to cut a diamond to ideal proportions, more of the rough diamond must be cut away (wasted). Let's say you have a 1.25 carat rough diamond crystal. If you could cut this diamond and waste only 20% of a rough diamond, you would get a 1.00 carat cut diamond. It may have a high crown, thick girdle and deep pavilion, which means it will leak light from the bottom and sides of the stone; it will be difficult to set; and be prone to prong loosening, but what the hell, you've got a one carat diamond.

On the other hand, If you cut a diamond to ideal proportions, you may cut away (waste) 40% of the rough diamond, leaving you with only a .75 carat cut stone. Yes, it weighs less and will cost the same as the larger stone, but it may look as large as the poorly cut diamond which has more of it's weight distributed through it's height. Plus, it will have so much fire and brilliancy that you can see it from across the room; it will be easier to set and more secure in the mounting; it won't show the dirt and oils that collect on the bottom as much; and it will hold it's value better.

So what does a Seng Firey Diamond™ have to do with any of this? A few years ago, the owners of Seng discovered a diamond cutter that cut the most optically perfect diamonds they had ever seen. Upon further research, they discovered that during the cutting process, an instrument called a firescope was used to insure that the reflection of each facet was aligned perfectly with it's apposing facet.

You would think this could easily be achieved with computers, however there are conditions in a diamond that prevent light from traveling in a straight line. Things like internal graining, inclusions, or differences in density, so each diamond must be hand cut and continually checked throughout the cutting process. The cutter checks each diamond over 200 times with the Firescope to make sure that each facet perfectly reflects the light from the apposing facet.

What you end up with is a level of efficiency in light refraction and symmetry never before seen in a diamond. Every one of the diamonds has a perfect eight star pattern and zero light leakage when viewed from the top.

Lee Davis (one of Seng's owners) purchased several of the diamonds and did blind tests with the staff, comparing the normal ideal cut diamond with these precision cut diamonds. In every case, the staff picked the precision cut diamond as the more beautiful.

Understanding the beauty and rarity of these diamonds, the owners of Seng developed an exclusive relationship with this diamond cutter to cut what is now referred to as the Seng Firey Diamond™.

The photos below were taken by me of a Seng Firey Diamond™. The one on the left was taken in my light box and the one on the right was takes through the Firescope, which we refer to as the symmetriscope.










The photos below were taken through the symmetriscope. The diamond on the left shows a typical ideally proportioned diamond. Notice the white areas around the girdle (noted by the arrows). The white areas are where you are seeing through the diamond to the white background behind. Notice that the Seng Firey Diamond™ to the right has no white areas and a perfect eight star pattern.











The white areas in the diamond on the left will appear black under normal lighting conditions, which make them look a fraction smaller than a Seng Firey Diamond™ of equal size.

A rough diamond is cool to look at, but it's really not anything you want to wear in jewelry. It's not until a diamond is faceted by man that it's beauty is revealed. The better it's cut, the more beautiful it is.











The Seng Firey Diamond™ is for the person who wants the maximum amount of beauty possible from a diamond. Not the person that just wants to boast of a diamonds size, clarity or color. A bigger diamond does not mean a more beautiful diamond.

When buying a diamond, the "C" that most people easily notice is Color. In a Seng Firey Diamond™, there is so much fire and brilliancy coming from the stone that it masks the body color. We sell many stones in the K,L color range that body color is unnoticed.

Are they more expensive? Yes they are. Why? Because more of the rough stone is lost and It takes approximately 30 hours to cut one Seng Firey Diamond™, as apposed to the 5 to 7 hours it takes to cut the typical stone. But the difference is amazing.

We don't only carry Seng Firey Diamonds™. To be competitive in the jewelry business, we must also sell diamonds with lower cutting grades, but we feel so strongly that cutting is the most important of the 4-C's, that our primary focus is on ideally proportioned diamonds.

Don't make a buying decision until you fully understand the factors that determine a diamonds true value. Let us show you the what to look for and see for yourself the difference that cutting can make.

To learn more about Seng Jewelers, please visit our web site at www.sengjewelers.com.