GRADING REPORT RSZI181
- Identification: Natural Unheated & Untreated Zircon
- Carat: 1.81
- Shape: Round Brilliant
- Measures: 6.71-6.92x4.38mm
- Color Grade: Very Good
- Tone: Light Medium 33
- Color Zoning: None
- Clarity: Free of Inclusions
- Cutting Grade: Excellent (precision cut) (see comment)
o Brilliancy: 99%
o Depth: 65%
- Origin: Sri Lanka
- Treatment: None
Certificate No: IGI 380995074
Overall Grade: Excellent
Comment: The main image, as well as the handshot below, captured the maximum brilliancy of this zircon a tilt before full light turns the gem into a shiny yellow glitter ball without any details. As so often with such optically high-powered gems, we need several images to, well, 'get the picture'. The darker toned photo below, with less light falling into the gem's front, aka its 'face', shows the detailed quality of cut and shape but doesn't give us the gem's true color. The more light is allowed to fall into the gem the better the luster, but inner details start blurring for the camera. In most such gems a simple side-photo shows the real color, yet, in this specially bright crystal even the side and back turned out overly shiny so we had to add a shot from an angle, in the tilted position below, showing hue and tone with the least 'distraction'. Out comes a pinkish gold with a tint of orange and yellow. A beautifully tender spring color, sunny and cheerful. Returning to the original task, you can now superimpose the color onto the perfect cut .... 'et la voilà': the gem as in real life. Will make a great solitary ring stone up to size ten (US), lots of diamantine fire in a soft golden pink. Best princess show for the buck.
Excursion on fine hand cutting: One needs a lens to distinguish a fine handcut from a perfect precision cut. The latter comes with exactly meeting edges, tightly ordered facets, 100% accurate angles, etc etc. all with zero human error, less with any ugly gem faux-pas. A perfect handcut, does also NOT commit any visible ugly offenses, no crude asymmetries, no fish-eye windows, no off-center culets or bad polishing etc. but under the lens you catch these little human defects that reveal the cutter's lack of design software and precision hard-ware. An experienced cutter with traditional quality tools and (most importantly) fine rough material can give a gem almost as much beauty as a precision cutter but the last fine detail is beyond his reach. Does it matter, you may ask? Yes, if you love perfection and want only the best. No, if you don't want to pay the precision-cut-premium, won't use the lens anyways, and 'only' want the prettiest gem for your money.
