to
be flawed. This condition arises from faults of proportion whereby the
rough edge or skin of the stone around the girdle is reflected into the
interior of the diamond. It is usually found in stones which are cut
too shallow on the culet side. If a diamond is not sufficiently deep
from the girdle to the culet, a reflection of all rough places on the
girdle will appear in the body of the stone. These reflections are not
distinctly visible to the naked eye though they destroy to some extent
the brilliancy of the jewel. Under the loup they become so prominent
that one unaccustomed to them would think they existed in the stone.
They are indisputable evidence that the stone is not cut so as to give
the proper brilliancy, and diamonds of this character should be used
only where a large surface effect at a minimum cost is wanted.
To
find flaws, use a jeweler's double loup with an inch focus; if that is
not at hand, blow the breath quickly on the stone while it is cold, and
search for them while the resulting mist lasts.
