My soon-to-be wife's new fluorescent Diamond

[itw3ak]

Hey all, though some of you might want to take a look. I had no idea until my recent trip to the jewelry store (with my 8x blu-ray laser in pocket) that 1 in 4 diamonds are fluorescent under UV light. So naturally I displayed my MXDL to the jeweler and she happily asked me to shine it on all of the display diamonds and see which may "glow" lol.
Well my wife to be has new engagement ring with at least three blue fluorescent diamonds in it and I though my fellow geeks would like a few pix to see this for themselves. I did find an older thread about this but sadly saw no pix. So here they are.

 

[scopeguy20]

I have 2 that both fluoresce and show Phosphorescence (in different colors too btw), Blue and yellow/Green respectively. -Glenn

 

[Benm]

Its not uncommon for natural diamonds to fluoresce. Blue and yellow are seen relatively often, green is rare.

 

[jwc]

I thought that fluorescence was a telltale sign that the diamond was synthetic.

 

[rangedunits]

This diamond would make a Nice heatsink ^^, you know what i mean

 

[scopeguy20]

I thought that fluorescence was a telltale sign that the diamond was synthetic.

No, that does not prove it is synthetic. Natural diamonds will in my experience fluoresce enough to be noticed in long wave UV, (without laser intensity) about 15% of the diamonds checked. I have long known that all man-made diamond both fluoresce, and contain a square pattern in the glowing areas, it's this square pattern, that is only seen in the glow of man made diamond. And therefore is proof of a synthetic if it is diamond
further, folks are easily confused by the terms a simulated and synthetic, a simulant may be made of many other compounds, (Cubic Zirconia, Silicon carbide, to Glass or may be natural as in white topaz or zircon), but to be a diamond, (natural or synthetic), it must be chemically, optically and have all the physical properties of natural diamond, older synthetic diamonds near always had tiny metal inclusions from the vessel they were created in, (usually a platinum crucible), the best modern ones are only determinable as I spoke of above.

Before I have high intensity near UV lasers to get the stones excited to the maximum, I never saw or heard of a phosphorescent diamond, they could be very rare, but the two I now have found, have made me want to find out how rare this phenomena is. Please be very careful in pointing any laser at any faceted stones, but if you test them, please report to me if you can juice up a diamond in a dark place, and right after you turn off the 405 laser, the diamond still glows for a few min, or just seconds, and what color it glows? Thanks! -Glenn

 

[jwc]

(very detailed, interesting info)

Thanks very much for the info, Glenn; that was really informative. The reason why I had thought otherwise is because I saw an episode of Nova about creating synthetic diamonds. They had simply said that the man-made diamonds fluoresce but the natural ones didn't. That's interesting to hear that there's quite a bit more to it.

 

[Benm]

Before I have high intensity near UV lasers to get the stones excited to the maximum, I never saw or heard of a phosphorescent diamond, they could be very rare, but the two I now have found, have made me want to find out how rare this phenomena is.

It is not that rare for diamonds to phosphoresce too. One example you are likely to know of is the Hope diamond.

Pure diamond (i.e. 100% carbon with no lattice defects) will do neither, but doesnt really exist either in nature or lab grown.

 

[bryce007]

You brought an 8x into a store? I'd be afraid of using that high power laser in public.

 

[itw3ak]

Thanks for that info man, Ill have to take a pic of the after glow once its "charged" with the laser. Three of the stones give off a yellow glow (that one in the front more predominantly). Personally I would absolutely pic a fluorescent diamond over a "boring" "high grade" piece of glass! I mean come on, I'm a geek and a laser fanatic. A glowing diamond is just so much cooler then a otherwise visually indistinguishable clear rock.
Yes the hope diamond is said to be great to see under UV They say it glows a nice red/orange. Id make a trip to the Smithsonian in DC just to blast it with a 405nm pointer lol.
Thanks for that info scopeguy20.

 

[Benm]

Hehe.. somehow i doubt they will be very happy when people start pointing lasers at their prized diamond. The phosphorescense is pretty weak in any case, and probably not visible under normally lit museum conditions.

And letting some dude with a laser spent the night at the museum to play with the big diamond... nah ;p

 

[itw3ak]

Hehe.. somehow i doubt they will be very happy when people start pointing lasers at their prized diamond. The phosphorescense is pretty weak in any case, and probably not visible under normally lit museum conditions.

And letting some dude with a laser spent the night at the museum to play with the big diamond... nah ;p

True, don't think they would let me hehe. Though I have had some fish at the Baltimore Aquarium chase a violet laser beam

Anyway, have fun and enjoy the neat effects violet lasers have on things, and don't get in trouble doing it

 

[ZRTMWA]

Wooo! Bmore aquarium! I haven't been there in a while. Did you use it in the main tank, just inside the entrance to the right? There would've been so many people watching though maybe even aquarium security. Oh well you would've been able to see sharks with lasers

 

[scopeguy20]

Your welcome itw3ak;584681, I came about much of what I know of gems and diamonds, from going to the shows and conventions and asking questions, in the early 60's I started making jewelry in addition to collecting rocks and gems, (I was quite fond of crystals early on), and later I went to GIA and Rancho Santiago "Gemology colleges", as, I find gems and minerals fascinating, and it seems, there are quite a few minerals and gems that fluoresce.
I think in rocks and minerals daguin is a great person to use for questions, btw.
Many sapphires will glow and from my experience most good rubies and emeralds do too, some things will glow in shorter wavelength light (notably rock salt from the Calif. salt flats0, and much less or not noticeably in long wave.
There are also several simi-precious stones that glow, (calcite, amber, opal an Sugilite & Kunsite come to mind), and there are many more
Dave says he knows on no long wave glowing materials tht a BR laser will not make glow, and this is so far true in my experience too. I hope this exploration goes on, and I do caution that there is ome confusion and mis-information about. Some maybe many folks do not know phosphorescence form fluorescence for example, but I hope we get more good information here as we go along. Thanks & Best Wishes! -Glenn

 

[Tabish]

Congratz itw3ak !!!

Amazing how those glow under UV.

 

[itw3ak]

Wooo! Bmore aquarium! I haven't been there in a while. Did you use it in the main tank, just inside the entrance to the right? There would've been so many people watching though maybe even aquarium security. Oh well you would've been able to see sharks with lasers

Was there right after they closed so there was no one watching me lol. It was a smaller tank but it was interesting the reaction those complacent fish had to an alien beam of what turned fluorescent yellow light shoot through the tank hehe. I meant them no harm mind you and I love animals. Just wanted to see how visible a 120mW blu-ray would be in the dark water.