Photos of gems
You're about to buy a gem online. How can you tell if the photos accurately reflect reality? Discover our tips for interpreting close-up images and correctly assessing the size and details of gemstones.
The photos you see on this site correspond to the stones for sale; they are not illustrative photos.
How Gem Photos Are Taken
They are made with a reflex camera and a Macro lens under artificial light of temperature 5200K to 6500K which corresponds to daylight. This is the reference temperature for observing stones (and almost everything that is impacted by light). Because depending on the type of light (incandescent, Neon, etc.) the color can change.
The macro lens allows me to present the stones to you as if you were seeing them with a 10x or even larger magnifying glass.
Effects of Close-Ups on Perception
The first thing to be aware of is that close-up photos completely alter the perception of size. They make the stones appear much larger, so be sure to check the dimensions in the description of each stone. Otherwise, you may be disappointed when the package arrives. That's why I try to include a photo in the box for smaller stones to help you get a sense of the size.
Details and Inclusions
On the other hand, the photos you can see on this site show you the stones as you would never see them with the naked eye, like in a jewelry store. They highlight details and therefore certain inclusions normally invisible to the naked eye. But in the interest of transparency and so that you know exactly what you are buying, I prefer to show you the stones from this angle. That way, if the stone you are buying has inclusions invisible to the eye and one day you place it under a magnifying glass or a microscope, you will not have the feeling of having been duped.
Challenges of Photography of Cut Stones
Cut stones are very difficult to photograph. Each facet reflects light differently. The stone's fire (decomposition of light into a sort of mini rainbow) and its brilliance are almost impossible to capture in a photograph. Unless you do image superimposition, which requires a huge amount of computer processing time, which professional photographers do for exceptional jewelry.
I strive to make the photos as faithful to reality as possible. But they always look better in real life...
That's why I try to add a video for the more expensive stones. The result is a little better.
Size vs. Weight in Carats
Another very important point,
Finally, do not rely solely on the carat weight to represent the size of a stone because depending on how they are cut, two identical stones of equal weight can have a completely different size.
