Novelty Cut Diamond Faceted as Iconic Apple Logo
A novelty cut 1.13 ct Fancy yellow diamond was recently submitted to the Carlsbad laboratory for color origin and identification service. The diamond was cut in the shape of a bitten apple and bore a striking resemblance to the iconic Apple logo found on Apple Inc. products (figure 1). Standard FTIR absorption spectrum identified it as a type Ia diamond with high nitrogen concentration. Standard UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed the typical UV-Vis absorption spectra of cape diamond, with the N2 (478 nm) and N3 (415.2 nm) defects that are responsible for the fancy yellow color in the “Apple” diamond. The stone showed strong blue fluorescence when exposed to long-wave UV radiation, typical of cape diamond (figure 2).
New cutting styles of diamonds are often designed either for efficient light return and weight retention properties or to resemble other items. Examples of the latter include the sword-shaped diamond with “fire and ice” fluorescence (Fall 2020 Lab Notes, pp. 416–419) and the “seated Buddha” (Fall 1996 Gems News, p. 215). This particular diamond was most likely fashioned in the shape of an apple as a novelty and to retain weight, as the stone showed significant windowing, which suggests that the rough was too shallow to allow for more efficient light return. This unique shape for a faceted diamond is a welcome addition to the wide range of novelty cut diamonds currently available in the trade.
