90,000+Clientes satisfeitos
20+Anos
MundialmenteEnvio
Carrinho
Relatório gratuito Incluído
Mundialmente Envio
30 dias Devoluções
Central de Ajuda Envio Pagamento e check-out Devoluções Certificates Contato
Início › Ajuda › Gemstone Brilliance & Luster
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) / Gems With the Most Brilliance and Fire

Is there a Difference Between Brilliance and Luster in Gemstones?

Gemstone Brillance Versus Luster
Click to Enlarge Image
Shop Brilliant Gemstones

Brilliance, fire and luster have loose meanings in everyday language, but they are technical terms in gemology. Brilliance refers to the light reflected back to the eye from the interior of a gem. Thus only transparent gemstones can be said to exhibit brilliance, particularly those that have faceted-cut. Luster, on the other hand, refers to the light reflected from a gemtone's surface. Brilliance is graded from low to high, but luster is usually described in terms such as vitreous (glass-like), adamantine (diamond-like), silky, resinous and greasy (jade and opal). Pearls and gemstone cabochons are often graded by their luster, while faceted gemstones are often graded by their brilliance (in addition to color). View our refractive index chart to see which gemstones exhibit the most brilliance. Read more about gemstone brilliance, luster and fire and in our in-depth article.

Return to FAQ HOME
Enlarged Gemstone Image