Diamond Calculator Documentation
Version 3.0
August 3, 2007
- 1 What is DiamCalc and who benefit from it
DiamCalc is a system for cut gemstones modeling, which enables the precise calculation of the diamond weight and determination of cut proportions. The real (photorealistic) image of a polished diamond created by the system makes it possible to determine the cut properties that cannot be measured and to find the optimal combination of cut parameters that would provide the best perception (brilliance, fire, scintillation etc.) of the stone.
Scintillation is the last great frontier of diamond cut studies. Regular ray tracing software and lab grading systems have failed to model scintillation and capture this “bloom” factor. Now buyers and sellers can realistically show a client, or visualize a distant diamond themselves before buying it. They can see just how it will look as they rock it from side to side in their own environment and even make promotional videos for individual diamonds.
DiamCalc’s High Dynamic Range lighting can come from a variety of panoramas such as a ball room, forest or hillside so anyone can see how the diamond will look in each of these environments. Jewelers of the future will no doubt import panoramic images of their own sales floor into DiamCalc.
The Diamond calculator is designed for jewelers, diamond graders, sale specialists dealing with diamonds and diamond jewelry, manufacturers and technologists.
- 2 What is new in the DiamCalc 3.0 ?
- 2.1 New features in the photorealistic rendering mode
- • Light bloom or flare effect
- • Lighting with external high dynamic range panorama (HDR)
- • Lighting with generated panorama (zones and light sources)
- • Paper sheet environment
- • Observer model
Bloom effect
The bloom or flare effect produces fringes of light around very bright objects in an image, as stressed by the red squares in the actual rendering screenshot below:
The physical basis of bloom is that lenses (including those in our eyes) can never focus perfectly in the real world. Under normal circumstances, these focus imperfections are not noticeable, but an intensely bright light source will cause the imperfections to become visible. As a result, the image of the bright light appears to spread (bleeds) beyond its actual borders.
Depending on the background colour or shade, the bloom can appear to extend outside the edges of the diamond.
Lighting panorama with high dynamic range (HDR)
A lighting environment can be defined by a high dynamic range panorama (also referred to as HDR panorama). Luminance or radiance observed in the real world can usually be stored in special high dynamic range images that correspond to actual physical values. This additional information makes high dynamic range images that are different to traditional digital images that may appear on a monitor or on a paper print. For example in the photo image above the bright parts of the sky radiate much more light than is seen in a regular photograph, and such intense light sources can create a bloom or flare in a gemstone.
Lighting with generated panoramas
Panoramas with different light sources can be generated by specifying the size and quantity of light sources.
Panoramas with colored zones (up to 8 zones) can also be generated.
A panorama for the «Office» lighting environment can also be generated.
Paper sheet environment
A paper sheet can be rendered either using an external texture or one that is a generated in a grid-style. In the latter case, you can customize grid settings, paper color, size and other options.
Observer model
DiamCalc 3.0 supports a 2D observer model. The observer model consists of two parts: the observer head and the observer body. This observer model design allows simulation of a head inclined above a gem being observed. You can set up the observer height, eye position, shoulder position, head incline angle and mask parameters.
- 2.2 ETAS images
Additional features in new version of DiamCalc include ETAS (effective total angular size) pictures which at a glance give a good indication of where a diamond can gather light that creates brightness and sparkle. The image to the left is an ETAS image for an emerald cut. The image on the right shows an ETAS images from the diamonds perspective overlain on the HDR image of the observer placed inside a ballroom. ETAS is the basic functional tool for the quantification of the basic light performance responses calculated by DiamCalc3. But DiamCalc3 takes this a further stage by computing for two eyes and other observer specific variables such as pupil size and viewing distance. Dynamic ETAS (DETAS) is a metric for quantification of scintillation.
- 2.3 Cut Designer tool builds variable models
For companies active in designing special cuts such as many Sightholders, Tiffany and Swarovski, the new cut designer tool enables the creation of parametric models with tied proportions that can all be varied. Previously computer aided design software required the laborious creation of separate models for every proportion set.
- 2.4 Added Natural Diamond and Cubic Zirconia to the list of materials for setting refraction in Gem properties
- 2.5 Added the new GIA appraiser for Brilliant cut. It is named GIA_PCT_2006
This appraiser provides estimation of the overall cut quality, using several cut parameters simultaneously, namely Pavilion, Crown and Table. The parameters that are taken into account during stone appraisal are displayed in gray, red or green color. The red color means that it is necessary to decrease the parameter value to get to a better group, the green color suggests to increase the parameter value. There is also a special button «Better group» that changes all parameters of the stone to move it to a nearest better group. Organization of this appraiser is similar to AGS_2005.
- 3 New photorealistic HDR rendering options
- 3.1 Getting started with new photorealistic rendering options
To configure and set the rendering mode options, select Options->HDR Settings, as shown in the screen shot below:
Once Options->HDR Settings is selected, the new dialog box appears to the right:
The HDR Settings dialog consists of Tabs and Groups:
There are four tabs in the HDR Settings dialog, as listed below:
- • Rendering
- • Panorama
- • Paper
- • Observer
Every tab has its own groups. For example, the groups for the Rendering tab are shown in the screen shot above.
You can hide/show a group by clicking on its title. That is, clicking a title of the group being shown makes the group area collapse; clicking a hidden group title makes the group area appear again, as shown below:
|
|
- 3.2 The Rendering tab
| In the Rendering tab, you can disable or enable showing several effects, such as bloom or anti-aliasing (Smoothing the jagged appearance of diagonal lines in a bitmapped image). To show an effect just checks the appropriate field.
|
- 3.3 The Panorama tab
| The Panorama tab consists of a preview window which is always shown at the top and several groups below. These groups below can be scrolled up and down for the Panorama (and observer) tab groups using a very narrow pale blue bar on the right. More detailed explanations of the preview window and the Panorama tab groups follow: |
The Preview window
The Preview window allows you to see the current panorama, either a loaded one or a generated one, or both overlain together. |
|
The General group
The General group allows you to set the panorama size. |
|
The Lights group
First check the box Enables light sources in the group parameters.
Once the Enable light sources check box is checked, you can generate light sources for the panorama. You can specify the light sources diameter and intervals between them. In accordance with your data input, the light sources will be placed all over the sphere automatically. Unfortunately it is not possible to choose light source positions individually, although you can choose whether to distribute light sources over the upper hemisphere only or the entire panorama.
You can also specify light sources blurring parameters and color multiplier.
Under Standard lighting subgroup you can specify if any of the standard lighting presets should be used. |
|
The Hemisphere group
The Hemisphere group contains the Enable light hemisphere check box as its first element, which is initially unchecked. Checking the Enable light hemisphere check box allows generation of a synthetic panorama consisting of zones, as discussed later in the Zones Tutorial. |
|
The External group
An external high dynamic range panorama can be loaded here. Check Enable external image and press the Load button (this button marked red on screenshot), then you can load any .hdr file: |
|
- 3.4 The Paper tab
| In this tab, you can adjust the properties and the look of the paper texture.
The dialog lets you to choose whether you want to use an existing picture of a real paper sheet or generate an artificial grid. The selection buttons highlighted green in the screenshot allow you to switch these two modes: if the Load Texture button is checked, a provided external picture will be used as the paper texture. If you prefer to use an artificially generated squared paper imitation grid as the paper texture, check the Generate Grid button.
| |||||
The General settings group allows you to adjust the paper sheet options, as it appears in the rendering window.
The Size setting affects the size of the paper rectangle.
Distance determines the paper offset relative to the gemstone position. A negative value of –n mm moves the paper n millimeters behind the gemstone. For instance, the value of -5.00 shown in the screenshot, places the paper five millimeters behind the stone.
The Texture size setting determines how big the paper texture will be. The bigger texture — the more details (providing the original image is at least as big as the selected texture size, in case of external picture use). |
| |||||
To load a texture, check Load Texture: |
| |||||
The Browse button is enabled now, so you can press it and select the desired paper image from your disk. The supported file format is HDR, or High Dynamic Range image. |
| |||||
To generate a squared paper imitation grid, check Generate Grid: |
|
Set the grid options: |
|
- 3.5 The Observer tab
| The Observer tab contains controls responsible for the observer image, position and posture parameters, as well as the eyes position and shoulder line setting. |
To load an external observer picture, press Browse and choose a BMP file:
|
|
To set observer parameters, such as the observer height, eyes position, shoulder line position and head incline angle, you can use the Observer parameters group: |
|
Alternatively, you can press the Set Parameters button and use an intuitive graphical dialog to set these parameters: |
|
Here is the dialog: |
| |
|
| |
Make sure you're in Image mode: |
|
You can zoom in and out by checking the zoom button and then clicking on a point of interest on the observer image to zoom. Left click zooms in, while right click zooms out: |
| |
|
| |
For free-hand image scrolling, use the button with a hand icon: |
|
To set the eyes position, press the eye-labeled button and left click on the specific point on the observer image where you want the eye point to be placed (normally this point should be between the eyes of the observer): |
| |
|
| |
To set shoulders position, press the button with a shoulder line pictogram and place the line (by left clicking on the observer image) where the shoulders should be:
|
|
You can learn about the current image transparency mask by choosing the Selection mode. This should be particularly handy for BMP images: |
|
- 3.6 Making a synthetic panorama with zones
Step 1: Beginning
Check the Enable light hemisphere check box in the Panorama tab, Hemisphere group. The left side of this dialogue box is the lower part of the hemisphere and the right side is the upper zenith: |
|
Step 2. Configuring the leftmost zone
There are two zones available by default: the one on the right and the one on the left.
To select the leftmost zone, click the square on the left edge of zones control:
The Current Zone subgroup below the zones control represents parameter values for the currently selected zone: Border, Cosine power, Color and Color multiplier. |
|
As you can see by selecting the leftmost zone square, this zone border is fixed: the Border (degrees) parameter is set to -90.0 degrees and you cannot change this value. You can change Cosine power, Color and Color multiplier for the leftmost zone.
For example, to change the color of the zone, press the drop-down list arrow for the Color parameter: |
| |
|
| |
Clicking the arrow will open the color picker window: |
|
In the color picker window, you can choose the zone color you want. The screenshot below illustrates the green color chosen for the leftmost zone: |
|
In addition to the ability of changing the zone color, you may want to change the value of either Cosine power or Color multiplier, or both.
To change the appropriate parameter value, type a modified value in the corresponding box: |
|
With the new values for Cosine power and Color multiplier parameters submitted, you can instantly see their impact on the panorama presented in the Preview window at the top of the Panorama tab.
Step 3. Configuring an inner zone
To select an inner zone, click the arrow at the middle of zones control: |
|
In the Current Zone subgroup, you can see the parameters values for the zone selected. Setting up inner zone parameters is similar to that of the leftmost zone, described in the previous section.
There are two ways of changing the angle of the inner zone border. The first way is to type the value between -90 and 90 degrees into the text box:
When a new value for the Border parameter is entered, you can see the inner zone arrow automatically change its position on the zones control. |
|
You can achieve the same effect in a different way. Select the inner zone arrow and drag it to the new preferred position. You can just click on the zone you want and hold the mouse button down while moving the mouse cursor to a position where you want the zone to be placed:
The Borders (degrees) field displays its new value automatically.
|
|
|
Step 4. Adding new zones
To add a new zone to the panorama, press Add Border button: |
| |
|
| |
As the result of pressing the Add Border button, you will see a new arrow appear in the middle of the zones control. |
|
All new zones appear in 0.0 degrees position with white color and the default values for cosine power and color multiplier parameters. The new arrow is selected by default, so that you can instantly proceed with configuring this zone’s parameters, as discussed in step 3.
You can change the selected zone at any time by choosing an arrow corresponding to the zone you need to adjust.
If you press Add Border button twice or several times while not changing arrow positions, the new arrow will be placed above the one added before.
The maximum number of zones is 8: |
|
Step 5. Removing the zone
To remove the zone, you should first select the zone you want to remove. To select a zone, choose the corresponding arrow or left click on the zone area. Make sure the zone you want to remove is selected: the arrow changes its appearance to bold and the Current Zone subgroup contains the color of the zone you have chosen. After selecting the zone desired for removal, press Remove Border button. The zone will be removed. You can remove all zones except for the leftmost zone (i.e. the one that has its border fixed to -90 degrees). |
| |
|
| |
|
|
Step 6. Viewing the created panorama with the diamond
Press Apply button at the bottom of the HDR Settings dialog to generate the panorama:
You can see the diamond rendered using the generated panorama in the main application window:
- 4 Creating Cuts with Cut Designer
- 4.1 Getting started with Cut Designer
Open panel Advanced cut edit from menu Cut / Cut designer… The Utility allows constructing different types of cuts. There are Cut editor dialog window on the left side and model view on the right side.
The panel on the top allows switching different types of the model view:
- • Remove all splits of the model view
- • Split model view in two (vertical)
- • Split model view in two (horizontal)
- • Split model view in four
- • Synchronize zoom factor in All view during change
- • Rotate all view synchronously
- • Show coordinate system axes in all views
The general settings of cut are displayed on the left top side of the panel below.
- • Gear notch quantity
- • Radial symmetry degree
- • Mirror symmetry
- • Preform proportions
You can change general settings in the panels Edit symmetry settings and Edit preform Settings (witch opened with buttons marked as red on the picture below):
Symmetry settings panel: | Preform settings panel: | |
|
|
You can set diameter on the top of panel.
Buttons Girdle, +, -, Table/Culet allow constructing facets. You can save cut, load cut and export to DC on the bottom of panel.
Please see the examples of creating Round brilliant, Princess and Gabrielle below.
- 4.2 Creating Brilliant cut
General settings (as defaults)
Edit Symmetry Settings:
- • Degree of radial symmetry: 8
- • Gear notch quantity: 96
- • Mirror symmetry: YES
Edit Preform Settings:
- • X dimension: 1
- • Y dimension: 1
- • Z dimension: 4
Cutting Steps
Step | Result | |||
1 |
|
| ||
2 |
|
| ||
3 |
Select the vertex marked by blue point. Put on yellow point: |
| ||
Select the edge point marked with yellow (Proportion value is about 70%):
|
| |||
Facets are ready: |
| |||
4 |
|
| ||
5 |
|
| ||
6 |
Select the vertex marked by blue point. Put on yellow point: |
| ||
|
Select the edge point marked with yellow (Proportion value is about 20%):
|
| ||
| Facets are ready. |
| ||
7 |
Select the vertex marked with yellow: |
| ||
| Facets are ready. |
| ||
8 |
Select the vertex marked with yellow:
|
| ||
| Table is ready. |
| ||
9 | Return to the 2nd step (Mains, 8 facets) and change Z-coordinate of First constraint point to 0.05
|
| ||
+ Mains 
+ Point on existing vertex 
The cut is ready. Press button Export to DC. Type a name for new cut and press Ok.
The Cut Designer will close and you can explore your cut in DiamCalc. New created cuts from cut designer you can find in the external cut list.
- 4.3 Creating Princess cut
General settings
Edit Symmetry Settings:
- • Degree of radial symmetry: 4
- • Gear notch quantity: 120
- • Mirror symmetry: YES
Edit Preform Settings:
- • X dimension: 1
- • Y dimension: 1
- • Z dimension: 4
Cutting Steps
Step | Result | |||
1 |
|
| ||
2 |
Select the edge point marked with yellow (Proportion value is about 20%): |
| ||
Facets are ready. |
| |||
3 |
Select the vertex marked with yellow:
|
| ||
| Facets are ready. |
| ||
4 |
Select the vertex marked with yellow:
|
| ||
Table is ready. |
| |||
|
|
| ||
5 |
|
| ||
|
Select the vertex marked with yellow:
|
| ||
| Facets are ready. |
| ||
|
Select the vertex marked with yellow:
|
| ||
|
Select the edge point marked with yellow (Proportion value is about 45%):
|
| ||
| Facets are ready. |
| ||
|
Select the vertex marked with yellow:
|
| ||
|
Select the edge point marked with yellow (Proportion value is about 70%):
|
| ||
| Facets are ready. |
| ||
| Z-coordinate fixing: Return to the 1st step (Mains, 4 facets) and change Z-coordinate of First constraint point to -0.65. Return to the 5th step (Mains, 4 facets) and change Z-coordinate of First constraint point to -0.50.
|
| ||
The cut is ready.
- 5 Estimating the mass of the stone and calculating cut parameters
DiamCalc allows to estimate the mass of the stone by entering known proportions and calculate different cut parameters one from another.
Experts and dealers usually use formulas, tables, or calculators to estimate the mass of mounted diamonds. These methods often give approximate results, as they can take into account only a predefined set of parameters. DiamCalc allows to perform calculation making full use of any set of proportions that can be measured in a given case.
A similar problem exists in diamond marking. DiamCalc provides a unique opportunity to estimate parameters of a future diamond as precisely as the available data allows.
- 5.1 Mass estimation. Setting diamond parameters
To estimate the diamond mass with DiamCalc, one should choose a cut style and input the main parameters (e.g. the diameter). The stone mass is promptly displayed in the relevant field. The other parameters should be specified for more accurate weight estimation.
Let us see how it is done. Start DiamCalc and look at the panel with parameters. All parameters have some values. Marquise cut is selected initially (see «Shape and cut» drop-down box). Initial diameter of the stone is 6.00 mm (assume this is what we need). Now we can enter all parameters that we know to describe the diamond as precisely as possible. To change a parameter, select a value in the corresponding box by the mouse and type in a new value, pressing Enter at the end.
For example, let us set a different value for the total height. Select a field right to «Total height» caption. At this moment, the panel with diamond parameters should look like the following:
|
|
|
|
As one can see, the current value of the diamond's total height is 3.67 mm (or 61.2% of the diameter), and the mass is 1.61 ct. Now when the «Total Height» value is selected on the panel above, type 3.78 on the keyboard to increase the total height to 3.78 mm (or 63.0% of the diameter). Press Enter key. DiamCalc will recalculate all parameters and the panel with parameters will look like:
|
|
Note that the diameter remains the same (6 mm), both crown and pavilion heights have increased proportionally to accommodate to a total height increase, and the mass has been recalculated using a new piece of information: 1.65 ct.
Other parameters can be changed the same way: select the corresponding value, enter a new one from the keyboard and press Enter key.
- 5.2 How to get additional information on a parameter
If the meaning of some parameter is not clear, move mouse cursor to the corresponding box and leave it there, not pressing any keys or buttons. In couple of seconds, a hint with the description of the parameter will pop up.
For instance, moving the mouse cursor to the value of «Sec. diameter» parameter will produce the following effect:
|
|
- 6 Support for different cuts and parameters
DiamCalc supports all main cut types and allows to view or change a large set of parameters, including advanced ones.
DiamCalc Standard supports 13 main cut types. There is a set of cut parameters (diameter, crown height, ...) which are common for all cuts. Also there are some advanced cut-specific parameters, which allow to handle some rare cuts (for example, old round cuts).
Note. The free demo-version of DiamCalc supports Marquise cut only. Although the demo-version is fully functional, some cut-specific parameters (e.g. advanced parameters of Brilliant diamonds - see below) cannot be seen in the demo-version.
- 6.1 Working with different cuts
DiamCalc Standard supports the following cut types: Baguette, Brilliant, Emerald, Flanders, Happy-8, Heart, Marquise, Oval, Pear, Princess 2-chevron, Princess 3-chevron, Prism and Radiant
The current shape is shown in «Shape and cut» drop-down box. Setting a desired cut type is the first thing that should be done when parameters of a new diamond are entered. To change a cut type, click «Shape and cut» box with a mouse. A list of possible values appear. Clicking on a cut type in this list will select this cut. A diamond image in the left half of Diamond Calculator window will change, displaying a diamond of a newly selected cut.
- 6.2 Working with cut parameters
DiamCalc displays cut parameters in a parameter panel, which is located in the right half of the application's window. A notebook-like structure has three tabs: Proportions, Advanced and Advanced2. Proportions tab holds most common parameters, such as diamond diameter, total height, etc. Most values can be adjusted to describe the stone more precisely. If only some proportions are known, DiamCalc assigns reasonable estimates for parameters that cannot be measured.
|
|
There are two different methods of changing parameter's value. First, a new value can be entered directly from the keyboard. To do this, select a chosen parameter value with the mouse, type in a new value, and press Enter key at the end. The other method is to use 
buttons that are on the right of each parameter which value can be changed. Note that a slider named «Step» allows to tune the amount by which those buttons change the value. For example, when the slider is average (default) positions, buttons change the diameter by 0.1 mm; when it is in the «Fine» position, those same buttons change the diameter by 0.01 mm.
See also «Selecting measurement units and parameters to show» section that describes how to change presentation of some parameters: select one of available measurement units, choose one of similar parameters («dual» parameters), etc.
- 6.3 Advanced parameters (old cuts, etc)
The parameters on Advanced page of parameter panel usually depend on the current cut. Let us examine parameters that are available for Brilliant cut diamonds.
|
|
- 6.4 Advanced parameters (old cuts, etc)
In addition some predefined parameters values («fixed cuts») can be used to change the diamond proportion. With the menu Diamond Fixed cut you will be presented with the list of «fixed cuts» available for the selected diamond shape. For example, if you want to see «Parker» brilliant model you should select «brilliant» shape and then call Diamond Fixed cut Parker menu. «Fixed cut» affects all the cut parameters except the diameter. «Fixed cuts» are stored in the appraiser data file (see the topic «Appraising diamonds quality and pricing diamonds») as a text, so parameter values can be modified and new fixed cuts can be defined as well.
- 7 Finding unknown parameters. Parameter fixing
DiamCalc allows to recover values of diamond proportions that cannot be measured directly (e.g. because stone is mounted).
Diamond Calculator was designed to give maximum flexibility in a wide range of situations. Mounted stones can be difficult for direct measuring, and in different cases some parameters may or may not be available.
Another challenge is to estimate a parameter in a diamond that does not exist yet, given proportions of a rough diamond, a semi-cut diamond or a polished diamond that will be re-cut. With Diamond Calculator, this task is as easy as the previous one. Any set of existing limitations can be entered into DiamCalc to find missing parameters of a future diamond without any tables or formulas.
- 7.1 Ways to estimate unknown parameters
The simplest way to estimate unknown parameters with DiamCalc is just to enter all known values. DiamCalc will produce a reasonable estimation of other parameters.
In practice, the process can be a bit longer due to the fact that the parameters can affect each other. For example, changing crown angle will lead to a change of either the table diameter or the crown height. Relationships between parameters can be quite complex. To neutralize this effect, it may be required to adjust parameter's value once more after it was automatically recalculated due to a change of another parameter. One more option of handling this problem is parameter fixing (see below).
Another way to find parameters that cannot be measured directly is to examine the diamond image produced by DiamCalc, adjusting parameters until the computer image looks similar to the real stone. See section on controlling visual representation of the stone for more information.
Note, that a computing-intensive Photoreal mode is the most suitable for the purpose, so that a powerful enough computer is required to quickly display the image when parameters are changing.
- 7.2 Parameter fixing
Some parameters have a small button with a lock on it on the left of the parameter's name. These Lock buttons allow to fix the parameter value to avoid an accidental change or a change due to interrelation between parameters.
Example of using Lock buttons (measuring parameters of mounted diamonds).
The user measures diameter and total height of the diamond and enters them in Diamond Calculator, then fixes total depth with Lock button. After that, measuring the crown height and entering it into the software will cause an automatic adjustment of current pavilion depth and girdle thickness in such a way that the total height will not change.
Parameter fixing is also very useful in diamond marking for maximizing the diamond mass with respect to restrictions imposed by a diamond with old cut, a semi-cut diamond, or a rough diamond.
Note. If a proportion allows a choice of units of millimeters or percents of diameter, only the value in percents will be fixed when Lock button is checked, even if a value in millimeters is displayed currently.
- 8 Selecting measurement units and parameters to show
DiamCalc allows to choose the most convenient representation form or measurement units for some parameters. Diamond Calculator presents options of parameters' units of measurement, when applicable (e.g. linear size can be expressed in millimeters or as a percentage of the diameter). Another way to customize DiamCalc is to select one of several similar parameters. See examples below for more details.
- 8.1 Selecting units of measurement
By default, size parameters are presented as a ratio of the corresponding value to the diameter. In some situations, other units, e.g. millimeters, can be more useful. The user can choose measurement units for each particular parameter.
To do this, point the mouse cursor to the parameter value and click right mouse button. A menu appears, allowing to see available units and select one of them: |
|
The menu above was produced by pointing the mouse to the value of «Total height» parameter and pressing the right mouse button. A check mark shows that the current unit of measurement is percents of the diameter. If «millimeters» is selected from the menu, a value will be recalculated and shown in a new format.
When values of parameters are entered from the keyboard, units of measurement can be specified along with values. When a string like «1.1 %» or «0.02 mm» is typed, DiamCalc recognizes what is the value and what is the unit of measurement and change them if needed. If only a number is typed, DiamCalc applies the current unit of measurement.
- 8.2 Dual parameters
It is possible to use different presentations for some parameters. For instance, a slightly oval shape of the girdle can be described by two diameters, minimum and maximum. Alternatively, it can be specified by maximum diameter and deviation (brilliant cut) or ratio of maximum and minimum diameters (fancy cuts).
To choose a presentation option of such a parameter, point the mouse cursor to the parameter's name and click right mouse button. A menu appears, allowing to select a presentation option: |
|
The picture above was taken when the mouse cursor was over «Sec. diameter» field and the right mouse button was pressed. As you see, a menu allows to select between showing maximum and minimum diameters or just one diameter and ratio of diameters.
There are other dual parameters:
- • Girdle square deviation <-> Alternative diameter (measured at direction 45°);
- • Star facet length <-> Table picture square-likeness.
There is also a similar way to choose mass precision: 2 digits after decimal point <-> 4 digits.
- 9 Importing/exporting external cut designs and diamond 3D-models
DiamCalc allows users to import cut designs and 3D-models of real stones generated with another software (note, this feature is available only for the registered users). This includes cut designs made with GemCad software and several other software and diamond 3D-models obtained with Sarin machines and OctoNus diamond scanners. If the model is convex you can adjust the size of the model, crown, pavilion and girdle heights, table and culet offsets and position of every facet.
- • The following file formats are supported, please read the next section for more information:
- • Gemcad ASCII format. You can design your own diamond shape or get one of the 3700 unique faceting designs form the DataVue2 library and see its appearance with the DiamCalc.
- • AutoDesk Drawing Exchange Format (DXF). This format is also popular and you can find cut design files in the Internet saved with this format.
- • OctoNus MMD format. File of this type contains 3D-model of the real stone that is built by OctoNus diamond scanners like Helium and Oxygen. For details about these products please visit our web-site: http://www.octonus.com
- • Sarin Web Viewer files (*.srn). File of this type contains 3D-model of the real stone that is built with several type of the Sarin machines.
- • Stereo Lithography (STL) format. DiamCalc supports ASCII and binary versions of this format.
You can import model by choosing appropriate command in the menu Cut Import Cut or you can simply drag and drop the file with the model into the DiamCalc window from Windows Explorer.
- 9.1 Importing diamond 3D-model from Sarin Web Viewer file (*.srn)
There are several ways you can receive .srn-files to your computer:
- • Sarin users, who own a DiaMension or DiaScan machine have a possibility to pack their information pertaining to a specific stone into a Sarin file (.srn). Please refer to Sarin web site to get information about the necessary software updates:
http://www.sarin.com/viewer/ - • RapNet Members (www.diamonds.net) When searching for diamonds you may select the check «Display stones with Sarin data only» in the bottom of the Diamond Search Form. In the Search Results click on the «Sarin» picture in the desired row. You will be prompted to install Sarin Web Viewer. Once the Sarin Web is Viewer installed you will be presented with information about selected diamond: Click «Save…» button in the upper part of viewer. You will be notified about the name and location of the file saved. Keep in mind the file title in order to open it with the DiamCalc.
- • Of course you can receive .srn files to your computer from your partners and friends via e-mail, on diskettes etc.
In the DiamCalc use the menu command Cut Import cut From Sarin file
You will be presented with «Open file» dialog allowing you to select file you want to import.
By default the initial folder is the folder where the Sarin Web Viewer saves downloaded files. If you want to change the default folder then modify the folder in the parameter «Sarin files folder» of the registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\OctoNus Software\DiamCalc\Settings
Select the desired file and click «Open». If the model is imported successfully you can work with it as usual. It is assumed that the model in SRN file is convex. If the model is not convex, some of its parts may be cut off.
- 9.2 Importing and exporting models from (to) DXF files
In the DiamCalc use the menu command Cut Import cut From AutoDesk DXF file
You will be presented with «Open file» dialog allowing you to select file you want to import.
The limited support of the DXF format is implemented in the DiamCalc (only «Mesh» type data is supported). This means that there is no guaranty that an arbitrary dxf file will be imported into the DiamCalc, but we successfully imported all diamond dxf-files we download from several sites.
Select the desired file and click «Open». If the model is imported successfully you can work with it as usual. It is assumed that the model in DXF file is convex. If the model is not convex, some of its parts may be cut off. Here is the link to web- resource with a great number of downloads of free DXF cut models: www.3dlapidary.com
With the menu command Cut Export cut To AutoDesk DXF file you can save any cutting you have in the DiamCalc (including imported models) to this format and then work with this file in the desired 3D software (AutoCad, 3Dstudio Max etc).
- 9.3 Importing and exporting cut designs from (to) GemCad ASCII files
In the DiamCalc use the menu command Cut Import cut From GemCad ASCII file
You will be presented with «Open file» dialog allowing you to select file you want to import. Select the desired file and click «Open». If the model is imported successfully you can work with it as usual. It is assumed that the model in ASCII file is convex.
With the menu command Cut Export cut To GemCad ASCII file you can save any cutting you have in the DiamCalc (including imported models) to this format and then work with this file in the GemCad software.
Please note, that the coordinate system of GemCad does not match the coordinate system of DiamCalc. DiamCalc uses common right-hand coordinate system, while GemCad uses left-hand coordinate system. The X axis in DiamCalc goes to the right, and Y axis goes up by default. Sides’ azimuths and indices are calculated from the X axis, so the side with zero azimuth appears on the right.
Please also note, that GemCad software can't handle models that exceed the cube 2x2x2 mm in size. It simply cuts off the model by such a cube. You may want to reduce the model diameter before export so that it fits a 2x2x2 mm cube.
- 9.4 Importing and exporting models from (to) STL files
In the DiamCalc use the menu command Cut Import cut From STL file
You will be presented with «Open file» dialog allowing you to select file you want to import.
Select the desired file and click «Open». If the model is imported successfully you can work with it as usual. It is assumed that the model in STL file is convex. If the model is not convex, the program will build convex hull of all vertices of the model.
With the menu command Cut Export cut To binary STL file… and To ascii STL file… you can save any cutting you have in the DiamCalc (including imported models) to this format and then work with this file in the desired 3D software.
- 10 Adjusting shape of arbitrary imported 3D model of the diamond
DiamCalc allows users to import cut designs and 3D-models of real stones generated with another software. When the new model is imported using Cut Import cut menu DiamCalc analyzes it. If the model is convex, it may be adjusted.
If the model is convex you can adjust the following parameters in the main window: diameter of the model, crown height, pavilion height, distance between crown and pavilion, table offset, culet offset.
DiamCalc calculates 360 diameters of the model with the step of half a degree and takes the average value as the primary diameter. DiamCalc distinguishes crown, girdle and pavilion facets and remembers the type of each facet. Then it calculates the maximum height of the crown and pavilion as the difference between the highest and the lowest vertex among crown and pavilion facets respectively. It calculates the height of the whole model as well. The distance between crown and pavilion is the difference between the height of the whole model and heights of crown and pavilion. That is why, by the way, this distance may appear negative, if the highest vertex of pavilion is higher than the lowest vertex of the crown (assuming that crown itself is placed above pavilion). This may happen on real cuts. Thus DiamCalc calculates the minimum girdle height and maximum crown and pavilion heights. After the girdle is analyzed, the whole model is shifted along vertical (Z) axis to put its center of the mass in the center of the girdle.
The values of table and culet offset parameters are not estimated during import of the model and they are always set to zero at first. Later you may adjust the offsets with these parameters.
Along with global model parameters like crown and pavilion heights that apply to the whole model, DiamCalc supports local parameters that allow to adjust each facet. Local parameters describe the deviations of each side from the whole model. These deviations do not depend on global parameters. Press the «Advanced» button on the tab with global parameters to open the window for detailed editing of the model.
This window may show up to four views of the model. These views may be rotated (with left mouse button), shifted (with right mouse button) and scaled (with mouse wheel) synchronously and independently. All these transformations apply only to the position of the camera that shows the model from the main window, but they don’t change the position of the model itself. On the other hand, the rotation of the model in the main window changes its position, that is why it is reflected in all views.
DiamCalc automatically divides all facets of the model into tiers, similarly t