The OGI Firetrace software is software that predicts the light performance of a diamond using its proportions. Whilst this method isn’t new (DiamCalc, AGS), both OGI and Sarin have “consumer-friendly” (and “dealer-friendly” 🙂 ) versions hat show brightness (white light), dispersion (coloured light) and scintillation (play of light on the surface of the diamond).
We’ve been using the OGI Firetrace for nearly a year now, and whilst it has been popular with customers, we feel it is time to move on to more meaningful and accurate software, namely the AGS Performance Grading System.
In terms of rounds, the Firetrace software tends to give every stone a top grade of over 90%. Even the worst stones perform well. The Firetrace also gives bonus marks for girdle painting and penalises non-painted girdles. This in itself is not inaccurate as painted girdles tend to give edge to edge brilliance, but when customers start to rely on the report, rather than the Ideal-Scope or how the stone looks in real life, then problems occur.
For princesses and emeralds (square and rectangular), it’s not that bad. The report will pick up princess cuts with poor proportions and mark them down. However, the lowest score I’ve seen is about 75% light return. On the other hand, it also gives stupid scores such as 114% light return. I’ve come to the conclusion that if you take 15% away from the light return percentage for princess cuts, then you do actually get a pretty accurate figure.
As for other shapes, it really doesn’t work at all, not that other shapes are intrinsically bright as ideal cut rounds or princesses.
The AGS software should be here in the next day or two, so expect to see AGS reports popping up for all our Crossfire diamonds.
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