Is J color OK on large Emerald???

[Defender]

Sorry that title on this topic got botched earlier. I am reposting...I would like to delete old post, but cant find how to do so...Sorry!

I have been looking for a good value on an attractive Emerald between about 2.6 and 3.1 carats. I have seen some I color stones that look fine to my eye, and I have also seen folks talk about J color stones which still have a white appearance when viewed"face up"..
If I am seeking stones from online vendors it seems that there are some great values in J stones, but I fear that the color issue is highly subjective. Is it unwise to to to a J color in a stone of this size??

 

[Rod]

It seems your first question was descriptive enough. I responded to that thread. Hopefully, to make things easier for other responders, they will not respond to this thread and instead respond to your first thread.

TO THOSE WHO HAVE A RESPONSE, GO TO THE THREAD ENTITLED "CAN I GO" BY DEFENDER

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 2/16/2006 5:48:44 PM
Author:Defender
Is it unwise to to to a J color in a stone of this size (2.6-3 carats)??

My vote is "yes", unwise. Open cuts show tint a lot more than ideal cut rounds. If you found one with a "greyish" tint and set it in platinum, it might not be as noticable ... or if you are not color-sensitive.

But in almost every instance I can think of, I''d rather go down in size & up in color to a G or H. (JMHO)

 

[valeria101]

You can always see for yourself. Even if you get the stone online... just have it sent to you before it is set. That should help establish if you can or can't live with the 'color'.

IMO, even in an EC, how much color shows does depend on the variations of the cut. I am not very sure what advice to give you in this department, but choosing a seller versed in cut technicals would probably help.

And J EC may just be fine with you, if I was.

It would be fine with me... looking for a rather brilliant stone with small corners (if anything I feel that the leakage around the corner breaks betrays color) to set in a fairly low setting (color being more visible from the sides).

Btw. Before going J, I would consider SI1.. although that may mean a bit of a hunt among step cuts. It is often said that this cut shows inclusions more, but this also means that SI step cuts come with the inclusions placed strategically so that... they show less often than you might suspect. From my limited experience, inclusions set along the long facets do show more and also may reflect unpleasantly inside the stone. But the short facets and the corners are as good at hiding them as anything. And sure enough, sellers should know better what hints to give you.

Hope the 2c worth helps a bit

And one more thing: size varies with weight allot for step cuts, so within the tight range around 3 cts you mention, the size of the stones would be a matter of cut more than weight. And the price jump at 3 cts remains, nonetheless.

It takes a minute to track such 'cases' on the net. For example... a 'small' 3 cts sized 8.35 x 7.00mm against a larger diamond (8.55 x 7.2mm) of 2.5 cts And so on. Depth has something to do with this - deeper cut ones tend to be somewhat smaller looking, although anything up to 75% depth is hardly ever considered 'too dee' for an emerald cut diamond. But this is not the only thing, and looking for the size itself (as diameter on the lab report) is easier then second guessing anything.
Btw, neither of the stones cited is shallow (one slightly below one slightly above 70% depth). The problem with looking for size like that is that some unpleasant looking diamonds actually have great spread - size and brilliance are not mutually exclusive in every diamond, but when they are... I'd rather take the bright one over the slightly larger, and most folk I know would too... as soon as they see the diamonds concerned

My 2c

 

[singer]

I also posted in the other thread, "Can I go."

 

[Defender]

Hmmm, in communication with some well regarded diamond merchants, I was given a couple of comments that are somewhat contrary to the thoughts expressed that J is too low a color grade for an emerald.

I was told that in many cases a “J” color in an emerald, can appear completely white to the eye when face up, as the slight body color of the diamond is negated to a great extent by the Briliance coming off the step cut facets of the emerald. ...Discuss?

 

[jaz464]

Color in a diamond is very personal, but I have to disagree. I would not tend to call ECs brilliant, as that is just not the type of sparkle that they have. The reason that well-cut rounds can be lower in color and still look very white is because of this brilliant sparkle, but ECs are completely different. I would highly recommend that you see some large J ECs in person to judge for yourself.

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 2/19/2006 12:25:10 PM
Author: jazmine
Color in a diamond is very personal, but I have to disagree. I would not tend to call ECs brilliant, as that is just not the type of sparkle that they have. The reason that well-cut rounds can be lower in color and still look very white is because of this brilliant sparkle, but ECs are completely different. I would highly recommend that you see some large J ECs in person to judge for yourself.

Ditto

 

[valeria101]

Date: 2/19/2006 12:20:00 PM
Author: Defender
.

I was told that in many cases a “J” color in an emerald, can appear completely white to the eye when face up, as the slight body color of the diamond is negated to a great extent by the Brilliance coming off the step cut facets of the emerald.

It could be that both camps are right... and talking about different emerald cut diamonds. It would be nicer if either would show you diamonds rather than ''theory''.

Here''s another thing... you may find noted quite often that fancy color rough is rarely made into step cut diamonds because the cut does makes the color appear washed out. And they sure do. I would change the word ''brilliance'' in the explanation you cite with ''contrast''. However, before you go back and ask the same seller what did they mean, make sure he is into these ''cut'' things otherwise there is little guarantee that both of us call ''brilliance'' and ''contrast'' the same things. Many use the term ''brilliance'' to describe the look of a diamond, while cut studies need and use precise definitions for separate optical effects (definitions that vary from one study to the next, just to make life easy

... )

IMO, if you found an I color OK, you should find at least some J graded diamonds that are at least as pleasing. These color grades are a continuum to begin with, so some J would be closer to I and some to K... Also, grading is not 100% repeatable, so it may also happen to have the same stone graded one or another of two neighbouring grads (in either color or clarity) as the wind falls. If you already know that and want to see by asking here if everyone else on the planet would think that the diamond you like is ''tinted'' - perhaps it would work better to ask if anyone could tell what is what in a ring on someone else''s hand; that should be harder than deciding where to draw the line based on the definition of color grades.