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ACA diamonds with lower color or clarity grades

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Kelkel

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
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I''m browsing the selection currently offered at WF and I found that to fit my budget and desire for the "magic number", I''d be looking at ACA diamonds at the lower end of the color and clarity spectrums (H-J, VS2-SI2). Do people here happen to own something similar and what''s the opinion about them? Is J too yellow? If I go for an I-colored one, I''d have to settle for SI1 clarity, and I''ve been told only around 50% of SI1s are eye-clean. What''s the consesus on trading off between color and clarity? Thanks.
 
There are some absolute beauties here:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/j-color-stones-in-platinum.24731/

I will let someone more experienced answer your questions about clarity etc
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what size range are you looking at? more than 50% of SI1s in the more consumed carats are eyeclean.
 
I prefer lower clarity diamonds because to me, a VS2 looks exactly like a VVS1 diamond. I don't like to pay for something I can't see with my naked eye. I would rather get an VS2 and get a bigger diamond. Many here have SI1 diamonds with no visible inclusions whatsoever.

As for color, that is different for me because I can see the differences. In a very well cut round you can go lower in color than you otherwise could because the great cut helps to hide the color (and inclusions too for that matter.) I would say you could easily get an H unless you are very color sensitive. Many here have Is and Js and love them as well. Not icy white diamonds but not 'yellow' either.

Size also matters. A .75 ct J will look whiter than a 3 ct J.

Check out WF's expert selection as well as their ACAs. They are a great way to save a little money and still get a superb diamond.
 
I have a I (which has been said to be a J) VS2. It's perfectly eye-clean and perfectly white face-up.
 
Thanks to everyone replied so far. I''m looking at a 1.00ct diamond in a solitaire 6-prong setting. The tradeoff is basically J VS2 or H SI1.
 
For me, (I am color sensitive) I would prefer the H SI1.
 
I have a J SI1 (1.09c) - it is PERFECTLY eyeclean. In fact I can''t even find the inclusions with a 10x loop (and I''ve tried hard). The J color does show a bit of "warmth" from the side and in certain lighting. But its not yellow by any means. 98% of the time its facing up white as can be. It was the best value for the price. If you''re concerned, I say go H-I color range. I also have an H (.53 and see no tint at all). I''d take the H-J/SI1 range any day if it meant getting bigger size
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I like to pay for what I can see. Therefore I prefer higher color over higher clarity. I have a VS2 but had an SI1 previously. I wouldn''t buy an SI1 without making sure that the vendor has assured me it''s eyeclean though, and by eyeclean I mean looking really closely, not looking at a foot away. As for color, I do prefer colorless. F is probably my sweet spot but I''d take a G any day. I actually thought I was calling in a G when I called my stone in. I misread and it was actually a D. I love it and it is very white, but I hadn''t intended to get a D!
 
I would take the H SI too. If the SI is eye clean then I won''t see an visible difference between the VS2 and the SI... but I would see the difference (and I''m not terribly color sensitive) between an H and a J... if even from the side. I have seen ACA I''s and J''s that are stunning. I prefered the I but the J was gorgeously warm.
 
I would get the H SI1 as well as long as it is eye-clean. I own an H SI1 and a K SI1. Both are eye-clean, and actually, I can't even find the inclusions in the K with a 10x loupe! Both stones are very white. I can tell the difference between them only if I'm looking very closely. Even from the side with the K, I can see a very slight tint only some of the time, and it faces up incredibly white.
 
I just came from WF today. I looked at 3 stones in that exact spectrum. A 1.04 SI1 H, a 1.14 VS1 I, and a 1.27 VS2 J. I''ll tell you the I and J look absolutely beautiful. They were all ACA and they all had lots of brilliance. If the J were on its own I wouldn''t be able to tell you a J. If the H were alone I couldnt tell you its an H. Only when together side by side can I tell a difference. The value for the J is really great and its still a beautiful stone for working in a budget.
 
Date: 2/9/2007 6:56:11 PM
Author: FireGoddess
I like to pay for what I can see. Therefore I prefer higher color over higher clarity. I have a VS2 but had an SI1 previously. I wouldn''t buy an SI1 without making sure that the vendor has assured me it''s eyeclean though, and by eyeclean I mean looking really closely, not looking at a foot away. As for color, I do prefer colorless. F is probably my sweet spot but I''d take a G any day. I actually thought I was calling in a G when I called my stone in. I misread and it was actually a D. I love it and it is very white, but I hadn''t intended to get a D!
Click to expand...
That''s my story, and I''m sticking to it, dear. FG, sorry, could not resist. I love that story.

shay
 
Date: 2/9/2007 9:06:52 PM
Author: Shay37

Date: 2/9/2007 6:56:11 PM
Author: FireGoddess
I like to pay for what I can see. Therefore I prefer higher color over higher clarity. I have a VS2 but had an SI1 previously. I wouldn''t buy an SI1 without making sure that the vendor has assured me it''s eyeclean though, and by eyeclean I mean looking really closely, not looking at a foot away. As for color, I do prefer colorless. F is probably my sweet spot but I''d take a G any day. I actually thought I was calling in a G when I called my stone in. I misread and it was actually a D. I love it and it is very white, but I hadn''t intended to get a D!
Click to expand...
That''s my story, and I''m sticking to it, dear. FG, sorry, could not resist. I love that story.

shay
Click to expand...
It was quite serendipitous, but unfortunately it has ruined me forever.
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I own small (.31 carats each) ACA stones in both I and H colors in my five stone band (see avatar). They are lovely!! I realize in a larger size you would be able to see more warmth, but honestly I cannot tell the difference in color between the H and I''s...it''s impossible. I can only see a slight warmth in any of them on the side on a piece of white paper. I think a J stone in a one carat size would be lovely...and so would the H. You really can''t go wrong here whether you buy a H/SI, J/VS2 or an J/SI2, etc...they will all be lovely! Focus on cut, size, and budget at this point.
 
If it was my choice, I''d take the J VS2.
 
I have a gorgeous AGS-0 2.36 RB, J/SI2. See my avatar and this thread for LOTS of pictures!
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https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/finally-gorgeous-new-fishtail-pave-set-from-wf.46129/page-11

I adore my diamond, and get sooooo many compliments on it daily. I love the color, no "yellow" at all... just a soft creaminess when viewed from the side, in front of a white background (facing east, on a Monday... ) haha!
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But seriously, I would NOT be afraid of a super-ideal cut "J". They are a great value... and couple that with an eye-clean SI clarity and you will find yourself spending far less than you may have first imagined... OR (better yet) getting LOTS more SIZE than you ever expected!
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ETA: I forget now who said it, but one of the experts around here once said that when (all similarly ideal-cut, and beautiful) diamonds (but different color grades) are presented to (average) consumers, without any mention of COLOR, most consumers will choose diamonds of lower color as their opinion of the more beautiful stone(s). I thought that was very interesting!
 
You have a beautiful diamond, Lynn. I think now I''m leaning towards the bigger and better clarity J than the smaller and slightly included H. I''ll probably make my purchase after President''s Day week-long trip, so perhaps there''ll be more diamonds to choose from when I return.

I read about fluorescence being more preferred in a survey, and would be intersted if there''s something similar for color.
 
Why not the 1.1 I SI1 ACA? There are lots of ES I stones, too
 
I''m just thinking that with so many color grades, if I move up in color by lowering clarity, I''d have to move up by two grades to a difference. Plus the J/VS2 is significantly larger and very close to one and a quarter carat.
 
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