Advise on purchasing a solataire diamond ring

[asdormin]

Good morning. My name is Asen and I am new to the forum. I am in pursuit of purchasing an engagement ring for my partner and believe that I am near the final line, but need some advise. I will cut the story short and get right to the point, as I would not want to waste your time. I have chosen a 1.03ct J SI1 cushion cut diamond, a brilliant cut one to be precise. It is certified by GIA and I have attached a link to the certificate itself. The diamond has excellent polish and very good symmetry, and an excellent cut, according to 77 Diamonds, which is apparently based only on the measurements and their ratio. My biggest fear is that it might appear too yellow. It has medium blue fluorescence. I also encountered a diamond with very similar parameters, but with strong blue fluorescence. My actual question is would that medium or strong fluorescence neutralize the yellow faint colour to some extent and bring it closer to an I colour for the naked eye or would that be a shot in the dark? I could obviously go smaller and buy an I coloured one, but would rather get more for my money, if you understand what I mean. I am aware that the ideal colour would be H for such a cut, but would really not want to compromise with the size that much.


https://www.77diamonds.com/certification_CUSPUIFSSCPC2NPX.html

 

[kmoro]

I think you’ll get more replies if you have the admins move this thread to Rocky Talky ... I kind of saw it by accident.

To answer your question about fluorescence ... the only time the fluorescence will affect the diamond is when it is in UV light. Studies seem to show a slight whitening effect more pronounced in lower colour diamonds. Most of the time, the fluorescence will have no effect on the diamond at all. In rare cases, fluorescence can cause a milky or hazy look, but this is usually if the fluorescence is strong. Also, the fluorescence has to be blue and the diamond tint yellow for the whitening effect under UV light (like direct sunlight). If you are planning on relying on the fluorescence to make this diamond look like an H, a full two colour grades, I don’t think that’s a good plan because almost all of the time fluorescence will have no effect on perceived colour at all. In round brilliant cut, the cut itself can make the diamond face up whiter ... better cut means more light return ... this is probably true for cushion cuts as well ... but the fluorescence is not going to compensate a J to look like an H, imo.

If you post another thread or have this one moved to Rocky Talky, you’ll get a lot more useful advice.

Good luck!

 

[asdormin]

Thank you for your quick and informative response.

How do i ask an admin to move the thread?

I was hoping that setting the diamon in a white gold setting and the fluorescence would both help to improve the colour, but only up to J lets say, not H. I now understand that this will not be the case. Based on the pictures provided, would you say that this diamond has an excellent cut, as stated on the certificate? Also, would it look yellow for the naked eye or is going to be barely noticable?

 

[asdormin]

PLease close this thread, as opened one in Rocky Talky. Thank you

 

[kmoro]

Thank you for your quick and informative response.

How do i ask an admin to move the thread?

I was hoping that setting the diamon in a white gold setting and the fluorescence would both help to improve the colour, but only up to J lets say, not H. I now understand that this will not be the case. Based on the pictures provided, would you say that this diamond has an excellent cut, as stated on the certificate? Also, would it look yellow for the naked eye or is going to be barely noticable?

Most people do see an improvement in colour - but I wanted you to be realistic about it. It depends where you will most often wear the ring. If there will be UV light, statistics do show that people “see” a colour improvement in most cases - especially in lower colours - so if there is an improvement, a J could show it and look like an I. If the cut is ideal, a J will still face up very white, but J is getting into the zone of visible tint ... tint is always more visible from the side and especially from bottom-up view, the way they are graded. Usually people have a lot of trouble seeing tint in a diamond unless it is side by side with a higher colour ... I think you will just barely notice it at a J. It will certainly not look “yellow,” if you know what I mean. The tint is more of a buttery colour, and when light is reflecting from the face-up view, it becomes very difficult to see. You can tell from the photo that the tint is visible when not being blinded by reflections, and I don’t think you should rely on fluorescence to correct it very much, even if it does offer some improvement. This is just my opinion and others may disagree, so in the end, you’re on your own with what your own eyes prefer. Your own eyes are the only ones that matter in the end. As @Dancing Fire says in tag-line, it’s a lot harder to find a mind-clean stone than an eye-clean stone.

I’m sorry, I really can’t comment on the cut - I know nothing about cushions. I can tell you that, very often, just because the certificate says the cut is excellent, it is not. This is where the light performance images become important. Have you requested an Ideal Scope (IS) or ASET image? This will show you actual light performance, and no numbers on a certificate can compete with that.

ETA: If you don’t mind the inconvenience that may come with it, you can always buy an IS and ASET scope (they’re not expensive), order the diamond, and then inspect it for light performance yourself - keeping an eye on the fine-print of the 30-day return period. The scopes are easy to read - would take you only a couple of minutes of reading on here to understand the images.

 

[asdormin]

I couldn't get an admin to move the thread to the suggested group, so I just created a new one and requested this one to be closed. I have now received some valuable advise and actual suggestions for better diamonds. Taking everything that you have said into consideration, it all adds up and I believe that I won't regret my choice in the end. I had some serious concerns yesterday, before i registered, but it now seems quite clarified, at least in my own head. Thank you for your time and invaluable contribution! It is deeply appreciated!