After cut, do you look for better color or clarity?

[ikonos]

Hi,

I am looking for a 1ct round diamond for a ring in the 7K price range and was wondering if I can get some help. If you are looking for an Ideal cut diamond, as the second filter, do you look for better color or better clarity? SO chose a $2300 Simon G NR468 Passion Halo Diamond ring from WF and we are trying to stay around 10K total.

Thanks
IK.

 

[OcnGypZ]

Me.. clarity

 

[Gussie]

With a halo I would look at color so that the stone isn't too far off color from the halo. An eyeclean SI is a great way to get the best bang for your buck.

 

[Dcrafty1]

Color for me

 

[prinsad]

With a halo I would look at color so that the stone isn't too far off color from the halo. An eyeclean SI is a great way to get the best bang for your buck.

Agreed! As long as it’s eye clean I’m happy!

 

[tigertales]

color.

used to be clarity.
but i'm older and wiser, lol.

 

[lovedogs]

As long as it's eye clean and ideal cut, I honestly don't (personally) care about color. However, you'll want to make sure the stone matches the color of the melee (e.g. don't get a K colored stone with G melee unless you are ok with the contrast). So for me it would be an eye clean SI1 in G/H color.

 

[tigertales]

As long as it's eye clean and ideal cut, I honestly don't (personally) care about color. However, you'll want to make sure the stone matches the color of the melee (e.g. don't get a K colored stone with G melee unless you are ok with the contrast). So for me it would be an eye clean SI1 in G/H color.

Funny, I have a G color and specifically made E color melee because I wanted the contrast in this case. I think it's a beautiful way to highlight the center. To each their own, I guess!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I like good color and clarity, and in a modern round, I'd prefer G-H color and VS clarity. But I think a clean SI1 can be a great buy! Many people also go to I color, but you likely would be safer with G-H in a halo.

Looks like these are closest to your price range. There's also a 1 ct SI1, but I am not sure I like the clarity.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4068014.htm

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4070340.htm

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4089370.htm

 

[lovedogs]

Funny, I have a G color and specifically made E color melee because I wanted the contrast in this case. I think it's a beautiful way to highlight the center. To each their own, I guess!

I totally agree! I put my N colored CBI in my G/H colored halo and adore the contrast. But I know that others wouldn't like the contrast.

 

[lovedogs]

I like good color and clarity, and in a modern round, I'd prefer G-H color and VS clarity. But I think a clean SI1 can be a great buy! Many people also go to I color, but you likely would be safer with G-H in a halo.

Looks like these are closest to your price range. There's also a 1 ct SI1, but I am not sure I like the clarity.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4068014.htm

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4070340.htm

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4089370.htm

I love all of these options. Especially the 1.09 one because it gets you over the 1ct mark.

 

[tigertales]

I totally agree! I put my N colored CBI in my G/H colored halo and adore the contrast. But I know that others wouldn't like the contrast.

Now, having said that, there are times when I feel the diamonds really have to have the same 'glow', if not color, and that's something you can only judge piece by piece. It's kind of tricky, and there's really no formula for it other than what pleases the eye.

That sounds really beautiful, Lovedogs!

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

As long as it's eye clean is good with me! After that it's color but I'm very tolerant when it comes to tint, and I maximise the size

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Oh, and I do have a couple of low color stones in halos that I love, as well, but I think for an engagement ring, a near colorless stone is a safer recommendation.

 

[ikonos]

I like good color and clarity, and in a modern round, I'd prefer G-H color and VS clarity. But I think a clean SI1 can be a great buy! Many people also go to I color, but you likely would be safer with G-H in a halo.

Looks like these are closest to your price range. There's also a 1 ct SI1, but I am not sure I like the clarity.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4068014.htm

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4070340.htm

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4089370.htm

Thank you for the links. I like the middle one and was also looking at https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4089358.htm I have no experience in looking at the ASET and Ideal-Scope images. How does it look for the middle one and this one?

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thank you for the links. I like the middle one and was also looking at https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4089358.htm I have no experience in looking at the ASET and Ideal-Scope images. How does it look for the middle one and this one?

Oh, all ACAs are going to be gorgeous! All the images are great on all the ones posted. You're very safe with ACAs because they are cut to strict parameters. The one you linked is totally fine. I was just posting ones closer to $7k or a little older. You'd just need to make sure with WF that those .90 range stones will fit well in the 1 ct size setting.

 

[Dancing Fire]

For me, the cut and then the color. If I have the money I'll upgrade to an F VS1 and I'm done!

 

[dk168]

Colour after cut for me.

As long as it is eye clean, I am happy with a SI stone.

DK

 

[OoohShiny]

Hi,

I am looking for a 1ct round diamond for a ring in the 7K price range and was wondering if I can get some help. If you are looking for an Ideal cut diamond, as the second filter, do you look for better color or better clarity? SO chose a $2300 Simon G NR468 Passion Halo Diamond ring from WF and we are trying to stay around 10K total.

Thanks
IK.

I think the best person to answer this question is the intended recipient

 

[TreeScientist]

To me both are important, but I would say that I prioritize "high" color as opposed to "high" clarity because, IMO, within the modern diamond grading system, there is a visual difference in the first 5-6 color grades, but there isn't a difference in the first 5-6 clarity grades. Let me explain.

When it comes to clarity in the current GIA-based grading system that is based on 10X magnification, the higher levels of clarity are purely academic. It is entirely possible to find a VS2, and even an SI1 if you look hard enough, that is eye-clean without magnification from 6 inches and doesn't have any appreciable reductions in transparency. Thus, anything within the first 5 clarity grades (Flawless/IF-VVS1-VVS2-VS1-VS2) is good for me, because they'll look exactly the same as long as you're careful with selecting the VS2. Heck, the SuperIdeal vendors even have a lot of SI1s that would meet the eye-clean + no transparency issues requirement, so if such a stone was on the table, I would take it.

With color, it needs to be D-E for me. My fiancé and I are both very color sensitive and prefer icy-white diamonds in MRBs. Since I can easily see the difference between the first 5 color grades (I could differentiate a D from an H almost immediately), it's more important than high clarity.

So yeah, high color takes the priority over "high" clarity because there's actually a visible difference in the upper color grades. But I would sacrifice neither color nor eye-cleanliness when selecting a diamond. If D-E color + eye-clean/transparent + well-cut was not possible at the carat weight I wanted, then carat weight would be the first "C" to be sacrificed.