are brown stones the least expensive per ct?

[Dancing Fire]

 

[Rockdiamond]

If we're comparing to
Colorless and near colorless
Faint Yellow
Natural Fancy Yellow
Brownish Yellow

If we're comparing deep brown diamonds lacking any other modifying color, to the colors above, yes, browns are among the least expensive of all gem quality diamonds.
There are some nice stones among these pure browns, but quite frankly, I find alot of them to be less than desirable. No brilliance.

Add the modifier, and browns can go way up there.
Light browns are hardly seen anymore as they are the best candidates for getting nuked and turning blue.

Even true light and faint browns are still priced at the lower end of the scale compared to other colors in my experience.

 

[Dancing Fire]

what dose the word "cape" mean?

a fancy word for lower color?

 

[LGK]

Date: 11/12/2009 12:37:38 AM
Author: Dancing Fire
what dose the word 'cape' mean?

a fancy word for lower color?

It's part of the old style diamond grading scale. Jager = D color, River= colorless D & E, Wesselton & Top Wesselton = near colorless, Crystal & Top Crystal = near coloress thru Jish I think, Top Cape & Cape = K thru abound N grade. More or less: wikipedia link

So when it was new, my M color OEC was probably referred to asTop Cape or Cape color stone when it was sold new.

ETA: Some sources list Top Silver as the term used rather than Crystal/Top Crystal. And Jager may have only been used for "blue white" stones- that is, a D with strong blue fluor.

The origin of the term apparently is from the fact that a lot of diamond mined in South Africa were J-M color, and they were referred to as Cape color even before it was incorporated into the diamond grading scale of the day. (That's what a few articles say anyway.) So "cape" color diamonds were a lot more common suddenly, after diamond mining began in South Africa in 1870.

 

[FB.]

Date: 11/12/2009 12:37:38 AM
Author: Dancing Fire
what dose the word 'cape' mean?

a fancy word for lower color?

Acording to my notes, in old terminology;

D/E = finest white
F/G = fine white
H = white
I = commercial white
J = top grade silver Cape
L = silver Cape
M- N = light Cape
O-R = Cape
S-Z = deep Cape

I believe that the D/E's with very strong blue fluor were called Jager, or blue-white.
Although not to everyone's taste and with a lot of negative comments (from people just passing on what someone else told them), I consider the blue-whites to be among the best. It is well documented that all diamonds turn dark in bright light, so at least the blue tint gives something of interest when the stone itself goes dark. The blue tint has no effect on the flashes of fire that you get from diamonds in the sun.
The best bit is that the blue-whites are actually rarer than D/IF, yet in this instance, rarity and the extra optical effect of the fluor is not reflected in price.
I have a couple of blue-whites at present (D/VS1). I expect delivery of another in the next few days (D/SI1) and have two more in the pipeline (F/SI1, E/SI2-eye clean) for custom jewellery to be manufactured in the next several weeks.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/12/2009 5:52:18 AM
Author: FB.

Date: 11/12/2009 12:37:38 AM
Author: Dancing Fire
what dose the word ''cape'' mean?

a fancy word for lower color?

Acording to my notes, in old terminology;

D/E = finest white
F/G = fine white
H = white
I = commercial white
J = top grade silver Cape
L = silver Cape
M- N = light Cape
O-R = Cape
S-Z = deep Cape

I believe that the D/E''s with very strong blue fluor were called Jager, or blue-white.
Although not to everyone''s taste and with a lot of negative comments (from people just passing on what someone else told them), I consider the blue-whites to be among the best. It is well documented that all diamonds turn dark in bright light, so at least the blue tint gives something of interest when the stone itself goes dark. The blue tint has no effect on the flashes of fire that you get from diamonds in the sun.
The best bit is that the blue-whites are actually rarer than D/IF, yet in this instance, rarity and the extra optical effect of the fluor is not reflected in price.
I have a couple of blue-whites at present (D/VS1). I expect delivery of another in the next few days (D/SI1) and have two more in the pipeline (F/SI1, E/SI2-eye clean) for custom jewellery to be manufactured in the next several weeks.

You are on a roll FB, can''t wait to see these!!! So you went for SI this time?

 

[FB.]

I would have preferred VS clarity, but well-cut blue-whites aren''t easy to find.
The SI1''s mentioned above are eye clean (both are VS2/SI1 borderlne), the SI2 (for a pendant) is nearer SI1 than SI3/I1, so is better than your average SI2. It is eye clean at 12" and borderline at 6", so they''re acceptable.

Although there''s not much sun at this time of year in England, the blue-whites still show a moderate lilac tint when in direct sun. But I''m not sure if it would be enough to capture nicely in a picture.
But I''m looking into a better camera for next year, so maybe I can do some decent pictures when the sun strengthens in the spring.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/12/2009 6:02:42 AM
Author: FB.
I would have preferred VS clarity, but well-cut blue-whites aren''t easy to find.
The SI1''s mentioned above are eye clean (both are VS2/SI1 borderlne), the SI2 (for a pendant) is nearer SI1 than SI3/I1, so is better than your average SI2. It is eye clean at 12'' and borderline at 6'', so they''re acceptable.

Although there''s not much sun at this time of year in England, the blue-whites still show a moderate lilac tint when in direct sun. But I''m not sure if it would be enough to capture nicely in a picture.
But I''m looking into a better camera for next year, so maybe I can do some decent pictures when the sun strengthens in the spring.

That sounds fine, and I hope you get a good camera to show off these beauties!!!

 

[FB.]

Lorelei
You''re probably wondering why the buying spree.
I''ll be honest and say that - as an experienced financial market player myself - it would not surprise me to see a monstrous spike in the cost over the next few years, so better to scoop some up while the prices are subdued due to the recessionary climate. But the recession won''t last forever and governments are frantically pumping money (devaluing), which - although this will be controversial (aren''t I always

) - I see creating a very high risk of a repeat of the late 1970''s, coming soon. The gold price is leading the way.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/12/2009 6:28:09 AM
Author: FB.
Lorelei
You're probably wondering why the buying spree.
I'll be honest and say that - as an experienced financial market player myself - it would not surprise me to see a monstrous spike in the cost over the next few years, so better to scoop some up while the prices are subdued due to the recessionary climate. But the recession won't last forever and governments are frantically pumping money (devaluing), which - although this will be controversial (aren't I always

) - I see creating a very high risk of a repeat of the late 1970's, coming soon. The gold price is leading the way.

LOL! FB I am glad you are here, I really enjoy reading your posts and interacting with you!!!

Thats interesting, and a way to have some enjoyment of diamond beauty too! I am curious though, with the liking for fluorescence and its potential effect on value, would it be better to buy non fluorescent diamonds of colourless/ VVS etc for investment purposes? Or don't you think that will make much of a difference if the market goes the way you think it will?

 

[FB.]

They''re not for investment purposes; they are for the enjoyment. Buy-sell differences and taxes severely reduce the attractiveness of them as an investment.
You''re probably talking 35% loss if you immediately try to sell some diamond jewellery, so the price needs to rise dramatically to recover your loss. With true investments, you only lose a few % if you try to sell immediately and lesser price increases are required to profit.
But my viewpoint is; why buy later, with a substantial risk of much higher prices (more than wages will increase), when you can buy now at slightly depressed prices?
....and mother nature isn''t making diamonds as fast as we mine them, so there may well be supply squeezes a decade or so down the line.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/12/2009 6:44:41 AM
Author: FB.
They''re not for investment purposes; they are for the enjoyment. Buy-sell differences and taxes severely reduce the attractiveness of them as an investment.
You''re probably talking 35% loss if you immediately try to sell some diamond jewellery, so the price needs to rise dramatically to recover your loss. With true investments, you only lose a few % if you try to sell immediately and lesser price increases are required to profit.
But my viewpoint is; why buy later, with a substantial risk of much higher prices (more than wages will increase), when you can buy now at slightly depressed prices?
....and mother nature isn''t making diamonds as fast as we mine them, so there may well be supply squeezes a decade or so down the line.

Ah ok, see what you mean.

 

[Diamond Explorer]

Date: 11/12/2009 6:44:41 AM
Author: FB.
They''re not for investment purposes; they are for the enjoyment. Buy-sell differences and taxes severely reduce the attractiveness of them as an investment.

You''re probably talking 35% loss if you immediately try to sell some diamond jewellery, so the price needs to rise dramatically to recover your loss. With true investments, you only lose a few % if you try to sell immediately and lesser price increases are required to profit.

But my viewpoint is; why buy later, with a substantial risk of much higher prices (more than wages will increase), when you can buy now at slightly depressed prices?

....and mother nature isn''t making diamonds as fast as we mine them, so there may well be supply squeezes a decade or so down the line.

FB I must say I do agree with your logic, and I would wager money on your assessment. (and have in some ways) We must also remember that diamonds are not priced completely as commodities nor as unique pieces of (art)work. They are a bit of a hybrid and thus pricing trends are not simple to predict. If prices go up too much, than diamonds are at significant risk of economic substitution, and so I don''t see average diamond prices spiking soon. However, you took a very educated position in a particular niche'' of the business in your recent buy-up of blue-whites, and supply and demand forces do act quicker in thinner markets. This promotes more potential for volatility and a significant increase in prices. Kudos, you probably made a very smart move.

 

[FB.]

I should add that if diamonds are priced in dollars, then a decline in the exchange rate of dollars to Euros (currency devaluation - the risk that I spoke of earlier) would result in the price increasing for US buyers but decreasing for European buyers - so the Europeans can have a buying bonanza at knockout prices. I'm buying in £ and the recent strength in £:$ has made diamonds more affordable.
Additionally, it is quite possible that as prices rise (perhaps through exchange rate moves), people fear being left behind and unable to buy what they desire - so the panic-buying begins - which drives prices higher and triggers more panic buying, which then attracts speculators, which then becomes a bubble with huge price increases. We've seen enough bubbles since the late 1990's to know that it's human nature to chase prices higher. As I said; gold is leading the way.
My thoughts are not in any way investment advice. Economic outcomes are a balance of probablilities, depending on what governments do. While the probabilities seem to favour significant inflation, there are lesser probabilities that may result in a Japan-style 20-year deflationary slump, with prices for most things declining.
Based on the balance of probablility multiplied by severity, I decided to at least acquire a few nice diamonds now - just in case. If I'm wrong and prices continue to go down, then I still have the beautiful stones.

 

[FB.]

Date: 11/12/2009 6:16:49 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 11/12/2009 6:02:42 AM
Author: FB.
I would have preferred VS clarity, but well-cut blue-whites aren't easy to find.
The SI1's mentioned above are eye clean (both are VS2/SI1 borderlne), the SI2 (for a pendant) is nearer SI1 than SI3/I1, so is better than your average SI2. It is eye clean at 12' and borderline at 6', so they're acceptable.

Although there's not much sun at this time of year in England, the blue-whites still show a moderate lilac tint when in direct sun. But I'm not sure if it would be enough to capture nicely in a picture.
But I'm looking into a better camera for next year, so maybe I can do some decent pictures when the sun strengthens in the spring.

That sounds fine, and I hope you get a good camera to show off these beauties!!!

Bad news, Lorelei.

I had a slight suspicion about a feather under the table of the F/SI1 and obtained further information.
It was a "grade-setting" white feather that appears to be quite large, penetrating and complex, reaching towards a cluster of very small inclusions and also breaking into the surface of the table.
I rejected the stone.
But the D and the E are fine.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 11/13/2009 3:24:45 AM
Author: FB.

Date: 11/12/2009 6:16:49 AM
Author: Lorelei

Date: 11/12/2009 6:02:42 AM
Author: FB.
I would have preferred VS clarity, but well-cut blue-whites aren''t easy to find.
The SI1''s mentioned above are eye clean (both are VS2/SI1 borderlne), the SI2 (for a pendant) is nearer SI1 than SI3/I1, so is better than your average SI2. It is eye clean at 12'' and borderline at 6'', so they''re acceptable.

Although there''s not much sun at this time of year in England, the blue-whites still show a moderate lilac tint when in direct sun. But I''m not sure if it would be enough to capture nicely in a picture.
But I''m looking into a better camera for next year, so maybe I can do some decent pictures when the sun strengthens in the spring.

That sounds fine, and I hope you get a good camera to show off these beauties!!!

Bad news, Lorelei.

I had a slight suspicion about a feather under the table of the F/SI1 and obtained further information.
It was a ''grade-setting'' white feather that appears to be quite large, penetrating and complex, reaching towards a cluster of very small inclusions and also breaking into the surface of the table.
I rejected the stone.
But the D and the E are fine.

Oh blast.....