Bigger or better color?

[ILoveDiamondsToo]

What''s your sweet spot? Colorless or larger for the same price in the near colorless range? How much larger would you need to go to make it worth the lower color?

 

[beach]

I like G VS2 or VS1. (For 2ct+ stones). H is too warm for me in stones larger than 2ct. However, H is a great color IMO for smaller stones. For less than 1ct stones, I is great too if cut well.

I would take a G over a colorless D-F anyday for the price savings and the ability to get a larger stone.

This is just my preference. Trust your eyes and choose what works for you.

 

[ILoveDiamondsToo]

I didn''t think about the color as the stone gets bigger.

 

[ILoveDiamondsToo]

Yes, definitely assume ideal cut.

 

[beach]

I have found that color shows more with size. I think that there have actually been threads on this topic too. Some people are more color sensitive than others too so sweet spots vary.

 

[ILoveDiamondsToo]

I meant to put this in Rocky Talky. How do I get it moved?

 

[beach]

Date: 5/17/2009 9:19:04 PM
Author: ILoveDiamondsToo
I meant to put this in Rocky Talky. How do I get it moved?

Hit the report concern button and ask the admin to move the thread for you

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I''ll definitely go "lower" (meaning G, H) for size. I''m not that color-sensitive up to H - they look beautifully white to me!

I did see a killer J with fluorescence that faced up incredibly white - I would have given my right arm for that one

 

[marcy]

Color for me.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Cut really is most important to me now. That means that I personally like the cut, not that it''s a branded cut.

I think that in an OEC or Tranzitional Cut or Cushion I''d go lower than I might in a RB or EC.

HTH

 

[Moh 10]

Top cut
F VVS2

That''s my comfort zone.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

I think it depends on the stone. If I''m looking to upgrade my center stone, then I''d sacrifice color before clarity to get a bigger size. If it''s a stone for a project then I''d have to look at the overall quality of the stone to decide. I have a .50/E/VS2 Leo set in a solitaire and it''s a very pretty, icy, stone. It was the first diamond my DH gave me. We got engaged/married with a .80/G/SI2 Leo that I''ve always felt sort of eh about so we traded it in on a ideal-cut, .84/K/SI1. In this instance I feel that going down in color and up in size was well worth it - but I also went from a "maul" stone to a much, much better quality stone in the process.

 

[elle_chris]

I''m like Beach, but when i was looking at stone 2cts and up, I was willing to go down to an H, VS2. I winded up getting a G.

I''m very comfortable with my choice and can''t see the color. At this point, it would have to be well over 3cts for me to drop to an H. But if I ever get another stone, I''m probably going to stick to the same size but go up to an E.

 

[Venice]

Modern Round Brilliant = D to E before size

OMC = any color

 

[Imdanny]

Bigger.

 

[D&T]

Date: 5/17/2009 11:23:00 PM
Author: Imdanny
Bigger.

I''m with Danny---- I love my K

 

[Ribbon Ring]

I prefer F, but I could go as low as G; but it would be for size alone ... fire, brilliance, etc.

 

[kcoursolle]

For rings my sweet spot is H/SI, but for pendants and earrings I''d go down to J/I1 if the stones were pretty clean and well-cut.

 

[CharmyPoo]

I am not a size freak but a cut, color, clarity freak. I like to stick with E/F VS1 regardless of the cut and size. But then again, I am asian and this must be my preference given the logic in this thread.

 

[Monnyjay]

I like E to G for up to 2cts personally, so I would have to say colour. I think it depends on what the diamond is for. If I was to go for a larger stone e.g. 1ct up earrings I would go to a J to have bigger. I have seen some beautiful J''s on this forum. A friend has K PI tcw 0.80 studs and they are amazing, but it comes down to the cut too!

 

[mamong]

Hmm, not easy question. For some better colors are whiter colors for others warmers. I''m comfortable with both white and warmer colors down to K. Having said that, I never seen any lower then O... (so I don''t really know). For a given budget, I would screen diamonds which fit my color and clarity preferences (not lower than VS1) and choose whichever appeal more to me after visual comparison.

 

[Liane]

I won''t go higher than I.

From what I can tell, I to M is about my favorite range. The other colors are very pretty but don''t give me quite the same heart-tightening thrill. That they''re less expensive is a nice bonus, but I''d prefer these colors anyway.

 

[ILoveDiamondsToo]

I have been looking at an F, G and an I with identical cuts and it''s amazing how close they look, but I can see a difference in some lighting (usually from their profiles).

Liane - That''s great that you like I or lower!

 

[Perfectdiamond]

It is always a combination issue. I like the diamond to be bigger but I won''t go lower than I (for I, it needs to be close to H). However, cut is really really important for me. I would not accept anything but an ideal cut. If it is ideal cut, I color, I definitely would choose it over D-F color with very good cut. The way I choose diamond is to set the ideal cut , I color and SI1/SI2 as bottom line and try to find bigger stone.

However, it also depends on the purpose of your diamond. If it is an engagement ring, it really depends on what the girl looks (whiter or bigger). For people who don''t have a lot of experience with diamond, the first thing they notice is the size.

PD

 

[Steel]

Size matters. Nuff said.

 

[MMT]

Date: 5/17/2009 11:29:11 PM
Author: D&T

Date: 5/17/2009 11:23:00 PM
Author: Imdanny
Bigger.

I''m with Danny---- I love my K

I agree, I love my K also. As long as it''s well cut I am all for the lower color and bigger stone

 

[musey]

Date: 5/17/2009 8:15:34 PM
Author:ILoveDiamondsToo
? How much larger would you need to go to make it worth the lower color?

I prefer a warmer stone in most cuts, so I would buy with an emphasis on cut, then clarity (simply eye-clean), then carat. Color would come last.

It''s all about a balance

 

[princesss]

Depends on the shape.

For cushions and chunky antique cuts, I adore warmer colours. K-N is really my sweet spot there in any size. For RBs, pears, and ovals, I''m okay with Js and Ks, but anything over 1.5 and I''d like to go a little whiter (H-I). And it gets whiter as the size goes up for those shapes. But Asschers and emeralds I like really white. I probably wouldn''t want to go any lower than an I, but they''d preferably be in the G/H zone.

 

[Skippy123]

Diamonds are soooo cool because we can choose what we like best!! hehe I know I like cut best. Sure i would go bigger but I would need to see what I am deciding between first. I just can''t go too big though.

 

[Dancing Fire]

even if i had lots of $$$''s...an F VS1 would do for me,but since i don''t...then i can live with an G-H SI1-VS2 any day of the week.