Calling all Color Intollerant PSers

[angeljosephy]

I'm colour intolerant.

I have a 0.8ct E (it's actually a CBI) that I've never set... I actually actively dislike it. It's just too darn white!! My eyes read "colourless" as "uninviting". #FirstWorldProblems

When I was at the CBI GTG earlier this year I mentioned that I already had a CBI, and @Wink observed that I could easily upgrade (to the 5ct whose company I was very much enjoying)... Then I told him the size, and @John Pollard observed that it would be the largest upgrade they'd ever done - and that it might cover about half the tax

Other than that stone I've got/had RBs ranging from G through L. My (strongly) preferred range is I/J/K for larger stones and J/K/L for sub-caraters. My name starts with J so that's a convenient excuse to be nitpicky about colour

@yssie you should totally do the upgrade

 

[yssie]

sometimes my husband says I'm intolerable...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have different preferences depending on the type of diamond.

My ideal for an ideal cut round would be G (or F if I could afford the size I wanted). But my studs are H, and they do face up white enough for me. So G-H is probably my sweet spot for modern rounds.

For old cuts, I am much more tolerant of lower colors. My AVR is I color, and I would prefer H if I could magically change it, but no higher than that. My antique asscher is K color, and I honestly wouldn't have guessed it was K color had I not been told. But the reason for that is that it is well cut, and stones being well cut almost always enhances color. Oh, and then skip a few grades downward and I love really low color, light yellow stones O to Y-Z enhanced by yellow gold in the setting.

 

[Kaycee2018]

I don't consider myself to be particularly color intolerant, but for MRB graded by GIA, my preferences are:

Rings and necklaces: G (possibly high H) and up for over about a carat, H-I and up for under a carat.

Necklaces: H and up for over about a carat, I and up for under a carat.

Earrings: H-I and up regardless of size.

For fancy cuts or AGS graded diamonds, I would go up at least one color grade.

Old cuts are a different animal all together and IMO part of their charm is their warmth.

 

[Wewechew]

I'm crazy busy at work currently so I don't have time to respond to everyone individually. Thank you all for responding! I'll update you guys on my thoughts later in the week after I see them in person.

I keep reading the title of this thread as “Calling All Intolerant PSers!”

LOL I would definitely fit right in on that thread too.

 

[cflutist]

I wouldn't say that I am color intolerant, but rather that I prefer whiter colors for my ering diamonds and am willing to sacrifice size to get high color stones.

My first marquise was an E (now in pendant).

My 2nd marquise was an F (now in RHR).

An oval was a D that I traded in for my F pear. I miss its icy whiteness.

Then I bought a F-SI1 CBI that was traded in for an E-VS1 34.5/40.8 that is part of a 3-stone with F sides.
I also have a F-VS1 CBI with 34.5/40.8.
I consider these to be my best diamonds even though my pear is larger.

Finally, on the other end of the spectrum,
I also like my Q-VVS2 CBI in 18k YG with a modified halo for contrast.

The lowest I have gone is a F, but may need to venture into a high G-VS1 if I ever want a 4+ CBI.

 

[LinSF]

I can see tint at an F in fancy shapes (I don't own MRBs). I suspect my tolerance would be higher in an MRB. Tint at F doesnt bother me, but a lower letter would.

 

[Dancing Fire]

The lowest I have gone is a F, but may need to venture into a high G-VS1 if I ever want a 4+ CBI.

Time to call Wink!... If I had your money!..
https://www.hpdiamonds.com/en-us/diamonddetail/HPD10826

 

[Gussie]

I am not fond of an icy look at all. I prefer at least I. I am very happy with my J. And the fact that it is so much less expensive!!!!

 

[CareBear]

I have to tolerate my two Hs because my bank account won't tolerate anything higher in color.
I'd say G is fairly safe, as most people can tolerate G color.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

I'm a D girl.

I can detect a tiny bit of color in an F and a lot of color in a G. E's are beautiful and I see no color in them, however they don't "glow" white to me like the Ds do.

I love my D CBI 2.55 ct. In certain lights it glows blue (and no, it does not have any fluorescence.)
Gazing into it is like gazing into a deep, glacial lake, or seeing sunlight dance at the bottom of a cool swimming pool lined with blue mosaic tiles (think of those David Hockney paintings of men swimming in pools). My husband says when he watches me at the dinner table, he thinks ice water is going to pour out of my ring if I tip it on its side. We live in a hot, humid climate, so gazing into its icy depths is incredibly refreshing to the spirit.

This is what my diamond feels like:

 

[Bonfire]

@RunningwithScissors I love your analogy! You have an astute artist’s eye and amazing talent, and a stunning diamond! Can’t wait for the reveal!

 

[Wewechew]

@RunningwithScissors well hell, now I want a D!

 

[Starfacet]

@RunningwithScissors well hell, now I want a D!

Ditto

 

[whitewave]

You know, I agree with @mrs-b

I think for me, I can’t handle J/K/L but could probably deal with O-P etc. I’m pretty sure I can embrace the yellow. I think it could be the almost whites that bother me— like is it trying to be white or yellow make a decision

But I would consider testing this theory with many diamonds

 

[RunningwithScissors]

I agree with @whitewave. After the icy glow of D's, I like the diamonds that have unabashed color, such as N and below. My absolute favorite (after D) is fancy dark orange brown.

I know that in the marketplace, brown tints are "undesirable." However, I like the way brown "tames" other colors, such as orange and pink. Brown gives them "umami" flavor, or a deep, low note. It "ripens" them. Deep orange brown diamonds remind me of the smell of woodsmoke and autumn leaves, the flavor of Lapsang Souchong tea, the feel of cashmere sweaters on my skin, and yes, a glass of Courvoisier cognac that warms you as you sip it.

 

[whitewave]

I agree with @whitewave. After the icy glow of D's, I like the diamonds that have unabashed color, N and below, and the true fancy yellows. My absolute favorite (after D) is fancy dark orange brown.

I know that in the marketplace, brown tints are "undesirable." However, I like the way brown "tames" other colors, such as orange and pink. Brown gives them "umami" flavor, or a deep, low note. It "ripens" them. Deep orange brown diamonds remind me of the smell of woodsmoke in the air and autumn leaves, or the flavor of Lapsang Souchong tea, or the feel of cashmere sweaters on my skin. And yes, a glass of Courvoisier cognac that warms you as you sip it.

Yassss, I noticed DBL has some orange diamonds right now, yum. I do like the brown tint as well.

 

[AdaBeta27]

Intolerant? Nope, I'm evidently liberal and I like them all, even in modern H&As. I can detect the very subtle tints in GIA F and G. H would still be plenty white enough for me in anything 1.5ct or under. I looks ivory to me, face up or from the side, even from 5 ft away, but it's pretty. I love the pale yellow of L & M. I have an M modern H&A that is an older diamond recut by Brian Gavin. I currently own diamonds ranging from E down to M, and have seem some fantastic vintage rings with O/P center stone that I would not turn down if someone willed me one. If I have any "blech" reaction at all, it seems to be limited to K, which looks neither ivory or pale yellow. K just look somehow "dingy" to me in a way. I recently had cataract surgery on one eye due to an old injury, and it's amazing how well can I see tints in diamonds afterward! It's been fun getting out all my rings to see what color they are now.

 

[CoffeeAndDiamonds]

I'm very color tolerant, partially I'm sure because I just can't distinguish between colors very well. Last Christmas I took that test that assesses your ability to see the differences in shades of color. My sister scored like an 8, and my husband got like a 4. I on the other hand, scored over 30. Even when they would tell me which of my colors were in the wrong order, I just couldn't see it

 

[Arcadian]

I'm another color stoner and I consider myself to be color tolerant. I have more issue with not liking certain tints/undertones than the actual color itself. what I can visibly see starts at F. D-E, not really.

I don't like grey undertones on white/cream colored stones at all. Makes the stones look dirty.

Brown is ok but only to a degree and ONLY on lower colored stones without any grey in the mix. yellow its iffy, its a bit like piss on snow (I know but.. ) I do like lighter yellow WX stones though as long as they're not coupled with a brown undertone.

But I do indeedy love color. I have I colored studs which are pretty darn lovely. they're definite creamy off white color to my eye and what I think to be roughly M colored stones with brown tint (thankfully)

To me, D-E is like icy. like ice cubes. F is white. Not totally crystalline. Maybe even friendly...lol (I'm such a weirdo)

 

[AV_]

I love my D CBI 2.55 ct. In certain lights it glows blue (and no, it does not have any fluorescence.)

I wonder what you are seeing! Perhaps colourlessness gives an impression of cold white blue anyway, but some diamonds do have a very subtle texture - too subtle to register as a clarity characteristic, that may well yield visible blue white if the diamond big enough - eg. right side of figure #9c p.107 in www. I doubt there are many such D stones at all.

 

[Wewechew]

Update: I was able view the G and E in person. It seems that my color intolerance starts to diminish at G, as I had a really hard time being able to tell any difference in color between the two. In all lighting environments I kept being ever so slightly drawn to one, and I was positive it was the E (because that would be my wallet's luck). But, much to my husband's and my relief, it was the G that kept catching my eye. So, long story short- I will be upgrading to the G

 

[kmajid]

Here I was all set on an H, getting ready to make the purchase, only to stumble upon and go through this wonderful thread. Thanks everyone haha

 

[Sunstorm]

I’m sooo lucky! I love character stones and that includes nuances of color. I am bored with colorless but I love I-s and J-s already, warmer whites. I really am not an MRB person though and like either fancy shapes or a chunky faceted big old round.
I have considered that liking warm whites and anything below that is nice has to do with liking color. Possibly because in general I love color and have always loved FCDs. Perhaps it is true but then many like or love FCDs but want their colorless stones icy white.

 

[Wewechew]

Here I was all set on an H, getting ready to make the purchase, only to stumble upon and go through this wonderful thread. Thanks everyone haha

A lot of people are fine with H... it really depends on your own tolerance. In fact, some people, like @Gussie , prefer lower color stones

 

[kmajid]

A lot of people are fine with H... it really depends on your own tolerance. In fact, some people, like @Gussie , prefer lower color stones

H does seem somewhat safe, but reading through this thread just made me feel like maybe I should go for a higher grade. Based on how I am in general, i would prefer to go with a stone that's as colorless as possible, but i also don't want to throw the budget completely out the window. After a quick search, i found an F that matches the other criteria, so now i just need to decide whether it's worth the additional 5K or so haha

It really has been fascinating and informative reading everyone's feeling about the different colors. I really do appreciate that everyone shares the way they do : )

 

[Dancing Fire]

Update: I was able view the G and E in person. It seems that my color intolerance starts to diminish at G, as I had a really hard time being able to tell any difference in color between the two. In all lighting environments I kept being ever so slightly drawn to one, and I was positive it was the E (because that would be my wallet's luck). But, much to my husband's and my relief, it was the G that kept catching my eye. So, long story short- I will be upgrading to the G

G is a nice mid range color.

 

[Wewechew]

G is a nice mid range color.

I think so too

 

[kmajid]

Update: I was able view the G and E in person. It seems that my color intolerance starts to diminish at G, as I had a really hard time being able to tell any difference in color between the two. In all lighting environments I kept being ever so slightly drawn to one, and I was positive it was the E (because that would be my wallet's luck). But, much to my husband's and my relief, it was the G that kept catching my eye. So, long story short- I will be upgrading to the G

congrats!!! Enjoy the new one

 

[LinSF]

Oooh, you tease us! Please share the stats!