Calling Appraisal Experts! Q. on color grading

[surfgirl]

So I''m wondering if Richard, Dave et al, those here who are professional appraisers, can answer this question...

How much wiggle room is there in each color grade? And does it make a vast difference when judging the color of a set stone if one uses a GIA master set of stones, or uses that technique where they hold it up to a white paper?

I ask because I''ve heard people say, "Oh it''s more like a high H" or "It''s really a low I", etc. and I''m wondering just how much room there actually is in grading a set stone.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

 

[belle]

grading is subjective, so the ''accepted'' tolerance is two color grades.

 

[surfgirl]

Seriously? It''s that high? So one person''s G, could be another person''s I, or another person''s E? That seems like too much of a spread to me...