Color/Clarity on Diamond Studs

[Tempp]

How low can I go on color & clarity on a pair of diamond stud a little over 1 ctw? Budget is $3,500 and would like to get the biggest size but not compromise too much on color and clarity. What is the average color/clarity of diamond studs out there?

Thanks.

 

[Lynn B]

I don''t know that there''s any meaningful "average" out there... there''s just too many variables. Most people buy from B&Ms, and I have found many times that those color/clarity grades are WAAAAY off what I know and am used to from our awesome PS vendors.

But anyway, with that said, I have a pair of martini-set diamond studs in the size you are considering. Each stone is an AGS-0, ideal cut H&A. One is a J/VS2 and one is a K/SI1. (And to be honest, I would have preferred two SI2s -- more bang for the buck! But sometimes you are "limited" by available inventory.) Anyway, both of them are totally eye-clean, and as for the color? Both are VERY WHITE and to be honest, unless I get out the loupe and read the girdle inscriptions, I cannot even tell them apart. Both diamonds are little fireballs, and I get so many compliments on them.

I think earrings are a GREAT place to try out "lower" color/clarity combos. Studs just don''t get scrutinized like say, an e-ring will. Just don''t compromise on *CUT* and you can hardly go wrong!

Keep us posted.

PS One more hint... buy each stud just shy of the .50 mark - you''ll save a LOT of money, but they''ll totally look like half-caraters on the ear. That''s what I did, and I LOVE them!

 

[justjulia]

Yes, I agree -availability is a factor. I have never bought a diamond online, but I would venture to try it with earrings. (I''m growing on the idea...everyone seems so pleased with the vendors here.) My studs are from a b&m and are fireballs, but I know I probably paid too much.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Asking about color and clarity here is about like asking what flavor icecream do you like best.

But I know I always enjoy hearing the opinions of others, too!

A few years ago I got a pair of 1.5 ctw studs that were supposed to be H SI. Later, a jeweler told me they were probably H color, I clarity. The stones look fine, they really do, but I can''t get over the I clarity. It''s a mind-clean thing to me. I want high quality diamonds, and for me that means excellent cut, reasonably white color, and good clarity. I won''t go under VS for ring stones and my plan was to go with SI1 for earrings. But obviously I bought from an untrustworthy source, and by the time I found out, it was too late to try to do anything about it.

So really, it''s a very personal decision that only you can decide. At this point, I am shopping for new studs, but I will be buying ideal cut certified stones from one of these vendors, and H is the lowest color and VS2-Si1 is the lowest clarity I''ll consider. I want my diamonds to be nice enough that they could be used in a ring or pendant if I ever wanted to change them.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/1/2006 8:52:25 AM
Author: justjulia
Yes, I agree -availability is a factor. I have never bought a diamond online, but I would venture to try it with earrings. (I''m growing on the idea...everyone seems so pleased with the vendors here.) My studs are from a b&m and are fireballs, but I know I probably paid too much.

Julia, it took several B&M disasters to get me to buy online. After the first buy, I wished I''d just done it to begin with, but I was wary. I understand your hesitation, but if you go with a respected vendor, you won''t regret it.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/1/2006 9:06:18 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 10/1/2006 8:52:25 AM
Author: justjulia
Yes, I agree -availability is a factor. I have never bought a diamond online, but I would venture to try it with earrings. (I''m growing on the idea...everyone seems so pleased with the vendors here.) My studs are from a b&m and are fireballs, but I know I probably paid too much.

Julia, it took several B&M disasters to get me to buy online. After the first buy, I wished I''d just done it to begin with, but I was wary. I understand your hesitation, but if you go with a respected vendor, you won''t regret it.

I''ll second that! I honestly tried to look at diamonds locally when I started shopping for this diamond, and the stones most of the stores stocked were not ideal cut. But the prices for the premium cut stones were just as high as the ideal cut ones from these vendors. So there was no way I was going to consider that. And I''ll have to say, there has been no jeweler that I have trusted more than Jonathan at GOG. I just wish I could bring him and his store here! (Well, no, on second thought my husband might leave me if I had daily access to GOG!!!)

 

[FacetFire]

I'd go as low as I/J color and SI2/I1 clarity depending on the color and size of the inclusions. As long as they can't be seen from a foot away, I wouldn't mind some inclusions that didn't interfere with sparkle. But to be safe, H SI1 stones would be my sweet spot.

 

[justjulia]

Date: 10/1/2006 9:20:21 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Date: 10/1/2006 9:06:18 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 10/1/2006 8:52:25 AM
Author: justjulia
Yes, I agree -availability is a factor. I have never bought a diamond online, but I would venture to try it with earrings. (I''m growing on the idea...everyone seems so pleased with the vendors here.) My studs are from a b&m and are fireballs, but I know I probably paid too much.

Julia, it took several B&M disasters to get me to buy online. After the first buy, I wished I''d just done it to begin with, but I was wary. I understand your hesitation, but if you go with a respected vendor, you won''t regret it.

I''ll second that! I honestly tried to look at diamonds locally when I started shopping for this diamond, and the stones most of the stores stocked were not ideal cut. But the prices for the premium cut stones were just as high as the ideal cut ones from these vendors. So there was no way I was going to consider that. And I''ll have to say, there has been no jeweler that I have trusted more than Jonathan at GOG. I just wish I could bring him and his store here! (Well, no, on second thought my husband might leave me if I had daily access to GOG!!!)

Believe me, I''m taking in every word you all are saying. My husband is reading along with me and thinks there is a lot of integrity here. Thanks for the candid conversation. I hate it when I feel like I''m being criticized for not buying online (like I''m ignorant or just plain stupid

. I''m just an old salt that takes time to warm up to new ideas. And yes, I know online shopping is not "new." I''m pulling myself up into the 21st century by my bootstraps.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/1/2006 9:38:09 AM
Author: justjulia

Date: 10/1/2006 9:20:21 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Date: 10/1/2006 9:06:18 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 10/1/2006 8:52:25 AM
Author: justjulia
Yes, I agree -availability is a factor. I have never bought a diamond online, but I would venture to try it with earrings. (I''m growing on the idea...everyone seems so pleased with the vendors here.) My studs are from a b&m and are fireballs, but I know I probably paid too much.

Julia, it took several B&M disasters to get me to buy online. After the first buy, I wished I''d just done it to begin with, but I was wary. I understand your hesitation, but if you go with a respected vendor, you won''t regret it.

I''ll second that! I honestly tried to look at diamonds locally when I started shopping for this diamond, and the stones most of the stores stocked were not ideal cut. But the prices for the premium cut stones were just as high as the ideal cut ones from these vendors. So there was no way I was going to consider that. And I''ll have to say, there has been no jeweler that I have trusted more than Jonathan at GOG. I just wish I could bring him and his store here! (Well, no, on second thought my husband might leave me if I had daily access to GOG!!!)

Believe me, I''m taking in every word you all are saying. My husband is reading along with me and thinks there is a lot of integrity here. Thanks for the candid conversation. I hate it when I feel like I''m being criticized for not buying online (like I''m ignorant or just plain stupid

. I''m just an old salt that takes time to warm up to new ideas. And yes, I know online shopping is not ''new.'' I''m pulling myself up into the 21st century by my bootstraps.

I''m really sorry you''ve been made to feel that way, and I hope it wasn''t anything I said. It does take time to warm up to the idea, some just get there faster. I was an old salt too.

 

[Giangi]

Depending on availability and other contingent factors, my pick would be H-I-J-K/I1. You can go with SI2s if you want your stones to be more likely to be eye-clean, even though, in my humble opinion, it doesn''t make much difference in earrings.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/1/2006 9:38:09 AM
Author: justjulia

Date: 10/1/2006 9:20:21 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Date: 10/1/2006 9:06:18 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 10/1/2006 8:52:25 AM
Author: justjulia
Yes, I agree -availability is a factor. I have never bought a diamond online, but I would venture to try it with earrings. (I''m growing on the idea...everyone seems so pleased with the vendors here.) My studs are from a b&m and are fireballs, but I know I probably paid too much.

Julia, it took several B&M disasters to get me to buy online. After the first buy, I wished I''d just done it to begin with, but I was wary. I understand your hesitation, but if you go with a respected vendor, you won''t regret it.

I''ll second that! I honestly tried to look at diamonds locally when I started shopping for this diamond, and the stones most of the stores stocked were not ideal cut. But the prices for the premium cut stones were just as high as the ideal cut ones from these vendors. So there was no way I was going to consider that. And I''ll have to say, there has been no jeweler that I have trusted more than Jonathan at GOG. I just wish I could bring him and his store here! (Well, no, on second thought my husband might leave me if I had daily access to GOG!!!)

Believe me, I''m taking in every word you all are saying. My husband is reading along with me and thinks there is a lot of integrity here. Thanks for the candid conversation. I hate it when I feel like I''m being criticized for not buying online (like I''m ignorant or just plain stupid

. I''m just an old salt that takes time to warm up to new ideas. And yes, I know online shopping is not ''new.'' I''m pulling myself up into the 21st century by my bootstraps.

Julia, I hope I didn''t do that either. I believe you had some jewelry from a store that allowed trade-ins, so you pretty much have a situation where you have to deal locally for some things. This diamond I just bought is the first big jewelry purchase I have made online, so I am far from a big internet jewelry buyer! Lol! And from what I have seen, the prices aren''t that much different for settings and other jewelry, so as far as I''m concerned, the diamonds are the most advantageous to buy online, unless one is already connected to a store where you have the ability to trade-in. I wasn''t interested in trading in my original diamond, or I might have done the same thing. I only WISH I had the ability to trade-in my diamond studs! That was a costly mistake on my part!!!

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 10/1/2006 9:03:24 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006

... I want my diamonds to be nice enough that they could be used in a ring or pendant if I ever wanted to change them.

That''s a good point, and I totally agree. It''s nice to have that option. And believe me, I would SO use my earrings in a ring or pendant. But first someone would have to pry them out of my cold, dead ears!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/1/2006 2:04:06 PM
Author: Lynn B

Date: 10/1/2006 9:03:24 AM
Author: diamondseeker2006

... I want my diamonds to be nice enough that they could be used in a ring or pendant if I ever wanted to change them.

That's a good point, and I totally agree. It's nice to have that option. And believe me, I would SO use my earrings in a ring or pendant. But first someone would have to pry them out of my cold, dead ears!

Lol! Lynn, I'm just waiting for DSS to set in and watch your earrings grow like your ring did! I'm betting these are not the ones that will be pried out of your "cold, dead ears"!

(I think a lot of people just buy stock studs that are not certified and not ideal cut, and that's kinda what I was referring to.)

Lynn, I just noticed how much our avatar pictures look alike except for the background color!

 

[kcoursolle]

I would get top of the line cut quality, but I would go down to a J/SI2. This would get a lot of bang for your buck.

 

[justjulia]

Ellen and Diamondseeker,
Oh, no, you guys haven''t made me feel bad at all! You''ve been very supportive! My next big diamond purchase will most likely be online. I had fun with my trade ins. The last thing on my list will be the ering diamond, which will be a big enough deal not to be considered trade up fodder. In other words, I got the earings, the bracelet, the pendents all covered. I wear an eternity band now as my e/wb combo, but when I go for the final ering rock, it will be a pretty big deal. I feel I have more to learn, first, and some money to save up. All in due time..... Sorry for hijacking your thread Tempo! Tempo, I have found that at some places, you can get a better deal if you buy their ready made sets.

Check out the trade up policy, wherever you end up shopping.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 10/1/2006 2:32:31 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

Lol! Lynn, I''m just waiting for DSS to set in and watch your earrings grow like your ring did! I''m betting these are not the ones that will be pried out of your ''cold, dead ears''!

Lynn, I just noticed how much our avatar pictures look alike except for the background color!

Ha ha! I know, I know... I''ve had my studs for well over a year now, and they still seem plenty big for my earlobes. It''s AMAZING that DSS hasn''t set in yet! In fact, it''s... VEWWWWWY, VEWWWWY STWANGE!!!

(But believe me, DH is NOT complaining!)

And yes, I''ve noticed that about our avatars. They''re SISTERS!

 

[aruba1103]

What do u guys think of ready to go selection of 1.5 TCW from whiteflash of Bluenile.
DO U think it is worth paying extra money for platinum?

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 10/1/2006 3:56:39 AM
Author:Tempp
How low can I go on color & clarity on a pair of diamond stud a little over 1 ctw? Budget is $3,500 and would like to get the biggest size but not compromise too much on color and clarity. What is the average color/clarity of diamond studs out there?

I can''t say that I represent the average, but I''ll tell you that my stones are .55 and .57. Both are Js; one is SI1, the other SI2. Top make (meaning best cut). Average cost - about 2200.

You say your budget is about $3500. You have more than enough to get what you want. If you''re good with J/SI, you can probably get .6x for your budget....or you can stick to .55 or so and possibly go H or I color.

 

[justjulia]

Date: 10/2/2006 5:12:06 PM
Author: aruba1103
What do u guys think of ready to go selection of 1.5 TCW from whiteflash of Bluenile.
DO U think it is worth paying extra money for platinum?

No, I do not think it is worth paying extra for platinum for earrings. I had plat bezel set one time, and they were heavy. I don''t want my holes stretched. White gold has been plenty strong for me, and all I see is diamond anyway. Put the money in the diamonds instead of the setting, in my opinion. Now, my wedding band, that''s another matter-I can see it every day all the time and I love the look of plat.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 10/2/2006 5:12:06 PM
Author: aruba1103
What do u guys think of ready to go selection of 1.5 TCW from whiteflash of Bluenile.
DO U think it is worth paying extra money for platinum?

I''m not familiar with Blue Niles policies, but with WF, the Ready to set selection is not upgradable, so just something to keep in mind.

And no, for earrings I think white gold is fine.

 

[Tempp]

Do you think symmetry and polish is important as well? I think the lowest I would go is VG. But which is more important, symmerty or polish?

Thanks.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I''ve always heard to stay with VG or better on both symmetry and polish.

 

[Tempp]

What do you guys think of the specs pair for the below pair of diamond studs. It is $4,080. Is it worth the price? Is it noticeable if one is H and the other is I? Thanks.

Diamond 1 Diamond 2
Cut:Ideal Ideal
Color: I H
Clarity: SI2 SI2
Depth: 59.7% 59.9%
Table :59.0% 57.0%
Polish: VG VG
Symmetry: Excellent Excellent
Girdle: Thin to Medium Thin to Medium
Culet: None None
Fluorescence: Faint None
Measurements: 5.79 x 5.84 x 3.47 5.78 x 5.81 x 3.47 mm

 

[belle]

do you want to make sure you are getting well cut diamonds or do you just want something that says ''ideal''?

 

[Phoenix]

They seem an excellent deal, though I personally would notice the difference between a H and an I, but that''s just me (i think I am quite colour-sensitive).

Definitely buy on-line! And make sure you have them indepently appraised. I didn''t and as I don''t live in the US bought my ring from Hong kong where I don''t know of any appraisers, and found out upon returning to Singapore that my colour is actually a "lower F" (read my thread on my new diamond_colour grading), which is very close to G though I paid for an F. Did you know that are diffrent gradings within a colour band and the lower down the colour chart, the wider the colour diffences within the same colour category (so a "lower K" for example may look very noticeably yellower compared to a "mid-K")? I didn''t know this until recently and for sure the vendors never tell you. Also make sure there is a full refund policy if you''re not entirely happy with what you receive.

Definitely go for ideal or excellent cut. They WILL look better and whiter. I have a GIA triple "excellent" stone, a VG cut stone and G stones and trust me, the diffences in cuts stand out from miles.

 

[Phoenix]

Oh also, i read somewhere that polish is more important than symmetry but if you can get at least VG on both, that''d be sufficient (most important, again, is cut above everything else).

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 10/6/2006 11:49:28 PM
Author: Tempp
What do you guys think of the specs pair for the below pair of diamond studs. It is $4,080. Is it worth the price? Is it noticeable if one is H and the other is I? Thanks.

Diamond 1 Diamond 2
Cut:Ideal Ideal
Color: I H
Clarity: SI2 SI2
Depth: 59.7% 59.9%
Table :59.0% 57.0%
Polish: VG VG
Symmetry: Excellent Excellent
Girdle: Thin to Medium Thin to Medium
Culet: None None
Fluorescence: Faint None
Measurements: 5.79 x 5.84 x 3.47 5.78 x 5.81 x 3.47 mm

I don''t think I''d match up an H and an I. If you want to go with I, then get both I''s. However, I also wouldn''t want one with a 59% table and the other with 57. You also need to list the crown and pavilion angles if you want people to comment on the cut. You can definitely do better on cut than these two.

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 10/7/2006 3:32:09 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006

I don't think I'd match up an H and an I. If you want to go with I, then get both I's. However, I also wouldn't want one with a 59% table and the other with 57. You also need to list the crown and pavilion angles if you want people to comment on the cut. You can definitely do better on cut than these two.

This is just my humble opinion... but I have to respectfully disagree a little bit here. I would TOTALLY get studs that were one color grade difference, in fact, I did! I have one J and one K and honestly, I cannot tell them apart. Also, assuming both stones are of an excellent cut, I would also not worry too much about the table sizes. I *might not* do, say, a 53 and a 59... but personally (again, just my very non-professional opinion here) I would have no problem with a 2% difference. I just don't think those slight variances are noticeable in earrings.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Lynn, you're right that table size is probably not noticeable to casual observers. My feeling about the color was that if someone was willing to go with I color, then why pay more for an H stone to go with it? It would cost less to get 2 I color stones, so if at all possible, it would make more sense to go with both stones in the lower color.

(Oh, and my thought with the tables was that 59 is not usually considered in the true "ideal cut" range, so I wouldn't have chosen that stone to go with the other. I guess I should have explained that a little better.)

 

[Lynn B]

Date: 10/7/2006 8:01:13 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
Lynn, you're right that table size is probably not noticeable to casual observers. My feeling about the color was that if someone was willing to go with I color, then why pay more for an H stone to go with it? It would cost less to get 2 I color stones, so if at all possible, it would make more sense to go with both stones in the lower color.

(Oh, and my thought with the tables was that 59 is not usually considered in the true 'ideal cut' range, so I wouldn't have chosen that stone to go with the other. I guess I should have explained that a little better.)

Oh, I see what you are saying now. And I totally agree, two "I" stones would certainly cost less than one "I" and one "H". Sometimes though, it just comes down to inventory and availability... and we don't always get our perfect first choice. Darn it anyway!