Color Question

[Kath]

I''m noticing that a lot of you diamond experts/lovers are getting H-J diamonds. At what point does the naked eye notice a difference in color? Can you tell a difference between an E and an H, or do only professional gemoligists notice a difference? Does it all just depend on that particular diamond - as in are there "good" H''s (whiter) and "bad" H''s (yellower)?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Lorelei]

Oooh Kath good question and one that is tricky to answer! Apparently the trade believe that at around an I colour that the untrained eye can begin to discern some warmth, especially from the pavillion. But is so much depends on the viewer, cut quality and shape. Generally a well cut round will face up whiter than some fancies but again this depends on the colour sensitivity of the viewer. I think compared side by side a layman could tell the difference between an E and an H when comparing side by side, maybe not so much when apart. Also remember that a GIA E or H might not be an EGL's etc so it is important to compare like and correctly graded diamonds from the same lab, preferably GIA. Of course any grading is done by humans so it isn't an exact science but I hope this helps. An H or J is plenty white for many if the cut is stellar and allows more cash to be spent on SIZE

Everyone is different and even an L colour looks plenty white to me face up in certain lights, also size of the diamond plays a part too, a tiny M colour will show more colour in over a carat and larger.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I am making myself crazy over the color issue, too. I can basically get the same diamond in G,H or I with VS and the price differential is about $1000 per color level! If I could see them all side by side in decent light, I think I would know my preference. But it is a bit expensive to buy three to look at and then return two. I have been to two jewelry stores and their dim lighting was useless in trying to decide on color.

I also am having a heck of a time deciding on a H&A @ G VS1 1.4 vs. an almost ideal (premium cut) H VS1 1.6 at a very good price. I don''t know if the 1.4 is big enough and I don''t know if the 1.6 would be too big considering none of my good friends wears more than 1 ct. I could also get an almost 1.35 H VS2 H&A for about $2000 less than these, or an I VS1 H&A 1.37 for about $3000 less!

I''d do a poll but I read some negative posts about some former poster on here that apparently ran too many polls! I currently wear an F 1ct., so that is why I am not sure whether I''d be happy with an H or I.

 

[Lorelei]

Don't worry about doing a poll, no one will flame you for it I promise! If you prefer start another thread asking for opinions, I know it can be overwhelmingly hard! Post all the specs then the cut nuts can have at it and help you decide! Post all the depth, table, crown and pavillion angles, girdle thicknesses etc and you can use the HCA with this info to help. BTW I don't think 1.6 is too big, if everything else is right with the diamond.

 

[Kath]

Diamondseeker...I guess that''s my problem too (but I''d be saving hundreds, not thousands!). Do I go with the F that is $500 more, or the H and save a few hundred - and would I even be able to tell a difference? I feel like I have pretty color-sensitive eyes, but I haven''t really compared a bunch of diamonds in front of me to know the difference between an F and an H, if there is any.

When I compare stones at Whiteflash, some of the F''s look more yellow to me than the H''s - but then other times it''s the other way around. Are those actual pictures of the diamond, or just samples? If they''re samples, that could be why. I guess getting a "near colorless" diamond won''t mean that people will say "ewww is that a diamond or a yellowing stone" - no one will notice, so I guess we should save the money and get lower on the scale.......but then the "mind-clean" issue comes up again!

 

[solange]

if you are looking at Whiteflash, or other vendors mentioned here, I would suggest that you call and discuss the stones with them and let them tell you about the appearance.
i bought an I color Ideal cut stone from them. I discussed the stone with Brian, the cutter before i had it shipped to an appraiser.
It looks great to me. It really depends upon how color sensitive you are, the cut of the stone and how much of the pavillion shows in the setting.
I think you can get the informatiion you need with a phone call rather\than with ictures which wil not show the sparkle or life of the stone or even the clor accurately.

 

[Lynn B]

I have said this so many times here on PS that I should just make a master template and then copy and paste it in various posts whenever I need it!

(So if you''ve been around PS awhile, skip this next paragraph - you have heard it before!

)

My first diamond was a killer AGS-0 1.53 G/VS2. I bought that color and clarity because I was a nervous newbie and it was a comfort/safety zone for me. That diamond faced up snow-white to me, and I never could find any inclusions, not even with a loupe.

I continued to stick around PS and watch and learn... and I came to see what gorgeous stones people were getting in I and J colors (and lower!) and in SI clarity. I learned that not all I/J/Ks and SIs are created equal... and that the sad, lonely, yellow, visibly-included diamonds I was seeing in the mall jewelry stores was NOT what my fellow PSers were getting from the well-respected internet vendors here.

I am a SHAMELESS size girl - and some time later I got a chance to upgrade to an AGS-0, 2.36 J/SI2 (for only $2K more!) So I took a chance. Thought, "If I don''t love it, I''ll return it!" Well, I am here to tell you that side-by-side, the J faced up just as white as the G, and was even more beautiful. From the side, there is a little warmth/"creaminess" color... but no yellow whatsoever. It''s a BEAUTIFUL color and the stone has a depth and "richness" that the G did not have. It''s also totally eye-clean, even under close scrutinization. (With the loupe, yes, I can find some tiny little wisps... but that doesn''t bother me at all.) It is a KILLER stone in a size I ADORE, and it was affordable because I was willing to compromise on color and clarity (but NEVER, EVER "cut"!).

 

[Lynn B]

Here''s the 1.53 G/VS2 beside the new 2.36 J/SI2...

 

[Lynn B]

Last one...

 

[rstillin]

The difference in size for 1.4 versus 1.6 ct is going to be in the neighborhood of .4mm. Thick human hair is 0.1mm. And of course if you drop all the way down to only 1.3 carats, you''re now closer to half a millimeter smaller than the 1.6ct stone in diameter!

I''ve noticed I can differentiate J color from G color by visual inspection. I can barely see the difference between "signature ideal" and "premium" cuts without a loop. I cannot tell you if a stone is 7.2mm versus 7.6mm by visual inspection though.

So IMHO I would pay for what I could notice first, before I would pay for something I couldn''t see without special equipment.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Gee, Lynn, I just need your old 1.5 G VS2 and I''d be set! Lol! Your new ring is beautiful!

Kath, if I were you, I would not spend the money on the F. I have had an F for 29 years, and I have no qualms at all about going to a G. Like you, I am having trouble getting the opportunity to see stones of different color in any light but a dim jewelry store, and I can''t tell anything about color there. I am also considering H, but I would have to see the stone before deciding if it was "the one". I do think I''d like an H or I in an antique style setting.

rstillin, very good points. I have only seen premium cut stones, so I don''t even know how much an ideal cut would differ!

 

[rstillin]

Typing paper is a better example for thickness. Fold a sheet of paper four times, thats about .4mm. Hard to believe that costs thousands more. So why do we buy diamonds based on carat weight? I could care less how heavy my diamond is. But 1.3 ct sounds much smaller than 1.6 ct

Okay ladies, how about the choice between that .4mm and a 2k weekend proposal retreat??? I''m thinking four star hotel, spa treatment, nice dinner, limo etc (does size matter that much?

)

 

[belle]

Date: 1/20/2006 3:43:54 PM
Author: rstillin

I can barely see the difference between ''signature ideal'' and ''premium'' cuts without a loop.

what is the difference with the loupe?

 

[rstillin]

Oops, embarrassing... did I write loop?
Right now I find it very difficult to discern any differences one the top cut qualities with the naked eye. I''m sure with time I could be trained to see the differences, or be taught what to look for.


What I did notice when using the loupe was that the higher quality cuts showed better symmetry. "Signature ideal" was very close to H&A symmetry, while premium were clearly not as symmetrical. I could see differences in girdle thickness, culets, table symmetry, etc that were not evident with my naked eye. BTW they had H&A "signature ideal" cuts too. These nuances are obscured by the brilliance of the diamond when viewed with my naked eye. I''ve been told that given the proper training I could learn to differentiate the nuances... but it might be detrimental to my wallet.