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Color question

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BreenCP

Rough_Rock
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Feb 7, 2001
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12
I have been reading alot, and I mean ALOT, about color, and yet I still haven't quite figured it out. I looked at an EightStar I color diamond today, and it looked great. I did not at all look any more yellow than "A Cut Above" that was an E color. However, at the same time it was very difficult to notice a difference in Brilliance, Fire, and Scint. So my question is.....Can a lower color grade (E compared to I), even if it doesn't look any more "yellow", affect the appearance of brilliance, fire, and scint?What is everyone's opinion on where the human eye stops noticing the difference in color grades?
 

pricescope

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 31, 1999
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8,266
BreenCP, it is know fact that color is less visible in the well-cut stone.Diamond is positioned pavilion up in order to grade the color. When the well-cut stone is viewed table up, it returns a lot of white and color light so it's difficult to see the color difference. I also think that you would have the same effect with two E and I A Cut Above diamonds.
 

lawmax

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 31, 1999
Messages
1,317
The CEO of EightStar diamond company wears a K color EightStar that I'm told is amazing.
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4A

Rough_Rock
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Feb 14, 2003
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Lawmax-
I have been reading your posts with much interest. You always give great information.

I am interested in an 8*. The price is making me think about it a bit more. I am wondering if the retailer I went to is asking a bit much for the following stone: J color, VS2, 1.11 ct., price $8500.00. My understanding is that I could expect to spend approximately 48% more for an 8* as compared to a "comparable" H & A. I looked at Pricescope's avg prices for H & A stones--$4185/ct. That means $4645 for a 1.11 H & A. Adding 48% to that comes to $6875.

Can you please give me some guidance?

Thanks much -
4A
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lawmax

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
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Hi,

I received your pm and will reply in an email to you.
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lawmax
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trichrome

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 9, 2002
Messages
397
Buying a branded stone is a matter of taste... However, people have to know
that's a pretty recent marketing technique and it's more prevalent in the
US than anywhere else in the world...

A diamond is a diamond... what makes it beautiful is the cut, clarity & color.
That's it. If you love branded diamonds and have the money, then buy it, you'll
be happy. However, all those branded stones are just a way for some
dealers to try to sell goods that are in a certain way different than what
other people in the business have to sell. I have no problem with that.
But he, for me and my friends, I prefer nonbranded diamonds... they're cheaper
and I can easily find them at great price... that's all about the notion of
quality vs price....

Trichrome.
 
Joined
Apr 6, 2001
Messages
15
I agree with Trichrome. There are GORGEOUS unbranded diamonds at almost half the price of a branded stone. However, if you feel more comfortable and you have the budget to afford a branded stone, then goodluck! Color is definitely not as important and not as noticeable as a good cut. It's the sparkle that will draw all eyes to it: not the color!

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4A

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 14, 2003
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I appreciate all of your responses. As many others have acknowledged, it gets a bit confusing and everyone wants to make the wisest decision. Thanks for responding.
 

Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
31,003
From what I understand...8* only makes a certain number of stones per year so that there is always a low amount in circulation, making them quite the hot commodity for those interested. The price you mentioned for that J VS2 sounds a little low...in fact that may even have been a stone I was looking at about 2 months ago when we were searching. Our dealer had a few 8*'s in stock out of the 30 or so available entirely, and there was a similarly sized J VS stone for around $1k more than your quote. Maybe it was a different stone...but it was sure expensive. I went to see the 8* to see what all the hype was about and was not personally impressed. However many others have purchased 8*'s on here and absolutely love them. My feel was that the markup was too steep for what I was seeing reflected with my own 2 eyes. For example, if I recall correctly, a 1.40 H SI stone was over $15k! It's just like Tiffany's!
 

lawmax

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 31, 1999
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1,317
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On 2/15/2003 7:56
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1 PM Mara wrote:

From what I understand...8* only makes a certain number of stones per year so that there is always a low amount in circulation, making them quite the hot commodity for those interested. The price you mentioned for that J VS2 sounds a little low...in fact that may even have been a stone I was looking at about 2 months ago when we were searching. Our dealer had a few 8*'s in stock out of the 30 or so available entirely, and there was a similarly sized J VS stone for around $1k more than your quote. Maybe it was a different stone...but it was sure expensive. I went to see the 8* to see what all the hype was about and was not personally impressed. However many others have purchased 8*'s on here and absolutely love them. My feel was that the markup was too steep for what I was seeing reflected with my own 2 eyes. For example, if I recall correctly, a 1.40 H SI stone was over $15k! It's just like Tiffany's!

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You are correct that 8*s are rare and they really sold out last year. You are also correct that many people could see the difference between 8*s and other diamonds--my husband has no interest in diamonds, had never looked at diamonds, and could pick the 8star out of a group of diamonds after looking at them for a short time. It helps to get the diamonds out of the blinding jewelry store lighting. Take them outside and see them in dim lighting and the differences become more apparent. Few of us live in jewelry store lighting.
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It is NOT however, just like Tiffany's. With Tiffany's, the price and perceived value does not come from the cut of the stone and the stone's light performance. You pay for the Tiffany name, the blue box and the fact that the stones are pretty nice.

With an 8*, the value comes with the diamond's incredible light performance, amazingly, consistently precise cut, the rarity of 8*s, the fact that 8* began the revolution in diamond cutting that the hearts and arrows manufacturers have been scrambling to copy, the fact that the diamonds are all cut by a few 8* cutters, whose training takes a very long time (most hearts and arrows stones are cut in Europe and are mass-manufactured, machine cut stones), and many other factors. You are paying for a very special artisanal item and its related costs. Either you get it or you don't. If price is the main factor in your buying decision, you are not an 8* customer.

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Mara

Super_Ideal_Rock
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On 2/16/2003 7:50:23 AM lawmax wrote:
Either you get it or you don't. If price is the main factor in your buying decision, you are not an 8* customer.

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Sounds like what many Tiffany stores say to people who ask pricing or exclaim about markups. If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it.

I agree...I am not an 8* customer...because I was looking for a good balance between the 4c's and was not willing to pay a 40-50% markup for a marketing branded stone. Regardless of their superior cutting measures and the fact that everyone wants to copy them, they are still a branded stone sold by marketing dollars and limited production sales tactics. I am sure many people can tell the difference visually between an H&A and an 8* and a ACA stone etc, but when I looked at the 8* at the jewelers with a supposed 'ideal' stone next to it...I didn't see anything that exciting. I even used their 8* viewer to look at both stones. They both looked really great--but the 8* didn't speak to me and I was personally amazed that they commanded the markup that they did. It doesn't mean that 8* diamonds are not beautiful, in fact I have seen a few pictures here that look lovely. But I have also seen some SuperbCert and ACA pictures posted that really blew me away as well. For much less of a markup.

So yes, I agree...the 8* stones are not for everyone--or even 95% of the population. That said...even if I had loads of disposable income to spend on a stone...I don't know that I would buy an 8* from what I saw. To me the ACA stones and some of the other SuperIdeal branded stones seem like better bang for the buck. Even if price is not a major consideration in a purchase of a diamond, the perceived value of the best quality for the $$$ would always factor into my decision.

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lawmax

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Dec 31, 1999
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I don't see 8* pricing as marketing and sales tactics. I see it as real cost and value issues. If it holds no value for you, then clearly it was not in your interest to buy one. 8* is more about what's in your heart than what's in your wallet anyway. Oh, and I won't stick my tongue out at you.
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