Color sensitivities

[AprilBaby]

So many people come on and ask about getting stones one to two differences in color. In reality, if someone shows you their diamond, do you in your mind judge what color the stone is? Can you tell if someone is wearing a D or F? A G or an H? I realize we can see an F from a J.

 

[Texas Leaguer]

I think it is more of a subconscious reaction for most people. And since a diamond has multiple visual aspects people instinctively assess a diamond holistically. That's one reason cut quality is so important. One of the prominent things about a diamond is how much it sparkles. A very high performing stone will have more appeal than a lower performer, even if the color is lower.

The color scale is broken out into groupings- DEF colorless, GHIJ near colorless, etc. For most people, recognizing where the diamond falls in terms of these groupings is probably as accurate they will get, especially outside of a clinical type lighting environment. But it depends on the color sensitivity of the individual, and that varies widely. One thing to bear in mind is that not everyone prefers colorless. Some like the 'warmth' they see in lower color diamonds.

Having said that, I do believe that a colorless diamond with good clarity and high precision cutting has unique appeal, and when observed by most people they recognize they are looking at something rare and special.

 

[Karl_K]

There is a difference between seeing body color and being bothered by it.
Many people have a sharp cut off point where once it gets to a certain point that varies by person they perceive it as colored. Then there is another point where it may bug them enough to not want it.
Those points vary all over the place person to person.
Being well cut can hide body color by returning light in a wider range of conditions so you don't see the body color as often.

 

[Gypsy]

Seeing color just means your eyes work.
Being bothered by it is something else.

You can see color (I can) and not have it bother you.

Letting it bother you is a mental thing. Has nothing to do with your eyes.

 

[cflutist]

I cannot accurately color grade a diamond without comparison to a master, however I have noticed the "tint" to my neighbor's diamond (she has a 4 ct) and did notice how "white" a diamond was when I was in the store buying my pear. Yep, her diamond was a "D".

On the other hand, I don't see clarity so well which is why SI1 is fine with me although I know others want VS1 or better. Heck I missed a pinpoint once in a VVS1 stone and I knew that GIA wouldn't be sending it to me for a grading exercise unless there was something to plot.

My feeling is that there are enough options available for all of us.

 

[OoohShiny]

Seeing color just means your eyes work.
Being bothered by it is something else.

You can see color (I can) and not have it bother you.

Letting it bother you is a mental thing. Has nothing to do with your eyes.

I reckon it's also partly psychological conditioning brought about through marketing of D colour as 'the best' and an aspirational/luxury product in what is already an aspirational/luxury market. Diamonds are, after all, completely unnecessary and their only purpose is to look good but we are sold the idea that they must be as close as possible to D!

Fortunately on PS we are wise to such tricks

 

[MissGotRocks]

What I do notice is if a diamond looks 'yellow' - and that's probably due more to poor cutting and lower colors - probably from mall stores or whatever. I can spot a very well cut stone from yards away though! And then there are the dirty stones - don't get me started on that!!

 

[TC1987]

Oh, yeah, I always try to determine what color and clarity it is if I can manage to stare at it without being noticed. But if it's a warmer color I don't "judge" it as less desirable or anything. Same for clarity: I have lost count of how many times I have asked to look at a diamond in a local display case only to find that's it's very heavily included but cut pretty well. If a good SI2 is literally half the price of the same cut and color and carat in VS clarity, I can easily live with SI2 or even I1. And I don't fault anyone else for doing so. In fact, I mostly applaud people who sacrificed on clarity to get size and affordability.

Poor cut is what I'd mentally diss someone's diamond for.

 

[Travelgal]

Before there were lab reports we let our eyes identify the best stones. I still think that's valuable today. Walk into any jewelry store and we can identify the best diamonds without a report. We can tell which ones sparkle, which ones are dead, which ones gave color, etc... So while we might not know the exact color grading we have a good idea just looking at the diamond what we do and don't like. I am color sensitive. My first diamond was an F radiant and my current stone is an OEC H. No matter what way I turn the stone I see no color. However, I do notice color with modern stones and to Gypsys point, it drives me nuts. With modern stones I want white. Vintage stones color doesn't bother me.