Cut versus Color & Clarity
- Thread starter scarecrow
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69gm
Shiny_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2003
- Messages
- 287
hi SC,
to tell you the truth, it kinda depends on your eye. some people can spot the difference quickly. of course the pros on this site can but even some novices say they can too.
now if you put these stones side by side, you might be able to see slight differences of color but generally if i took out one stone, then took it away and showed you another stone, i don't think you would be able to tell which one it was. i personally wouldn't be able to tell with such accuracy.
it's good, though, that you are looking at no worse than an "I" color. anything lower and will probably have an easier time noticing the yellow tinge. one thing to keep in mind though, is that if you get a really well cut diamond, it helps a lot with the color. some people have even bought a "J" but since it was so well cut, it looked very white. this is due to the great light return you will get with a well cut diamond. make sure you look at diamonds with a white background so you can see the yellow of the diamond. i once went to a place that tried to show me a diamond on a black velvet background. i had to tell him that that wasn't the right way to show a diamond. black will make a diamond look whiter than it really is. i don't know whether the jeweler really didn't know, or was just acting ignorant. no matter since i never bothered with him again.
no matter your budget, try not to sacrifice the cut of the diamond, above everything else. it makes a world of difference. a smaller well cut diamond will actually look bigger than a bigger crappy-cut (there i go again makin' up my own words
) diamond.
SI1 is a good clarity to look for, especially if your budget is tight. make sure it is eye-clean though. most of them are but like anything else, there are those lemons.
use the pricescope diamond search with your search parameters to see what's out there within your budget. there's a search by price too so you can see how much your buck buys.
good luck and when you think you found something, come back to the forum and the experts will give you their unbiased opinions. they won't steer you wrong!
to tell you the truth, it kinda depends on your eye. some people can spot the difference quickly. of course the pros on this site can but even some novices say they can too.
now if you put these stones side by side, you might be able to see slight differences of color but generally if i took out one stone, then took it away and showed you another stone, i don't think you would be able to tell which one it was. i personally wouldn't be able to tell with such accuracy.
it's good, though, that you are looking at no worse than an "I" color. anything lower and will probably have an easier time noticing the yellow tinge. one thing to keep in mind though, is that if you get a really well cut diamond, it helps a lot with the color. some people have even bought a "J" but since it was so well cut, it looked very white. this is due to the great light return you will get with a well cut diamond. make sure you look at diamonds with a white background so you can see the yellow of the diamond. i once went to a place that tried to show me a diamond on a black velvet background. i had to tell him that that wasn't the right way to show a diamond. black will make a diamond look whiter than it really is. i don't know whether the jeweler really didn't know, or was just acting ignorant. no matter since i never bothered with him again.
no matter your budget, try not to sacrifice the cut of the diamond, above everything else. it makes a world of difference. a smaller well cut diamond will actually look bigger than a bigger crappy-cut (there i go again makin' up my own words
SI1 is a good clarity to look for, especially if your budget is tight. make sure it is eye-clean though. most of them are but like anything else, there are those lemons.
use the pricescope diamond search with your search parameters to see what's out there within your budget. there's a search by price too so you can see how much your buck buys.
good luck and when you think you found something, come back to the forum and the experts will give you their unbiased opinions. they won't steer you wrong!
pqcollectibles
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2003
- Messages
- 3,441
Hi Scarecrow!
69gm is absolutely right! A lot of color perception in diamonds depends on CUT and your own personal sensitivity level.
I would never have thought a J color diamond would be a suitable choice until I previewed a J color A Cut Above from White Flash. Side by side, on white paper, against white gold and platinum, the J color was as white and bright as the H color ACA I also previewed. Beautiful flashes of color as well, and no brown or yellow tinge what so ever! Remember, color is rated with the cutlet up, viewed from the side. Don't hesitate to consider a lower color rating before sacrificing CUT. Near colorless diamonds, G/H/I/J, offer better pricing over colorless D/E/F diamonds.
An eye-clean SI1 is another way to get more bang for your buck. The trick is the size, type, color, and location of the inclusions. Inclusions that don't show from the top and/or sides and don't impact brilliance or performance of the diamond will allow you to get a larger carat weight for the same amount of money in the same color rating than VVS and VS clarity.
69gm is absolutely right! A lot of color perception in diamonds depends on CUT and your own personal sensitivity level.
I would never have thought a J color diamond would be a suitable choice until I previewed a J color A Cut Above from White Flash. Side by side, on white paper, against white gold and platinum, the J color was as white and bright as the H color ACA I also previewed. Beautiful flashes of color as well, and no brown or yellow tinge what so ever! Remember, color is rated with the cutlet up, viewed from the side. Don't hesitate to consider a lower color rating before sacrificing CUT. Near colorless diamonds, G/H/I/J, offer better pricing over colorless D/E/F diamonds.
An eye-clean SI1 is another way to get more bang for your buck. The trick is the size, type, color, and location of the inclusions. Inclusions that don't show from the top and/or sides and don't impact brilliance or performance of the diamond will allow you to get a larger carat weight for the same amount of money in the same color rating than VVS and VS clarity.
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2001
- Messages
- 6,340
This past week we had around 4 out of state clients who came in to learn and compare cut qualities and their impact on color. Each came in expecting to purchase colors G and higher and everyone left purchasing I and J colors ... one even a K when they saw how much cut impacted the beauty of the stone. One person who was eye balling our 1.67ct F SI1 brought his wife into the store and after comparing it to our 2.02ct J VVS decided on the larger J color without hesitation. They are also setting it in platinum.
Rhino
Rhino
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