Diamond color comparisons

[Dreamer_D]

There is a great Diamond Size Comparison thread, so I thought a parallel diamond color comparison thread could be useful to many.

Of course, you cannot judge color with 100% accuracy on the computer monitor, you *need* to see diamonds of different colors in person to truly determine your own preferences and comfort levels. Still, a thread like this could be a useful first step for many, and a useful tool for those crazy PSers considering upgrades

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First up, Demelza''s big I color versus her "smaller" G color diamond

 

[Dreamer_D]

Demelza''s I and G again.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Demelza''s I and G

 

[Dreamer_D]

Demelza''s I and G

 

[Dreamer_D]

D versus G

 

[Dreamer_D]

D versus K

 

[Dreamer_D]

D versus K

 

[Dreamer_D]

E vs J vs J vs K

 

[Dreamer_D]

E vs J vs J vs K again, face up this time

 

[Dreamer_D]

G vs J

 

[Dreamer_D]

H vs I vs G

 

[Dreamer_D]

H vs J

 

[Dreamer_D]

Really great videos examining color by Good Old Gold (www.goodoldgold.com)

Comparing H, J, and K

http://www.vimeo.com/4495973

Comparing F to J

http://www.vimeo.com/2309461

 

[Dreamer_D]

From my Photographic Death Match Thread

1.17ct K vs .63ct F

 

[Dreamer_D]

F vs K again

 

[Dreamer_D]

F vs K again

 

[HVVS]

Great idea for a thread.

high G on the left vs. high J on the right (from GOG)

 

[elle_chris]

While in some pics the color is easy to see, I hope newbies won't think that pics are a true representaation of color. As not only monitors vary, but so does the color balance on each camera that took them. None of those pictures is a true representation of what a person is going to see in real life as there are just too many variables. That's not even counting how sensitive one is to color.

My first H&A purchase was a K because of the pics I saw here. In fact, the K looked as white as can be, and every post said how they couldn't believe it was a K. Well, after owning one, well cut or not, a K is a K and there is color. Pictures do not tell the whole story and size plays a large role in what you're going to see.

I just don't want new people here to have a false sense of security. If you choose a lower color stone based on how white the pictures look, you "may" wish you hadn't.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 11/26/2009 10:51:14 PM
Author:dreamer_dachsie
There is a great Diamond Size Comparison thread, so I thought a parallel diamond color comparison thread could be useful to many.

Of course, you cannot judge color with 100% accuracy on the computer monitor, you *need* to see diamonds of different colors in person to truly determine your own preferences and comfort levels. Still, a thread like this could be a useful first step for many, and a useful tool for those crazy PSers considering upgrades

.

Elle And that is why I started the thread with this caveat

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 11/27/2009 11:30:59 AM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 11/26/2009 10:51:14 PM
Author:dreamer_dachsie
There is a great Diamond Size Comparison thread, so I thought a parallel diamond color comparison thread could be useful to many.

Of course, you cannot judge color with 100% accuracy on the computer monitor, you *need* to see diamonds of different colors in person to truly determine your own preferences and comfort levels. Still, a thread like this could be a useful first step for many, and a useful tool for those crazy PSers considering upgrades

.

Elle And that is why I started the thread with this caveat

I know!!

Just trying to really drill it in as I made a mistake based on pics.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 11/27/2009 11:23:02 AM
Author: elle_chris

My first H&A purchase was a K because of the pics I saw here. In fact, the K looked as white as can be, and every post said how they couldn't believe it was a K. Well, after owning one, well cut or not, a K is a K and there is color. Pictures do not tell the whole story and size plays a large role in what you're going to see.

This is true. I think sometimes we want the cake (size) and eat it too (the savings). I think there is no question that a K is less tinted than one might expect, given how low it is on the color scale. But there is tint noen the less. Nothing is free. I personally think that the pictures of K's and J's above show the tint well. If people fool themselves into thinking that tint won't bother them, then there is little anyone can do. Sometimes you have to live with a stone to know you real feelings for it.

ETA okay, I'm glad that was clear Elle! I actually am in the process of trading up from my own K, which also has too much tint for me. BUT I still think the pics above are accurate showing how much tint there is. What you cannot tell from pics is if it bothers you

 

[FB.]

Date: 11/27/2009 11:23:02 AM
Author: elle_chris

While in some pics the color is easy to see, I hope newbies won't think that pics are a true representaation of color. As not only monitors vary, but so does the color balance on each camera that took them. None of those pictures is a true representation of what a person is going to see in real life as there are just too many variables. That's not even counting how sensitive one is to color.

My first H&A purchase was a K because of the pics I saw here. In fact, the K looked as white as can be, and every post said how they couldn't believe it was a K. Well, after owning one, well cut or not, a K is a K and there is color. Pictures do not tell the whole story and size plays a large role in what you're going to see.

I just don't want new people here to have a false sense of security. If you choose a lower color stone based on how white the pictures look, you 'may' wish you hadn't.

I agree.

In some light conditions, you can't tell a J from a D. Those conditions are usually in strong light and from directly face-on.

But in medium light conditions, or from less-face-on angles, lower colours can show a lot more tint than many of the pictures on the web.

Unfortunately, good pictures often need strong light, which makes lower colour stones look whiter than you would see in average viewing conditions.

I've taken to considering lower colours to more resemble late-afternoon-autumn-sunshine; bright, but with a golden tint.

I've re-posted one of the earlier pictures below. I'd say that the picture of the K is close to how my eyes perceive an H, in a variety of everyday lighting conditions. But, as I said; when the ambient light is strong, the lower colour can look just as white as a D. When the ambient light is less, the stone starts to show colour. The last picture is the brightest and also shows the least colour.

 

[centralsquare]

I''ve been considering a J color for diamond studs because I''ve heard you can go lower in color for earrings vs engagement ring due to the angles that they are seen in. Is that the group''s general experience?

 

[FB.]

I would say that less-than-directly-overhead angles could make a colour tint more noticeable; it does to my eyes.
But the smaller size of earring stones (relative to rings) makes the colour harder to notice.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 11/27/2009 12:08:17 PM
Author: centralsquare
I''ve been considering a J color for diamond studs because I''ve heard you can go lower in color for earrings vs engagement ring due to the angles that they are seen in. Is that the group''s general experience?

You need to see some diamonds in person to know.

I would *definitely* get J stones for earings... you don''t see them up close so any tint wouldn''t be noticable anyways. Besides, Js face up very very white. I know, I have owned a J

Unless you are going very large in your earings (+1ct) I really really doubt you or anyone else would see tint in J''s.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 11/27/2009 12:04:37 PM
Author: FB.

Date: 11/27/2009 11:23:02 AM
Author: elle_chris

While in some pics the color is easy to see, I hope newbies won''t think that pics are a true representaation of color. As not only monitors vary, but so does the color balance on each camera that took them. None of those pictures is a true representation of what a person is going to see in real life as there are just too many variables. That''s not even counting how sensitive one is to color.

My first H&A purchase was a K because of the pics I saw here. In fact, the K looked as white as can be, and every post said how they couldn''t believe it was a K. Well, after owning one, well cut or not, a K is a K and there is color. Pictures do not tell the whole story and size plays a large role in what you''re going to see.

I just don''t want new people here to have a false sense of security. If you choose a lower color stone based on how white the pictures look, you ''may'' wish you hadn''t.

I agree.

In some light conditions, you can''t tell a J from a D. Those conditions are usually in strong light and from directly face-on.

But in medium light conditions, or from less-face-on angles, lower colours can show a lot more tint than many of the pictures on the web.

Unfortunately, good pictures often need strong light, which makes lower colour stones look whiter than you would see in average viewing conditions.

I''ve taken to considering lower colours to more resemble late-afternoon-autumn-sunshine; bright, but with a golden tint.

I''ve re-posted one of the earlier pictures below. I''d say that the picture of the K is close to how my eyes perceive an H, in a variety of everyday lighting conditions. But, as I said; when the ambient light is strong, the lower colour can look just as white as a D. When the ambient light is less, the stone starts to show colour. The last picture is the brightest and also shows the least colour.

I''d disagree, I think the picture is pretty close.

And that is why you have to see them in person!

 

[FB.]

Date: 11/27/2009 1:53:58 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 11/27/2009 12:04:37 PM
Author: FB.

Date: 11/27/2009 11:23:02 AM
Author: elle_chris

While in some pics the color is easy to see, I hope newbies won''t think that pics are a true representaation of color. As not only monitors vary, but so does the color balance on each camera that took them. None of those pictures is a true representation of what a person is going to see in real life as there are just too many variables. That''s not even counting how sensitive one is to color.

My first H&A purchase was a K because of the pics I saw here. In fact, the K looked as white as can be, and every post said how they couldn''t believe it was a K. Well, after owning one, well cut or not, a K is a K and there is color. Pictures do not tell the whole story and size plays a large role in what you''re going to see.

I just don''t want new people here to have a false sense of security. If you choose a lower color stone based on how white the pictures look, you ''may'' wish you hadn''t.

I agree.

In some light conditions, you can''t tell a J from a D. Those conditions are usually in strong light and from directly face-on.

But in medium light conditions, or from less-face-on angles, lower colours can show a lot more tint than many of the pictures on the web.

Unfortunately, good pictures often need strong light, which makes lower colour stones look whiter than you would see in average viewing conditions.

I''ve taken to considering lower colours to more resemble late-afternoon-autumn-sunshine; bright, but with a golden tint.

I''ve re-posted one of the earlier pictures below. I''d say that the picture of the K is close to how my eyes perceive an H, in a variety of everyday lighting conditions. But, as I said; when the ambient light is strong, the lower colour can look just as white as a D. When the ambient light is less, the stone starts to show colour. The last picture is the brightest and also shows the least colour.

I''d disagree, I think the picture is pretty close.

And that is why you have to see them in person!

Pretty close in bright lighting.
But in medium lighting I''d expect an H to look just how your K does in the picture I re-posted - to my eyes anyway.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 11/27/2009 2:08:00 PM
Author: FB.

Pretty close in bright lighting.
But in medium lighting I''d expect an H to look just how your K does in the picture I re-posted - to my eyes anyway.

That was my point!

not my K in that particular photo, just fyi.

 

[DianaBanana]

Although this isn't the best picture, it does show the warm tint of my BGD K compared to the icy whiteness of my G colored asscher. Face up, the warmth is difficult to detect and doesn't bother me a bit but when I tilt the stone and look deep into it, I see a little more yellow than I'd like. I think I'd prefer something in the H,I,J range as I prefer a bit of warmth...the icy look of the D-G's doesn't look that great with my skin tone!

 

[DianaBanana]

Another shot of my K looking a lot whiter but still warm....