Does yellow/warm lighting affect diamonds of all color grades?

[kal2021]

I would think so ... I mean, while I say that I haven’t seen tint in my diamond in the mall, it really doesn’t mean anything unless I know I’m in the exact same lighting as you are ... oh and yes, I refer to a slight buttery color when talking about diamond color - it is definitely not “yellow.”

There is no doubt that it is lighting lighting lighting ... there is also a noticeable (to me) tint in an I color (do not mean it looks yellow). I don’t think you can expect to never ever see the tint in an I, but I realize that might not be what you’re seeing either.

If you’re in a tinted room and you see the same tint in your diamond that you usually don’t see, I think it’s safe to say it’s the lighting.

Sorry, I wish I could be more helpful!

You mentioned that to you there is a noticeable tint in an I. What about in an H? My last stone was an H and I never noticed a tint, but it was also a 1.23 and my current I is a 2 carat. I’m wondering if I were to have gotten a 2 carat H instead of an I if I would still a tint sometimes. And if so, what color would I need to go up to in order to not see a tint.

Curious to hear what you and any others think about this!

 

[blueMA]

So funny I noticed the same thing at Home Depot recently!! Why is that?!

It's due to all the myriad overhead lights that your diamond bounce back.
In an environment where you don't see as much light reflection where the diamond's body color doesn't get obscured, you're bound to notice more of your diamond's true body color.
If you want to continue to experiment, pick up an inexpensive well cut Pure Brilliance CZ (pretty much a D) from Amazon and continue to compare and experiment.
I've read many times on PS that warmer diamonds do pickup environmental warmth/color more readily, and I believe that's simply compounded effect.

 

[blueMA]

You mentioned that to you there is a noticeable tint in an I. What about in an H? My last stone was an H and I never noticed a tint, but it was also a 1.23 and my current I is a 2 carat. I’m wondering if I were to have gotten a 2 carat H instead of an I if I would still a tint sometimes. And if so, what color would I need to go up to in order to not see a tint.

Curious to hear what you and any others think about this!

You're asking others to tell you what your color tolerance is. If your color sensitivity is high, you'll notice a tint even in G. Whether you get bothered by this or not is up to you, but if you want a diamond not likely to be perceived as having a tint by most others, you'd most likely need to go as high as F.
I'm color sensitive and don't go below G.

 

[TreeScientist]

Happens with any diamond. d color i color j color k color even a fancy vivid yellow.
Someone once said:
Lighting
Lighting
Lighting
Lighting
Lighting

I would respectfully disagree with this. Yes, while any diamond will pick up environmental colors to a certain extent, a diamond reflecting back yellow from the environment (like a yellow shirt or beige wall) looks entirely different from the yellow produced from the conversion of blue light to yellow by the presence of nitrogen within a stone. Environmental reflections look like they're on the surface of the diamond, while nitrogen-induced yellow color looks like it's coming from within the stone (because it is).

My fiancé's D color never exhibits that "internal yellow" coloration no mater what the environment. Sometimes if she's wearing a yellow shirt you can see a bit of yellow on the surface, but it's an entirely different look.

In lower colored diamonds, it's not that the warm lighting or beige walls are producing color in the diamond, it's that the yellow is no longer being hidden by large amounts of blue light from the sun or from LED bulbs.

 

[blueMA]

it's that the yellow is no longer being hidden by large amounts of blue light from the sun or from LED bulbs.

I agree. For an example, between a D and G, I don't notice much difference in color where both diamonds are reflecting much light that tend to disguise the body color.
However, under a dimmer incandescent light or side light, the tint difference become more environmentally compounded and pronounced. I never noticed a D stone looking dingy where G's do.

 

[Karl_K]

I would respectfully disagree with this. Yes, while any diamond will pick up environmental colors to a certain extent, a diamond reflecting back yellow from the environment (like a yellow shirt or beige wall) looks entirely different from the yellow produced from the conversion of blue light to yellow by the presence of nitrogen within a stone. Environmental reflections look like they're on the surface of the diamond, while nitrogen-induced yellow color looks like it's coming from within the stone (because it is).

My fiancé's D color never exhibits that "internal yellow" coloration no mater what the environment. Sometimes if she's wearing a yellow shirt you can see a bit of yellow on the surface, but it's an entirely different look.

In lower colored diamonds, it's not that the warm lighting or beige walls are producing color in the diamond, it's that the yellow is no longer being hidden by large amounts of blue light from the sun or from LED bulbs.

Not sure where we disagree.
The question was does different color lighting change the color coming from a diamond.
There is no answer to that but yes.
Internal and body color is a separate but related question.

 

[Karl_K]

Red white and blue lighting on a digital D and fancy yellow.

 

[kal2021]

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful responses. I think the main issue here is I am questioning my I Color diamond and wondering if I merely went up to an H would that be enough for me to be comfortable or would I need to go to G. Like I mentioned before I never had an issue with my H but it was set different and smaller. I really don’t think I want to pay to go to G in a 2 carat as we’ve already spent a lot, and I would hate to pay for H and it’s still not enough of an increase.

 

[Karl_K]

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful responses. I think the main issue here is I am questioning my I Color diamond and wondering if I merely went up to an H would that be enough for me to be comfortable or would I need to go to G. Like I mentioned before I never had an issue with my H but it was set different and smaller. I really don’t think I want to pay to go to G in a 2 carat as we’ve already spent a lot, and I would hate to pay for H and it’s still not enough of an increase.

Trip to Texas to look in person?

 

[kal2021]

Trip to Texas to look in person?

I truly wish I could! However I am 41 weeks pregnant so that’s not happening any time soon!

 

[Dmndsr4evr11]

Just go to Home Depot and Costco, all of our diamonds will look fabulous.

Hahaha. So true about HD. @kal2021, I’m surprised you noticed this as Target because I have not experienced this there at all but it’s so true about lighting. Like you, I’d like to see side by side comparison between DEF and near colorless like ours in different lighting. I have an H. Although I am overall much happier with this most recent upgrade, I think my “final” upgrade will definitely be a colorless one. I think I have become more color sensitive over the years.

 

[Karl_K]

I truly wish I could! However I am 41 weeks pregnant so that’s not happening any time soon!

wow congrates!!!!!!

 

[Golden_bird]

I truly wish I could! However I am 41 weeks pregnant so that’s not happening any time soon!

Wow ! That’s awesome ! Congrats on a baby ) they are the most precious diamonds To my eye , H and I look almost identical ! Only if you get lucky and get a higher H (almost G) and your current stone is not low I(almost J) go to James Allen and see how different Is,Hs, Js can look like . You still can see very very little tint in G. For me , the only stones which look white in all light conditions are F! But here is another question,if you wish to pay for such a high color ?

 

[kal2021]

Wow ! That’s awesome ! Congrats on a baby ) they are the most precious diamonds To my eye , H and I look almost identical ! Only if you get lucky and get a higher H (almost G) and your current stone is not low I(almost J) go to James Allen and see how different Is,Hs, Js can look like . You still can see very very little tint in G. For me , the only stones which look white in all light conditions are F! But here is another question,if you wish to pay for such a high color ?

Thank you!! I’m impatiently waiting for her arrival!

At this point I’m not willing to pay for an F. It’s just so hard when you can’t see and compare the actual stones in person. Even paying for a G right now seems like a stretch. Was hoping an H might do the trick.

 

[kal2021]

After looking at some comparisons online I do think an H would make a difference for me. Will now have to keep my eye out for an ACA H around 2 carats that might fit the bill without costing me an additional arm and a leg! My current one is a 2.065 SI1 totally eye clean they just don’t have any H’s like that right now.

 

[msop04]

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful responses. I think the main issue here is I am questioning my I Color diamond and wondering if I merely went up to an H would that be enough for me to be comfortable or would I need to go to G. Like I mentioned before I never had an issue with my H but it was set different and smaller. I really don’t think I want to pay to go to G in a 2 carat as we’ve already spent a lot, and I would hate to pay for H and it’s still not enough of an increase.

No one can answer this but you. Smaller diamonds will appear whiter than larger stones of the same color due to their smaller facets.

 

[kal2021]

No one can answer this but you. Smaller diamonds will appear whiter than larger stones of the same color due to their smaller facets.

You’re right. It’s totally on me. I think I need to have an H in this size to see what I think. But of course it would need to be the exact H I would be buying because I realize even one H could look different from another. Above is a photo of my old BGD H next to an ACA I that I didn’t end up getting. I didn’t have her compare to the one i actually got which may have been a mistake. In this photo I can see the color difference. I’m wondering if my H was a high H or a “regular” one. My current I is supposed to be a “regular” I as was the one in the photo.

 

[CareBear]

I had saved this from another thread a while back. I thought this might help since these stones are close to yours in carat.


I've owned stones in G-J colors and there are definitely lighting conditions where they all looked yucky tinted from the side. I finally settled on an H.

 

[kmoro]

You mentioned that to you there is a noticeable tint in an I. What about in an H? My last stone was an H and I never noticed a tint, but it was also a 1.23 and my current I is a 2 carat. I’m wondering if I were to have gotten a 2 carat H instead of an I if I would still a tint sometimes. And if so, what color would I need to go up to in order to not see a tint.

Curious to hear what you and any others think about this!

I think my problem is that I have ruined myself, because I have a 1.42 D and .45 G at home. I can walk around with them side by side and see the tint difference at almost all times. So now I have a mind issue with tint. I freely admit it’s a mind issue! lol. But the key here is “side by side”, imo.

I believe that if you do not have a higher color diamond beside your diamond, it will be a lot harder to notice the tint. A whole lot harder. Especially if you have never compared to higher color grades.

It’s just that, now that I’ve seen it, I know what subtle difference to look for ... and I can see the tint (it’s only a slight tint!) in the G ... of course mainly at an angle, and especially from the sides.

This is really long-winded, but maybe if I try to explain it this way:

If I just pull out the G and look at it, without having looked at the D for a bit, I think: wow, that really is very white!! How can the D be whiter? Then I put the D beside the G and think: Well - that certainly is an obvious tint! (face up in led-lit room). Then I can put the D away and still notice the G color ... for a little while, at least

I’ve had G color in the past and now recently - before the D - and I must say that I never noticed anything but white. Now I don’t think I would go below an F.

In reality, we’re taking about very minute differences in white ... so when I say that I see tint, it sounds so much more dramatic than I actually see it. And it is almost always difficult to see in the face up position, just not usually impossible ... and only with a comparison near-by.

This is only my opinion! I could be insane. But I hope it helps a little.

 

[the_mother_thing]

I’ll just throw out (if it hasn’t been mentioned already) that - as you increase the diamond’s size - body color will become more noticeable. So while a 1.5 ct H might have been fine, you may see tint in a 2 ct H.

Personally, if I was aiming to upgrade size and I was color sensitive, I’d only do so for at least two color grades higher to ensure (or at least, stand a better chance) I wouldn’t be bothered by any tint due to the increase in size.

 

[doberman]

I have a D color diamond that I can make appear warm with the lighting in parts of my house.

It's all about lighting.

 

[kal2021]

I think my problem is that I have ruined myself, because I have a 1.42 D and .45 G at home. I can walk around with them side by side and see the tint difference at almost all times. So now I have a mind issue with tint. I freely admit it’s a mind issue! lol. But the key here is “side by side”, imo.

I believe that if you do not have a higher color diamond beside your diamond, it will be a lot harder to notice the tint. A whole lot harder. Especially if you have never compared to higher color grades.

It’s just that, now that I’ve seen it, I know what subtle difference to look for ... and I can see the tint (it’s only a slight tint!) in the G ... of course mainly at an angle, and especially from the sides.

This is really long-winded, but maybe if I try to explain it this way:

If I just pull out the G and look at it, without having looked at the D for a bit, I think: wow, that really is very white!! How can the D be whiter? Then I put the D beside the G and think: Well - that certainly is an obvious tint! (face up in led-lit room). Then I can put the D away and still notice the G color ... for a little while, at least

I’ve had G color in the past and now recently - before the D - and I must say that I never noticed anything but white. Now I don’t think I would go below an F.

In reality, we’re taking about very minute differences in white ... so when I say that I see tint, it sounds so much more dramatic than I actually see it. And it is almost always difficult to see in the face up position, just not usually impossible ... and only with a comparison near-by.

This is only my opinion! I could be insane. But I hope it helps a little.

Very helpful and I totally get what you are saying!! Thank you!

 

[kal2021]

I’ll just throw out (if it hasn’t been mentioned already) that - as you increase the diamond’s size - body color will become more noticeable. So while a 1.5 ct H might have been fine, you may see tint in a 2 ct H.

Personally, if I was aiming to upgrade size and I was color sensitive, I’d only do so for at least two color grades higher to ensure (or at least, stand a better chance) I wouldn’t be bothered by any tint due to the increase in size.

That makes perfect sense. I am going to keep my eye out for an ACA H and hopefully that will be good enough until my next future upgrade!