"F" or "G" Color on a 1.5-1.6 carat Princess Cut?

[bizgk]

Any thoughts on this?

It is worth the 10% (or whatever it comes out to) more to get an "F" color versus a "G" color on a Princess cut diamond of this size? (I am planning to get a VS1 clarity diamond if that affects anything.)

Thanks!

 

[twinkletoes]

Personally, I would go with an F if you can afford it. I could see a noticeable difference in a G colored stone. And from what I''ve read here on PS it seems as though color is more apparent in fancy shapes and less so in round brilliants.

 

[valeria101]

Well, whichever. Even GIA does not guarantee their grades to be precisely repeatable... so who is to say one stone cannot return with a different grade if re-graded? Within one color garde this high up on the scale there isn't much difference by all means. Once the stones are observed outside grading conditions (= culet up, on white background and uder special lighting), F ang G would be very much alike for all purposes. If graded in setting, the grade awarded would a split grade, in fact. And diamonds are worn set...

Anyway, either sounds great. VS1 could become VS2 if you do not mind tha changed grade on paper. It is far harder to find a well cut princess diamond than anything between F/VS1 and G/VS2, I think.

 

[bizgk]

Thanks for the advice. You seem to know what you are talking about, so I would like to follow up with some quick questions.

1) Should I stay away from a princess diamond unless I see a Sarin report first? I posted a similar question in another post, and the response seems to vary. In any case, most people seem to believe that the Sarin report is more important for round diamonds, and not so much for princess.

2) I have been looking for "ideal" cut proportions, but what I find seems to vary. One site says idea for princess is 63-70 depth, and 65-72 table, while another (which seems to be high) says 64-75 and 62-74. Should I stick to around 70, 70?

3) GIA reports don''t include crown height, etc. Is this as important for princess cuts? If I am seeing the diamond in person and comparing it to others, should I trust my "it seems to shine more" than the others?

4) Finally, can you tell me why this http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?pid=LD00123960 is 1500 more than http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.asp?pid=LD00307713 ? Is it only because the second is not as exact in length/width proportions? My understanding is that a 1.03 or so ratio is still good (can''t see from naked eye)..

Thanks!

 

[Rainbow Star]

Is the G color diamond here a G color?

 

[makemepretty]

I typed out a reply but it disappeared when I hit the button, so I''m trying again. I had a 1.58 H VS1 princess diamond and next to my SIL''s D diamond you could NOT tell a difference. She even commented on how white it was and that it looked like a 2 ct to her. I had tons of compliments on it(especially from cashiers). I think a G would be an excellent choice. I think the cut will matter more than a grade of color. I honestly wouldn''t pay more for an F.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 1/14/2005 2:28:35 PM
Author: Rainbow Star
Is the G color diamond here a G color?

Noooooooooo! And there are worse "color schemes" around the web. It is very hard to photograph these very, very slight shades. They are pretty hard to see too. Looking at a couple of properly graded diamonds, even smaller ones, would halp allot.

Not sure I have the in and out of the Sarin story, but a few points come to mind:

- Sarin does not give enough information to guess the level of brilliance of a fancy cut
- even if it did, there is no refference for what is best achievable
- even if there was such a standard, it can only be a certain seller's opinion (or brand) since there is no industry or widely accpeted standard

'Guess the chain may go on, actually.

You might have found the AGA charts down the Knowledge/Fancy Shapes links on top of this page. That's useful to asess all other details about a princess cut but brilliance. It makes a pretty good average of what is considered desirable in general. A 1% in or out start to matter when optics are considered and one degree difference plays havok with some ideal standard (as it happens for rounds). About table % depth - a percentage point(or a couple) here or there make little difference, I think, since the ultimate quality of the diamond (brilliance that is) is certainly not pinned down by the two numbers alone.

Not sure how much detail is just enough to determine cut qiality & light return for a princess cut. AGS is preparing such a standard, and they are considering quite a bit more detail than the couple numbers reported by a Sarin report include.

Some sellers select princess cuts based on brilliance, but those are few, far between and no really bargain basement. It may help to look at AGA refference for starters (certainly better than going for the 1001 slightly differently stated sellers' table % depth standards) and call in stones that score ok. You will find quite a few PS posts that relate similar princess shopping stories. Hope some might help

 

[lostdog]

"It is worth the 10% (or whatever it comes out to) more to get an "F" color versus a "G" color on a Princess cut diamond of this size? (I am planning to get a VS1 clarity diamond if that affects anything.)"

The question assumes all else is equal, but it won''t be:

But what if it''s a better cut G versus an lesser F ? The difference in cut many people say is what should take priority.

Getting them next to each other at the same time might answer the question for you. And it also may just be a matter of what your taste is or what you can see. (or think you can see).

If you want to get into the trenches on it: Look at enough stones, with certs from the same source, to find your threshold. And pay attention to the mounting and lighting, and room conditions, etc., a number of those factors can influence what you see enough to your mislead you.

Personally, I wouldn''t trade clarity I wasn''t happy with for higher color, or trade cut for color, either. But I really like colorless and might even trade size before any of the quality issues. So, to beat it to death, I am not sure anybody else can completely answer the question for you, it''s ultimately a personal one. If after looking at the real stones you are convinced you want DEF or whatever, then you know your answer.