shape
carat
color
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Faint brown diamond K on rose gold

I dont have a light brown color sample to load in to DC but here is a darker pink brown.
One image is 34.9/40.8 the other is 35.9/41.2 from the same virtual "rough"
What this is telling me is the material of the diamond under consideration would have been near colorless with just a tiny hint of brown cut to ideal cut proportions. I'm rather surprised it was not cut that way.
345408.jpg 359412.jpg

I would hypothesize that it's because the diamond is 1.01 carats and there's no way they'd risk giving up the weight.

Also, because the diamond's being sold over the internet, the buyer will either not know the difference between brown and yellow tint, or (even if they're a PSer) see any brown in the video or paper and reject it immediately. Only if people saw it in person would they actually be able to appreciate the benefit.
 
@jpark922 I think the question to be asking your GF is something along the lines of, "if everything were free and/or our budget were infinite, would you want a "white-looking" diamond, or a "slight brown" stone?

If she wants something near colorless ("white-looking"), then we can definitely find something in budget. If she wants slight brown, then there's the next question:

What's more important, cut being close to "ideal" or a *specific* tone or color?
 
I am having a discussion with her about it right now. From what I am reading regarding the discussion on HCA, it seems that the higher the HCA, the more the stone retains its color, but gives up some of its "shininess?" The lower the HCA = shinier but less retaining of color?

If we were to go with a "D" color, does that translate to a higher price and therefore an overall decrease in carats if I am trying to stick to a budget?

Thank you for the clarification... I will post once she lets me know what color she wants :)

to add to what lovedogs said...HCA gives you an idea of how much light the diamond reflects back...colored diamonds are typically cut to maximize the color, not reflect light back to your eye, that's why they are often in cushion or radiant shapes. the round cut is excellent at reflecting light back, so with a well cut one you won't see as much of the body color from the top.
 
I'm rather surprised it was not cut that way.
Actually on second thought it is not that surprising as they could have decided a 1ct+ more brown stone would sell for more than a under 1ct cut the other way.
There is also a chance that it was part of a lot that was sent out for contract cutting and all the rough in the lot were ordered cut as colored diamonds.
 
Just a guys point of view on this for a second, but there is zero chance I'd buy this stone for my girl unless I was 110% certain she wanted a brown diamond. Then, as you are seeing, getting the correct tint of brown can be a challenge. IMO, this is a finicky situation that requires her complete buy in.

I probably fall more into the camp of what @lovedogs chose. Her stone had gorgeous ideal proportions with a slight tint of brown. However, I can respect that not everyone shares the same preference.

To answer your other questions @jpark922, a D colored stone of same size, cut and IGI cert would be more expensive. It seems drastic to jump from K with brown tint to D though.

Color really does depend on preferences and sensitivities of the individual. I'd think you could find a well cut GIA XXX stone that is H-J color and eye clean in roughly the same size for your budget. Such a stone would have a little warmth but not have the brown tint in question here.

Also I'd like to clarify that while HCA measures POTENTIAL candidates for good light return, it does not guarantee it. On a "normal" stone where light return is desired over body color, a passing HCA gets you to the next level of vetting. You would still want to request an ASET or idealscope image to confirm. If those images were not good, you would reject obviously. If you couldn't get the images, you have to make a gut call.
 
@sledge we need to meet some day and show your fiance my wife's L faint brown diamond (without telling her what it was of course). Very curious as to what she would say about the color.
 
I think my girlfriend and I were aiming for a brown tinted stone simply because we thought it would better complement the rose gold setting... Also we thought that we could get a more cost effective deal through buying a K rather than going for colorless. (this might seem a bit newby, I admit, but we have no experience with diamond shopping).

However after reviewing images posted in this discussion and discussing with my girlfriend, I think she would actually prefer a colorless diamond... Sorry for the confusion... But I think progress has been made and I am grateful for this discussion... As I probably would have been okay with the faint brown diamond I have previously posted, which now I know would not have been optimal
 
@jpark922 don't be sorry at all! That's what we are here for--to find you (and your future fiance) the best stone/ring within budget.

If she prefers colorless, then sticking with G/H is likely the best "bang for the buck". If she's less color sensitive, then I/J could work, but it depends on the person looking at the stone (e.g. some people think I/J stones look "too yellow", whereas others do not). To be safe, we usually recommend G/H (sometimes I). We can definitely look in that range!

RE: setting, is she sure about that one? Or is she open to other rose gold solitaires?
 
She really likes the setting! She explained that the setting exceeded her expectations and plus its cost effective. So win win :). She showed her mom and they were both excited about it. However it's the first setting I have showed her, so I think we are open to other ones if there are any suggestions.
 
@sledge we need to meet some day and show your fiance my wife's L faint brown diamond some day (without telling her what it was of course). Very curious as to what she would say about the color.

I would be down for that! I never pass up an opportunity to talk diamonds. ;)2

I too would be interested in her thoughts. She saw color in her BGD H with medium fluor so I think she would see the tint; however, I dont think that is necessarily bad. I myself happen to prefer that faint brown over a yellowish hue, but not all share this opinion.

I am sorry if my previous comments came off offensively. I wasn't trying to imply brown was bad. You just need to know the person receiving it loves it as well.
 
I would be down for that! I never pass up an opportunity to talk diamonds. ;)2

I too would be interested in her thoughts. She saw color in her BGD H with medium fluor so I think she would see the tint; however, I dont think that is necessarily bad. I myself happen to prefer that faint brown over a yellowish hue, but not all share this opinion.

I am sorry if my previous comments came off offensively. I wasn't trying to imply brown was bad. You just need to know the person receiving it loves it as well.

No offense taken at all. :D I read some of your threads before so I just remember your fiance's color sensitivity. I can't see the brown myself, but presumably 8 grades lower than D means someone has to be able to.
 
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@jpark922 one thing about settings is to make sure you think about what it will look like with your eventual diamond size. With your budget, my guess is that you'll be able to find (with the help of experts here) something between .80-.90 (or maybe a bit bigger--just depends on what is available right now and what vendor). One thing I really like about JA is that they show the settings with different diamond sizes, because a setting that looks awesome with a 2ct stone sometimes looks silly with a .80 stone. For example, I LOVE 6-prong settings, but I think they often overwhelm stones under 1ct, so I think the one you guys like is good because it's 4 prongs. Just something to consider!

I found this one, but I'm wondering whether the feather is cause for concern. @rockysalamander @sledge @diamondseeker2006 @SimoneDi and others: would the bottom center/left feather concern any of you in terms of durability?

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941
 
No offense taken at all. :D I read some of your threads before so I just remember your wife's color sensitivity. I can't see the brown myself, but presumably 8 grades lower than D means someone has to be able to.

I'd guess a well cut k faint brown looks pretty darn white to most people :mrgreen2: is there a thread on your wife's ring?
 
@jpark922 one thing about settings is to make sure you think about what it will look like with your eventual diamond size. With your budget, my guess is that you'll be able to find (with the help of experts here) something between .80-.90 (or maybe a bit bigger--just depends on what is available right now and what vendor). One thing I really like about JA is that they show the settings with different diamond sizes, because a setting that looks awesome with a 2ct stone sometimes looks silly with a .80 stone. For example, I LOVE 6-prong settings, but I think they often overwhelm stones under 1ct, so I think the one you guys like is good because it's 4 prongs. Just something to consider!

I found this one, but I'm wondering whether the feather is cause for concern. @rockysalamander @sledge @diamondseeker2006 @SimoneDi and others: would the bottom center/left feather concern any of you in terms of durability?

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941

I am none of the above ::)

I would not be concerned about durability, especially in a reputably-graded SI1 of this size. However,
1. The inclusion is reflecting internally, and
2. If the goal is to prong the inclusion, and OP wants to stick with JA for the setting, this stone should IMO go into a JA 6-prong setting. The inclusion is "prong-able" in the sense that it's near the girdle, but the worst of the inclusion is right under the upper girdle facet meet - that joint is raised. JA is not known for their setting prowess, and it takes superior workmanship to secure a stone askew with four (or eight) prongs symmetrically aligned on convex UGF meets - if done poorly the stone will turn to a "steady state" resting position wherein the prongs are on the flats of the kite facets. With six symmetric prongs those prongs all sit on different parts of the crown, so that 'stone turning' is much more easily prevented.​
 
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@jpark922 one thing about settings is to make sure you think about what it will look like with your eventual diamond size. With your budget, my guess is that you'll be able to find (with the help of experts here) something between .80-.90 (or maybe a bit bigger--just depends on what is available right now and what vendor). One thing I really like about JA is that they show the settings with different diamond sizes, because a setting that looks awesome with a 2ct stone sometimes looks silly with a .80 stone. For example, I LOVE 6-prong settings, but I think they often overwhelm stones under 1ct, so I think the one you guys like is good because it's 4 prongs. Just something to consider!

I found this one, but I'm wondering whether the feather is cause for concern. @rockysalamander @sledge @diamondseeker2006 @SimoneDi and others: would the bottom center/left feather concern any of you in terms of durability?

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...i-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-2200941

I wouldn’t be necessarily terribly concerned about the feather, but from an experience, I would personally prefer to avoid stones with surface reaching inclusions and this one appears to be one of them.

I like this stone instead: https://www.jamesallen.com/mobile/l...j-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-4924442

I am not sure if OP is still interested in faint brown but this stone seems to have a slightly brown undertone while still being a J color.
 
Thank you for everyones recommendations + knowledge! You all have been tremendously helpful.

I think I have found a diamond. While lurking through pricescope, I have found that whiteflash is a reputable source. It is a 0.907 J VS2

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3607524.htm

Also in terms of setting, I am planning on keeping the same setting from james allen.

https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ife-edge-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-41232

Any thoughts or recommendations? I think I feel pretty good about this one.
 
Thank you for everyones recommendations + knowledge! You all have been tremendously helpful.

I think I have found a diamond. While lurking through pricescope, I have found that whiteflash is a reputable source. It is a 0.907 J VS2

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3607524.htm

Also in terms of setting, I am planning on keeping the same setting from james allen.

https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ife-edge-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-41232

Any thoughts or recommendations? I think I feel pretty good about this one.

I LOVE this stone! WF ACAs usually face up a bit more white than their color suggests because they are so well cut. So I think this J should look pretty darn close to white face-up. I looked on WF for you earlier, but must have missed that one because I was trying to stay under 4K for the diamond itself. Good job for sleuthing!

Since it's so much easier to have the setting and stone done in one place, I'd personally suggest: 1) putting the WF stone on hold NOW, since we have lurkers who snatch up stones from under people, and 2) writing WF to ask if they have anything like the JA setting you both like.

if not, then it's fine to have WF send to JA for setting, but obviously 1-stop shopping makes things much easier.
 
I was afraid that the setting is priced too low for JA to sell it without the purchase of a diamond, so I chatted with them just now (via the website), and they unfortunately confirmed that you cannot buy this setting without buying a stone from them :(

I'm sorry! But I think going with WF is better anyway, since they have better upgrade policies and are known for excellent customer service. I'm hoping they can help you find something similar!
 
I think you're on the right track here! With a rose gold setting, you can definitely go lower in color and still have the diamond itself appear "colorless." I like the WF stone you posted, but here are two more well cut options for your consideration.

https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0....gn=201809&utm_source=rarecarat&utm_medium=cpc

I really like this one. Same price as the WF stone but an H color. I think H is about the highest you would need to go in a RG setting to have the stone appear white. Any higher in color would be wasted setting it in a non-white metal:
https://www.adiamor.com/Diamonds/0....gn=201809&utm_source=rarecarat&utm_medium=cpc
 
Congratulations on finding -- and reserving -- that Whiteflash stone! :appl:

I was afraid that the setting is priced too low for JA to sell it without the purchase of a diamond, so I chatted with them just now (via the website), and they unfortunately confirmed that you cannot buy this setting without buying a stone from them :(

I'm sorry! But I think going with WF is better anyway, since they have better upgrade policies and are known for excellent customer service. I'm hoping they can help you find something similar!
Honestly, I think it's for the best. That setting is the 4-prong version of what JA calls their Presentation setting,
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...d-presentation-solitaire-six-prong-item-41247
originally marketed IIRC as a temporary setting from the time of a formal proposal until the couple decided upon the final e-ring home for the center stone.

It's safer and nicer looking than a truly temporary, jeweler's display ring-type holder like this:
https://www.amazon.com/JEWELLERS-STONE-DIAMOND-SPRING-DISPLAY/dp/B01M0X8JUC
But both of those $240 JA mountings are pretty lightweight & the head isn't gracefully attached to the shank. So there are definitely better options, and hopefully, there are at least some available for a price that your budget is comfortable with.

Just one question before I start browsing through the Stuller catalog (Stuller is strictly a wholesaler, but WF has an account with Stuller & can easily order any one of their mountings): has your wife-to-be "auditioned" some knife-edge rings? The reason I ask is because not everyone who thought that's what they wanted has -- after having a knife-edge shank on their hand in real life -- liked them.
 
Thank you @lovedogs for double checking with James Allen. I did not consider that and you definitely saved me from running into trouble!

@TreeScientist Thank you for the suggestions! I think I may stick with the current stone actually. I really liked the customer service that WF provided me. Also since I am not good at discerning between qualities of diamonds I may have to go and trust WF quality :).

@MollyMalone Thats a good point! She does like the way that style looks but she has not personally tried any on yet. She has some rose gold jewelry and her apple watch is rose gold so we are sure that we want that color because it matches her tone well. I think we are going to a jeweler today or tomorrow just to double check her size, so I will make sure to have her try on different styles as well. Also I didn't know that WF had an account with Stuller. I'm glad you mentioned that because that means I have a wider selection to choose from!
 
Yup, WF has access to stuller, and can definitely find you something great. I'd stick with that stone bc they have great customer service and you'll be able to do everything with 1 vendor.

Definitely have her try on knife edge vs other solitaire styles to make sure they are comfortable for her. I personally love them and it feels like I'm not wearing a ring, but I know other people who dislike them.

Yay, so excited for you guys!!!!
 
I like the WF stone as well.

FYI, many people here do a WF knife version with some "PS mods". Seems to be rather popular. Even if you do a standard 4 or 6 prong, WF will have something. I'm on my mobile now but will try to look later.
 
* * * I think we are going to a jeweler today or tomorrow just to double check her size, so I will make sure to have her try on different styles as well. Also I didn't know that WF had an account with Stuller. I'm glad you mentioned that because that means I have a wider selection to choose from!
Stuller is almost always an excellent value! And while you two are at jewelry shops... ;))
  • Eyeball-try on different solitaires to ascertain if she prefers a 4-prong head or a 6-prong head; if she'd like the band to taper into (or away from) the diamond. There should be a number of showcase models with 1 ct diamonds/CZs as the center stone, so you'll get a very good idea of what the .907 ct WF stone will look like in the various mountings
  • She should try on wedding bands with whatever solitaire styles most capture her fancy. Is she fine with a little gap between the e-ring and the wedding band (I am; in fact, I prefer it, but I'm not her) or is a flush fit important to her? Her answer to that question will have a bearing on the final choice of solitaire mounting.
  • Last, but not least, have fun!!
 
Hello everyone! So we just got back from a jeweler, and to our surprise, she actually ended up liking the yellow gold more than rose gold! She liked the 4 prong, round one and is a size 6.

I found a yellow gold, 4 prong setting on WF, posted below, that looks pretty promising! I am glad that the WF setting costs $350 too, because I would have had spent $350 total on the James Allen rose gold setting (250$) + labor costs (100$) otherwise.

https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...ffany-style-solitaire-engagement-ring-588.htm

I think I am set to get the diamond + setting! I will post a picture once I get the final product :). Thank you all for your help!! =)2 Theres no way I would have gotten this far without it!
 
Much nicer setting than the JA one and it will be more comfortable. I am happy that you confirmed in the gold color with your SO. Please make sure to post photos of the finished product!
 
Excellent! Glad she tried on the different colors and styles, and got to see firsthand which one she preferred. You'll be pleased with the final product and service from WF, I am sure!
 
YAY :dance: So happy for you two that your "window shopping" spree provided clarification -- looking forward to seeing pics of the completed ring!
 
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