For all you halo owners, does center stone color make an enormous difference?

[julesnjewels]

I was browsing Bailey, Banks, and Biddle today and saw some halo settings that I would have liked. However, the halos on these settings made all of the center stones look REALLY yellow! I think it was because the pave were so colorless.

My question is- have you all noticed the same thing? When getting a halo, is it especially important to get a colorless stone?

My other question is- how "low" have you gone without noticing the discrepancy in pave-center stone colors?

thanks!

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

I wish someone would respond to this. I am considering a J color diamond for a halo and I am wondering the same thing.

 

[emeraldlover1]

I have a J color stone and am putting a halo around it. When working with the designer I asked the same question and the halo stones will be matched in color to the center stone. My J faces up very white however I still want the micropave to match the same color. I can''t however answer the same for a pre-made setting.

BTW...the match based on what the cutter says and what their eye says. At least ERD does that is making my setting.

 

[kcoursolle]

Part of it might be the jewelry store lights. I swear that these lights make even a G stone look yellow looking! I honestly think you''ll be fine face up in a halo even down to a J in a well-cut round and down to the H (maybe I range) in a fancy stone. If you are super sensitive, even a well-cut H should be fine in my opinion.

 

[mrssalvo]

what shape stone? I do think the depending on the shape, color may be more evident.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Agreed about the shape, and it all depends on the particular center stone too - some diamonds can be an L or lower and still face up bright white.

 

[Shay37]

Okay, here goes: My WF halo prong has had an F, an I, and now an H in it. Their melee is all F-G is this setting. I never specified to change that. My setting is plat. I honestly cannot tell a thing. Anyone else who has seen my ring in person has never seen a difference either.

shay

 

[NeverEndingUpgrade]

I''m going with a round so I think that a J color will be safe.

 

[lesco]

I was told by several jewelers that in most halo stock settings, the melee is usually in the F - G ranges, to accomodate colorless and near colorless center diamonds. In custom settings, the melee can be matched specifically to your center stone.

I am a tad color sensitive plus really nit picky about certain things so in this case, I would still triple check with the jeweler doing the job to make sure that I will be pleased with the results.

I am considering a halo myself and yes, I agree with you. I have gone to several jewelery stores and I have noticed the color discrepancies in some halo settings. I guess you have less to worry about if you have a well cut RB.

In fancy cuts, I would definitely request matching (one to two color ranges away) melee.

I think the safest bet is to request the pave work done with melee one to two ranges away from the center stone, in my humble opinion.
( My OCD is obvious)

 

[Maisie]

I had my J colour diamond in a plain platinum setting and it faced up very white. However, I have just had it put into a halo design and the diamond does look slightly yellow now compared to the F-G stones in the halo. (In some lighting conditions but not all)

I have a photo on my other computer which I will try to post later.

 

[neatfreak]

I think it depends on the lighting...but personally I can often see a bit of warmth in lower colored stones when they are in halos that I usually can''t see as much without. I''d probably go H or I in a round w/ halo unless you can have slightly warmer stones in the halo, then you could easily go down to a J. But I am nitpicky about my jewelry.

 

[lyra]

I have a beautifully cut K, but I didn't get a halo because I knew unless I got J-K stones, the center stone would show more colour. Part of that is because of the size of the center (1.77 does *not* hide colour for sure). I chose a vintage looking setting, and even the melee in that are much whiter, but it looks intended somehow. The metal (18kt WG) is also extremely white, and that adds to seeing warmth in the center stone in my case too. But as I said, I knew all this going in. With a J, you might be fine with I-J melee. JMO of course.

ETA: I should have stated that all these observations are worst case scenario. In certain lights, I cannot see any difference between my K center and F-G melee. It does look bright white a lot of the time. But being as it will be something you will specifically looking for, I think you need to know that there will be times where it will be an obvious difference. Not all the time, with a well cut stone.

 

[ahappygirl]

I have a RB G in a halo, it looks super white, and I am very color sensitive. I also think an H may be fine as long as the cut is great in a RB. BTW, I love stones with warmth! It just depends on the look you are going for. Good luck.