Gray diamond anyone?

[MakingTheGrade]

@Garry H (Cut Nut)
@MakingTheGrade

THAT is my dream diamond, should the clouds be white - but, of course white clouds are also shading, so there be gray; the extra scatterig seems to play up the strongest fluorescence into a miracle of luminous blue mist .) Love what you love!

I am seeing them on the lists priced as if they were crystal clear - not sure if this means that the world is seeing the beauty I have been drawn to all along ,(

Any links to video of an example? I’m curious about what it’d look like

 

[MakingTheGrade]

So the diamond is described on the site as "ideal" cut but clearly the GIA cert has no specific angles for an HCA analysis or cut determination from GIA.

Thus ensued the following conversation where I kept trying to ask the same question numerous times in different ways :

Do you have an ASET or ideal scope image? I noticed the Cut is "Ideal" though the lab is GIA and I don't think that's a word they typically use on their reports, especially as fancy diamonds don't typically come with cut grade determinations on standard GIA fancy reports
thanks!

we do not have an ASET or IDEAL Scope image for this diamond. the gia cert was sent via email be sure to check your spam.

i have the certificate. It does not mention cut grade so I was wondering where the "ideal" cut description came from
does james allen have their own criteria they use?

This is a fancy color. is more about the color then anything else, Not all fancy colors will note the cut grade.

I understand. Yet on the website it is described as "ideal" I'm just trying to understand how/why that word was added

--

Anyways, that went on for a bit longer. Long story short, apparently JA has an internal proprietary algorithm for evaluating and describing cuts for their fancy colored diamonds. Neat! Just wanted to share that info in case anyone else was curious where the labels were coming from.

 

[AV_]

@MakingTheGrade I tend to see these come up when I am not looking! I will remember to post next time I see one.

Eg. a 'Fancy White' I had stalked & passed & AOP bought www - it is on the less translucent side of the range I have in mind, guessing that GIA calls FW stones with very even texture beyond I1, & essentially colorless. I prefer a SI-I level of translucency with strong blue fluorescence; there is still plenty of brilliance possible is such stones & the texture plays up fire.

I was intrigued by white diamonds before this forum existed, because of two very beautiful ones met IRL: one a terrific bargain over ten carats that makes me feel stupid to this day, another a ~ two carat oval, as perfect, & ridiculously highly priced - likely the lowest & the highest /ct prices for the type I know of, come to think of it; prices seem very all over the place.

-

Digressing,
I remembered a certain gray stone with interesting texture & sure enough, it is still on the shelf www

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Oy. How does one even search for this using filters? :p

This particular gray is 17k. Not sure I’d find much more of a competitive price for a well cut 3ct round.

OK, sounds like a deal then. I was expecting it to be much more

 

[Sunstorm]

Ooh, I thought I was the only crazy one to love the hazy moody bluey stones. I especially love them light yellow so they turn hazy green in most lighting, green being my color. Even lower cost so win-win for me!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Ooh, I thought I was the only crazy one to love the hazy moody bluey stones. I especially love them light yellow so they turn hazy green in most lighting, green being my color. Even lower cost so win-win for me!

I wish yellow was more flattering to my skin tone.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Huh. So I noticed yesterday the gia report that JA sent me has the comments section whited out. I chatted with the customer service but they only have access to the whited out ones too lol. So it’ll be 3-5 days for me to know if there are any relevant comments there.

I actually don’t mind having to ask for the gia report or having the report number whited out. They’re protecting themselves from putting the effort and money into the videos and images and then getting undersold by people buying the same diamond from a bare bones site where they can then find the same diamond by report #.

But at least try not to white out useful and sometimes critical info. That section is where they disclose things like clouds and graining and sometimes treatment. Seems important to know ‍

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Oops. Looks like it sold before I got all the info. Probably for the best. Hope it goes to a PSer so I can see pics!!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Oops. Looks like it sold before I got all the info. Probably for the best. Hope it goes to a PSer so I can see pics!!

Haha just kidding, heard back from the JA folk and apparently they automatically put it on hold for me while they got the answers. And the whited out section apparently does say "clouds not indicated on inclusion plot". Good to know. Not sure how to evaluate that...

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

They are steely and I LOVE them, I would do blackened rhodium with a bright white halo for contrast

Super idea!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

So after crunching some numbers and looking at projected costs and savings, I decided to order it

 

[Rfisher]

I can’t wait to see this. How cool.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I can’t wait to see this. How cool.

Yeah after a long look at numbers involved with future planning I realized I would regret not getting such a unique diamond at an affordable price.

Don’t worry. I will be hitting up the Colored stone forums for ideas on a forever setting. For now I ordered a simple white gold bezel pendant setting so I can wear it and “live” with it awhile. I plan to save up to set it into something heirloom worthy when DH graduates med school.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

OK, sounds like a deal then. I was expecting it to be much more

Not gonna lie. This definitely nudged me in the direction of going for it. So I have you to thank or blame!

In all seriousness though, thanks for all the education and info you provide here! I’m always psyched to read your comments! And I think a lot of the rocky talk threads feel like it’s members being critical of a given stone and dissuading the original purchase, so it’s nice to show we can all be enablers too!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

@AV_

Is this what you mean by white diamonds?

Heh I realized Leibish loads their videos to Vimeo so now I’m sifting to ogle the fancy grays!

 

[ForteKitty]

I'm a huge fan of fancy grey diamonds. Saw a huge 5ct at DK once and it took my breath away, it looked like liquid metal. Can't wait to "see" yours!!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Just more for future reference

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I'm a huge fan of fancy grey diamonds. Saw a huge 5ct at DK once and it took my breath away, it looked like liquid metal. Can't wait to "see" yours!!

Thanks! The original reason I even stumbled upon gray diamonds was I was looking at gray stones to make something to honor my rescue cat Shale who I found in a shale pit in a state park lol. He’s actually white and orange but I don’t really like orange gems and already had “white” diamonds so thought I’d find something “shale” gray

 

[AV_]

Re. Fancy White, yes, those look good. GIA has a page on them showing what range of trannslucency they allow.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Re. Fancy White, yes, those look good. GIA has a page on them showing what range of trannslucency they allow.

Interesting! Are they all typically rates I1? It seems by definition they are “fancy” due to the opacity..

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Ooo. I found some nice videos of gray diamonds with pink diamonds. I agree it’s a really attractive combo.

Although I’m more of a red person than pink though I think red spinels might wash out a gray thats more delicate.

These videos make me realize how wide the range in tone can be for
The same color grade! Either that or maybe it’s the lighting lol

Here’s a small collage of “fancy gray” from leibish with no other colors in the listing names.

 

[AV_]

I have not seen anywhere an oficial definition of clarity grades for 'Fancy White' diamonds, I suspect that the translucency is not taken into account for their clarity grades, so a Fancy White I1 would have many other clarity characteristics that are accounted for by the clarity grade.

tuppence

I remember YF told stories about cutting some very dark rough not terribly long ago, perhaps he can figure out a dark gray & put it OTT too. He does have a white in store, a ball type!

nb. www - re clarity

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Just got this in my email:
“I have further analyzed the stone in our super zoom as well as taking the time to look at the diamond in multiple angles. This is a very beautiful gray diamond that will show eye clean (you will not see those crystals found within with the naked eye) and I do believe the specified clouds will not hinder the diamonds beauty”.

So I’m hopeful it won’t be hazy when I see it in real life!

I also learned in this process if I deliver to the nearby fedex in DE rather than PA (I live and work near the state line) I don’t need to pay a sales tax as DE doesn’t tax jewelry. Good to know.

 

[ForteKitty]

Just got this in my email:
“I have further analyzed the stone in our super zoom as well as taking the time to look at the diamond in multiple angles. This is a very beautiful gray diamond that will show eye clean (you will not see those crystals found within with the naked eye) and I do believe the specified clouds will not hinder the diamonds beauty”.

So I’m hopeful it won’t be hazy when I see it in real life!

I also learned in this process if I deliver to the nearby fedex in DE rather than PA (I live and work near the state line) I don’t need to pay a sales tax as DE doesn’t tax jewelry. Good to know.

I've noticed that a lot of gray diamonds are hazy/foggy appearing, and have been told that's a common characteristic. But the huge one I saw in person wasn't, and it doesn't look like yours is either based on the pictures. btw, I looked up your kitty and he's adorable. I love his coppery eyes!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I've noticed that a lot of gray diamonds are hazy/foggy appearing, and have been told that's a common characteristic. But the huge one I saw in person wasn't, and it doesn't look like yours is either based on the pictures. btw, I looked up your kitty and he's adorable. I love his coppery eyes!

Same! Well online anyways. I’ve never seen one of substantial size in real life. That’s one of the reasons I got such a crush on this one lol. Luckily James Allen seems to have a very good return policy and available customer service so worst case scenario I just send it back if it turns out to be hazy in real life.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Heh sometimes I dress Shale up. He doesn’t love it. He’s patient though. I usually have him help model shiny things for me.

 

[missy]

Heh sometimes I dress Shale up. He doesn’t love it. He’s patient though. I usually have him help model shiny things for me.

Hahahaha I love this. Shale the fierce lion roarrrrr.

 

[ForteKitty]

I love his face!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I love his face!

Oh yeah. He’s got great face

So now comes the part with the waiting for the diamond to arrive at JA, get set, get inspected and get to me. I’m going to guess 2 weeks.

Ugh. Hate waiting

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Also if anyone knows of any jewelers who do custom work using mother of pearl please let me know!