H vs. I color

[PantherPaws24]

I saw the posting discussing princess cut diamonds in G, H, and I color...I know that professionals slightly disagree and some say don't go lower than H for a princess cut. I am considering a 1.08 carat princess cut, AGS-0 Ideal, and it's I-color. Do you think there will be much difference in this diamond vs. one that is H color? Will it appear white?

 

[Herfnerd]

I seriously doubt that you will notice a difference

 

[stonehunter]

It really depends on your sensitivity to color. I''d check out some of the pics of rings under the ShowMeTheRing forum. I recently purchased a J, and I am pretty sensitivity to color and the stone I purchased faces up very white. I can see the hue..but it''s certainly not noticeable.

Check it out: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/another-gog-great.91638/

good luck!

 

[atw122]

I have been diamond shopping lately and from what i''ve seen, you will most likely not see a difference as long as it is a well cut diamond. I couldn''t even see any yellow in a J colored diamond. My Bf and I are prob going to go with an I colored stone to save $$. Good luck!

 

[Lorelei]

It does depend on your colour sensitivity, but assuming the diamonds have similar cut quality, are of the same reliable lab for grading and are of similar size, I doubt you would notice a difference.

 

[Kelli]

An I should be fine. I swore I only wanted a colorless diamond until I actually saw what I and J stones look like when they are well cut. MOST people could never tell the difference, but there are some who can. I would go for the I, actually, I did!!

 

[dbsdiamonds]

I concur with most postings although I always say "white" is H or better. In bigger gems the difference between H and I color can be rather noticeable immediately. In a 1ct the body of diamond is a little harder to see, but with a white business card or sheet of paper the difference will be more apparent. In a top view face up the brilliance can hide this shade difference to a degree.

Then it comes down to the individual diamond. Is the H color a diamond that leans towards G or leans towards I color? is the I color leaning H or J? There can be a color difference swings based off the specific diamonds being compared.

Colorless diamonds aren''t for everybody even though they cost more...some people think they look fake and they want a little color in the diamond. So lot''s of different opinions on the topic.

Marty
DBSDiamonds
www.diamondsatcost.com
www.dbsdiamonds.com

 

[John P]

Date: 8/5/2008 3:25:17 PM
Author: dbsdiamonds

Then it comes down to the individual diamond. Is the H color a diamond that leans towards G or leans towards I color? is the I color leaning H or J? There can be a color difference swings based off the specific diamonds being compared.

Quite right, and as Lorelei mentioned the face-up appearance is affected by cut quality. A well-cut diamond in the near-colorless range can face up quite colorless because the light is getting in and out with more intensity.

This is why colored diamonds are cut shallower or deeper than D-J (and lower) diamonds where the goal is facing-up as colorless as possible... When that colored stones angles allow light to escape, or leak, from the pavilion it serves to illuminate or ''entrap'' body color in the diamond. It''s the opposite strategy of cut quality which allows a stone to face-up with less color.

 

[lv2008]

I think you''d be happy with an I color. I just bought a I colored stone and it looks great to me. I had an H an I and a J all in my possession and i chose the I. The J had a little to much warmth and it seem to go away for me in the I. The H really jumped up in price so i went for the I. Im refering to seeing the warmth from the pavilion as they all faced up the same.

thanks

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/5/2008 6:33:56 AM
Author: Lorelei
It does depend on your colour sensitivity, but assuming the diamonds have similar cut quality, are of the same reliable lab for grading and are of similar size, I doubt you would notice a difference.

I agree with this. Even J''s it takes a lot to see warmth but you will only see the warmth in in about 3% of lighting, based on what I have seen.

 

[orbaya]

I don''t think you''ll see any difference. My 5 stone band has 3 H''s and 2 I''s. I have no idea which stone is what color because I can''t tell the difference. I''m posting a side view of my ring because it might give you a visual of the two colors side-by-side. My stones are .33s so they smaller than what you are looking at, but the picture might give you an idea. This was taken in direct sunlight too.

 

[cdndman]

I personally think you should go with what you like the best. As others have stated it really depends on how sensitive you are to colors. When I went through the diamond buying process I could see the difference in color... even up to a G. I know that personally I wanted to be able to see the nice white color so I went with a E, however I have seen many H-I''s that once set look very close to a G. But then again I sacrificed size for color, cut and clarity.

 

[jstarfireb]

The I should be no problem at all! My ACA I princess from WF is gorgeous and a beautiful white when viewed face-up. That''s one of the miracles of a well cut stone. From the sides in some lightings I notice a little warmth, but it doesn''t bother me! I just smile when I think about how my beautiful I stone looks like an F or G face up, but my fiance didn''t have to pay for an F/G!

 

[PantherPaws24]

Thank you all for the awesome information - alot of good things to think about! The picture of the ring is beautiful...you''re right, it''s hard to tell! I''m just wondering because I was considering buying a setting that has G-colored side diamonds and if they are put side-by-side do you think the color would be noticeable then?

Thanks again everyone

 

[cdndman]

I think it really depends on which stones you go with.... if you go with a I center... then G''s on the side there will be a higher likely-hood of being able to see the difference... I think it all depends on the the setting and the eye of the beholder... I know that I would be able to tell.. but if you can''t then that''s all that really matters...

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 8/5/2008 3:37:42 PM
Author: John Pollard

Date: 8/5/2008 3:25:17 PM

Author: dbsdiamonds


Then it comes down to the individual diamond. Is the H color a diamond that leans towards G or leans towards I color? is the I color leaning H or J? There can be a color difference swings based off the specific diamonds being compared.

Quite right, and as Lorelei mentioned the face-up appearance is affected by cut quality. A well-cut diamond in the near-colorless range can face up quite colorless because the light is getting in and out with more intensity.


This is why colored diamonds are cut shallower or deeper than D-J (and lower) diamonds where the goal is facing-up as colorless as possible... When that colored stones angles allow light to escape, or leak, from the pavilion it serves to illuminate or ''entrap'' body color in the diamond. It''s the opposite strategy of cut quality which allows a stone to face-up with less color.

John, is that why we always say a princess or radiant shows color more than a round? Because they''re deeper stones? Just curious.

 

[John P]

Date: 8/6/2008 12:31:25 AM
Author: jstarfireb

John, is that why we always say a princess or radiant shows color more than a round? Because they're deeper stones? Just curious.

It does seem a logical guess jstar, but they’re different animals. Different shapes have different appropriate depths, and those with more variables have a wider range of appropriate depth.

To answer your question, the reason tinted rounds can benefit more in face-up color appearance is because the round is the most efficient shape for overall intense light return; in the same way a cylindrical drum is the best resonance chamber for sound.

It’s easy to see: Look at the amount of red in the ASET of a moderately well-cut round versus that of a moderately well-cut princess or radiant. Top rounds have primarily red & blue in their ASET image (intense LR and obstruction/contrast). Top fancy shapes have a balance of red & green in their ASET (intense LR and less intense LR) with small areas of obstruction/contrast. Good angles help square shapes have more red, but they typically do not have the edge-to-edge intense LR of a round: If you look around in commercial outlets you can even find examples where the corners of a near-colorless square are more tinted than the center.

There is an exception (as you certainly know). In 2005 the parameters for the AGS0 princess came out and these diamonds have set new standards for princess brightness. In fact - back to your q about depth - princess cuts with optimal angles and depths greater-than-conventional are often setting highest marks (which has stubborn old-timers scratching their heads). When cut with optical symmetry they can even show red (ASET) all the way out to the corners and benefit from the edge-to-edge effect seen in rounds - as well as much better face-up color appearance than conventional squares.

The diamond world adapts slowly, so these examples are not common. In fact, fewer than 1% of princess cuts currently produced are cut to such specs. Why? A primary reason is that lots of rough is easily converted into princess cuts at configurations that don’t perform well…but who cares? Until GIA enforces a cut grade manufacturers can send any old thing to that lab (tops in the world) to receive grades on color and clarity with no accountability for cut performance.

Another reason they’re scarce is that it’s far more difficult to hit the top performance “window” with a princess than with a round. The cutter is dealing with 2-5 chevron facets on the pavilion, which means 2-5 different pavilion angles to control precisely, which must also work together with the crown features. While it’s not a piece of cake to craft any diamond with precision, a round has only 1 main angle on bottom and top and the "proven" angles are fairly well-known.

 

[Diamond Confused]

I''m not color sensitive AT ALL so I coudn''t tell the difference. I have however also heard not to go below an H in fancy cuts and that''s pretty much been engrained in my head. I just wouldn''t feel comfortable going lower than an H, it''s a mental thing.

 

[swingirl]

John, thank you for the explanation. You''ve clarified the ASET what-color-means-what thing.