Help!

[walter123]

In your opinion, what is the lowest color and clarity a diamond can be (assuming a good cut) and still look good to the naked eye? I appreciate your help!

-walter123

 

[strmrdr]

depends but eyeclean is eyeclean that generaly means si1 maybe si2 or better.
I color is fine for many people in a super-ideal cut diamond sometimes j depending on the diamond.

 

[pqcollectibles]

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On 3/25/2004 9:15:41 PM strmrdr wrote:

depends but eyeclean is eyeclean that generaly means si1 maybe si2 or better.
I color is fine for many people in a super-ideal cut diamond sometimes j depending on the diamond.
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I have a 1.25 carat, J color ACA that is fabulous and white white white!! And, it's set in platinum. But Strm is right. It really depends on the diamond. Mine isn't yellow or brown. It's a steely blue hue.

Color depends on a combination of the Cut and your personal color sensitivity. I is a fairly safe line to draw unless you are color sensitive. Then you might want to stay at G or H. If the Vendor tells you they have a great J, it would be worth a look see.

Clarity will depend on the size, type, color, and location of the inclusions. SI1's tend to be eye clean. We've seen several SI2's lately that are eye clean. And there have been some fabulous I1's recently with 1 definining inclusion that is hidden by the Cut. It's really going to vary from diamond to diamond.

 

[hoorray]

Both Strmrdr and PQ are right about how low you can often go in clarity and color. If you are looking for safe, safe, safe lowest color, G/H and VS2/SI1 are sweet spots. Pretty much all G VS2 stones will look equal to a higher color and clarity assuming a great cut. A good percentage, if not most of the H SI1's will also.

The caveats are to go see well cut stones in different colors to know if you have color sensitive eyes (some people see more color than others or have preferences for different ends of the spectrum). If what you are trying to do is find the best deal going at the lowest possible color or clarity, H/I and occasional J's will still usually look white, and SI1/SI2 and an occasional I1 will look eye clean or still great, both depending on the stone. Don't compromise on cut if you are looking at lower colors or clarity. Cut compensates for a lot and is really what makes the difference in how the stone preforms!

 

[diamondsman]

Hi,
It really all depend on the kind of metal you are going to mount the stone.D-I colors mount up real nice in White metals,(also yellow).J-Down Mount up with a good face up in yellow metals.
Clarity could vary on stones especially in SI qualities and are best described or seen.As a general rule SI1-Si2 should be eyeclean, depending on the size of the stone.

 

[bb1]

its my experiance from looking, and I'm by no means an expert, that a little bit of flourescence helps the lower colors too in some instances.

I just got a G with medium blue and when I had it next to a D they looked the same to me, both inside and out in the sunlight. Both GIA's as well.

I was told as a general rule, you probably dont want to have any more than a medium blue, of course there are always exceptions.

 

[pqcollectibles]

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On 3/25/2004 10:24:30 PM diamondsman wrote:

Hi,
It really all depend on the kind of metal you are going to mount the stone.D-I colors mount up real nice in White metals,(also yellow).J-Down Mount up with a good face up in yellow metals.----------------

My J looks like this in real life. As you can see, all J's are not created equal.

1.25 carat, J set in Platinum.

 

[Robyn12]

The lowest I would go is a G/H & VS2... IMO, this is the best combo of color and clarity (for me). I know there are many eye clean SI1s & SI2s out there, but in some cases, inclusions are visable from the sides in SI stones...

Good luck!

 

[diamondsman]

That's true not all J 's are created equal,having said that I think that for the most part buying over the net (since you are'nt seeing the stone in person)it's better to go with I or better for white metals.just to be on the safe side.



great picture pq. what kind of camera did you use?

 

[aljdewey]

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On 3/26/2004 2:27:01 AM Robyn12 wrote:




I know there are many eye clean SI1s & SI2s out there, but in some cases, inclusions are visable from the sides in SI stones...

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To be accurate and equitable.....in some cases, inclusions are visible from the sides in VS stones, too.

 

[Nicrez]

I am alaways on the side of whiter, colorless diamonds, but I have to say that if you are getting a round stone, you can go as low and H or I and still face up very nice and white. The cut is KEY! I saw an H next to an F, and my very accute color senses couldn't really tell the difference much, since both had platinum settings, and the F wasn't as well cut as the H....




Honestly, H or I is fine and I would stick to VS2's or some good SI1's for the best in value, so you can get a better cut and/or size...




But it depends on your eyes and color tolerance. I have a shaped stone (which shows color MUCH more) so I needed a colorless stone, and I would have gottne a D if I could have found it!

(but I wouldn't have lowered the clarity to a VS2) Look within those parameters, and see if you can get a good size and cut at your price. I would always prefer a higher color to a higher clarity (above VS2 isn't totally necessary!)




Good luck and let us know what you find!

 

[angela]

When I started looking, I was adamant that H VS2 would be the lowest I would go, but ended up with a beautiful I SI1 (GIA) from Whiteflash that faces up very white and is completely eye clean. The inclusion is white and cannot be seen from the side, and is even hard to find under 10x. I would say to shoot for H VS2/SI1 as the lowest, but don't count out a well cut I or J because, as PQ has shown with her gorgeous ring, there are some beautiful and better priced stones you might miss out on.

It would be a good idea to go to a store that has a large inventory to look at different colors and clarities next to each other to see if you can tell the difference between them. Each person sees things a little differently, and having that experience to refer to could help in picking a stone online.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Working with a Vendor who physically has possession of diamonds makes a huge difference as well. ALJDewey went with an absolutely marvelous, 100% eye clean SI2, and it allowed her to get a bigger diamond for the same budget. I wanted a H color, was considering I color, and went with a J. I got a much larger diamond for less money than I originally planned. In both cases, we trusted Brian Gavin at White Flash to tell us the truth about our diamonds.

Brian had my diamond in front of him when he discussed it with me on the phone. I was using the White Flash upgrade policy to get a larger diamond. I traded in a 3/4 H color diamond. Brian had both my "old" H and my new J in front of him as we chatted on the phone. He was looking at a 3/4 carat H, side by side, with a 1.25 carat J. Brian said the size difference would be obvious but he doubted I would see little, if any, obvious color difference. Brian was absolutely right. By trusting Brian's eye, I got a larger, fabulous diamond than I hoped for, and it cost me less.

Work with Vendors who physically have possession of diamonds you are considering. They will tell you honestly what to expect, give you IS and tons of other info, send you side by side pics to compare color, magnify the inclusions so you see exactly what you are considering, and a whole range of services. The Vendor can be an extra set of eyes for you prior to seeing the diamond in person.

 

[angela]

FYI, I also trusted Brian Gavin's eyes, much to my satisfaction! I think he's made a lot of great "decisions" for a lot of happy customers.