How color sensitive are you?

[PrincessNana]

Can people see the yellowish color of H I color diamonds when someone is wearing a ring in H or I ? I know I can see them when these rings are on my finger but is it only because I am trying to see the colors?

I'm thinking about getting a stone in H or I color in order to maximize the size but I don't want people to think I'm wearing a yellowish diamond. I've been wearing my E color E-ring for over 6 years so I know I can see the warm tint of H or I stones i but my question is can people see it?

Most of the stores told me that H should be totally fine and some store says even I is fine. ( I'm only considering GIA, 3 EX 1.2-1.3ct VS2) I think I am not " mind clean" and I am constantly searching for the " yellowish tint" when I try H or I colors in the store. Do you know what I mean? Do you think H or I is totally fine or Should I go up to G?

 

[MarionC]

I think if you feel this way you should stick with G and up for your peace of mind.

 

[thecat]

How color sensitive we are doesn't take away the color mind clean issue for you. Sticking with a G will make you happier in the long run. I won't say that I can see yellow tint in H but rather it will lack the sharp blue tint of D and E. That's how I can tell them apart when placed side by side.

 

[dk168]

Until I bought my own E colour EC, I thought my mum's carre band which is G/H colour, was very white.

On its own, the carre band is still very white, however, I can see a tint when it is next to my EC.

If I were to buy a MRB, I would not hesitate in getting the best cut grade I can afford in the colour range of G, H or even I, for it to be set in white metal.

DK

 

[Niel]

Well to answer your title question I can easily notice color but as I like it you could say I am sensitive but with a high tolerance. I think that's an important destination. Do you ask yourself if you can see the color in the stone or do you ask yourself if you like the way it looks?

But your question isn't really about us, its about you. If an H makes you uncomfortable don't buy it. Diamonds are strictly fun purchases, and I don't think you should spend that kind of money if you are not sure you'll like what you're spending it on.

 

[teobdl]

+1 Neil.

You will certainly notice an H color vs E in certain lighting from the side and tilts. The question is whether it bothers you.

 

[Lorelei]

Well to answer your title question I can easily notice color but as I like it you could say I am sensitive but with a high tolerance. I think that's an important destination. Do you ask yourself if you can see the color in the stone or do you ask yourself if you like the way it looks?

But your question isn't really about us, its about you. If an H makes you uncomfortable don't buy it. Diamonds are strictly fun purchases, and I don't think you should spend that kind of money if you are not sure you'll like what you're spending it on.

Hi Princess Nana and welcome!

Niel's thoughts match mine, it's never worth trying to convince yourself I don't think, especially as you have an E colour, you might find H is not a crisp enough ' white' for you. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, maybe look at some F or G colour ( GIA/AGS graded) as you might find those grades are a nice middle ground.

 

[EvangelineG]

Yes, I can notice a very slight warmth in my own H stone depending on the lighting, but for me it doesn't matter because I am crazy in love with the stone itself (AVR). I love the cut so very much, and am enjoying the H for exactly what it is. In my very, very, very limited experience that seems to be what matters- that you love it. And it sounds like you might have trouble falling in love with an H, so I say get what makes you happy and comfortable.

Just to note although I think I am fairly colour sensitive, I wouldn't notice tint in an H or I in other people's diamonds in normal viewing conditions with casual observation, so if that is the primary issue I wouldn't worry. Unless you have a catty friend who is going to take a loupe to the thing (and even then I'd get rid of the friend, not the diamond ), get what makes you happy!

 

[metatrix]

Personally, my eyes can't tell the difference between a G and a J sitting right next to each other. Not even from the side. My jeweller is quite colour sensitive, and he can't believe that I can't tell the difference. My boyfriend can tell, though. He prefers H and above.

I think I'm missing some cones in my eyes.

 

[TC1987]

in 1.2 - 1.3 ct RB, G or H should be plenty white. I with med to strong blue fluor should be great, too. If you want to play it safe, then stop at H. I have an H just over 1ct, no fluor, and it always looks white to me even from the side. Just avoid the Hs with the brown undertone.

I don't think people will notice I tint in a RB of that size without fluor unless they get a chance to study it from the side. In a princess, yes, the I tint will be quite creamy, in my experience.

 

[OoohShiny]

Side by side in a jeweller's tray, I can tell the difference between a D and an F.

Side by side 'in real life', I can tell the difference between the F of the stone I bought and, I presume, what would be a D in the CZ stones in the 5-stone ring the other half never wears.

However - on its own? on the hand? The white light return and the blinding fire/scintillation of the CBI cut in direct sunlight/spotlight eradicates seemingly all trace of colour within the stone


FWIW, F was about as low as I wanted to go to be 'mind clean' - I am very happy with the stone I bought but I'm sure that IRL I wouldn't be able to tell different colours of others' rings on the hand unless they were very obviously L or lower!

 

[marcy]

I think H or higher color diamonds look white in a ring. If you worry about not liking the color of H or I diamonds I would look at F or G diamonds. I think you should get whatever you will be happy with.

 

[msop04]

Can people see the yellowish color of H I color diamonds when someone is wearing a ring in H or I ? I know I can see them when these rings are on my finger but is it only because I am trying to see the colors?

I'm thinking about getting a stone in H or I color in order to maximize the size but I don't want people to think I'm wearing a yellowish diamond. I've been wearing my E color E-ring for over 6 years so I know I can see the warm tint of H or I stones i but my question is can people see it?

Most of the stores told me that H should be totally fine and some store says even I is fine. ( I'm only considering GIA, 3 EX 1.2-1.3ct VS2) I think I am not " mind clean" and I am constantly searching for the " yellowish tint" when I try H or I colors in the store. Do you know what I mean? Do you think H or I is totally fine or Should I go up to G?

Have you been looking at GIA/AGS stones? An H should never look "yellow" -- not even from the side.

A well cut GIA G and H in a 1.2-1.3 ct round are almost indistinguishable when placed side by side (although I can see a difference in say, E and H)... If you can see "yellowish tint" in H color stones, then a G won't be much different, especially when set. You may want to stick with F and above? Since you said that it's possible that you're always trying to see the color, D/E maybe the only color you can't "psychologically" see yellow.

To answer the original question, I can see the difference in a D vs. H or an H vs. K, but D/E/F AND G/H look the same to me, all things being equal. I start to notice a little tint from the side in larger I stones (2+ cts)... I have a 2.4 ct MRB J that doesn't look "yellow" from face up position, but I do notice tint from the side. For larger MRB's, if I had unlimited budget, my preference would still be G, as I think D/F in larger stones tend to look fake. This is only my opionion though... and if actually given an unlimited budget, who knows what I'd choose! LOL

Fancies and step cuts are a whole other story...

 

[msop04]

I think H or higher color diamonds look white in a ring. If you worry about not liking the color of H or I diamonds I would look at F or G diamonds. I think you should get whatever you will be happy with.

This exactly. It doesn't matter what we see (or anyone else for that matter)... what matters is you see.
Make yourself happy!

 

[heididdl]

Not in MHO.. I have a 3.66 H Color EC and I don't see any color at all. In fact I see my finger throuogh the stone. I don't see any yellow at all and the stone is set in platinum.....

 

[nala]

I'm not sensitive unless I'm wearing it...but if someone else is, I have to admit, i am only sensitive to the bling! I am clueless when it comes to color, and I know that while everyone is saying it is up to you, I know you want to know how many people will notice if you are wearing a big yellow diamond ring. IOW, I think you really want to go big but not regret it, but PSers are trying to tell you that you will notice it and it will bother you. So the question is, do you want a certain type and color diamond because YOU want it, or do YOU want it because others will admire it and perceive it to be a certain value? I'm horrible at gauging color, but if a ring is not super shiny and sparkly, then I notice that. Many of us compromise because we can't have the 4 c's at our desired budget...just make sure you can live with the compromise. If your concern is about others' opinions, I doubt they will ever bother to try to guess the color or clarity...at least, I never have.

 

[PrincessNana]

Thank you so much for your comments everyone. I know it is totally up to me if I like the color or not and If I can see warm tint or not.

I decided that I will not go any lower than H, but I still cannot decide between G and H. I think I prefer G in my mind only because I am so used to see my E color ring and the gap of the color difference is minimal but the price of H is much more attractive. I already know that the size I want is around 1.2-1.25 . ( my ring size is 4.75) and the price difference between G and H would be 15%-20%.

My husband is coming to the Jeweler with me today so I will ask him how he thinks too.

 

[Gypsy]

Color sensitive doesn't mean you can see color.

That just means your eyes work.

Color sensitive means you can see the color AND YOU LET IT BOTHER YOU.

Sounds like you let it bother you. So... stick to G or better. The problem isn't the color though. The problem is that for you tint=bad. That's just not true. But unless you can embrace that... mindclean is going to be G or better for you.

 

[Gypsy]

ON COLOR:

It is important to remember is that color is graded FACE DOWN. Where there is NO light return. Not face up where there is light return and refraction. You wear diamonds set. FACE UP.

Within one color grade, even the labs can't agree on the color grades of stones and something could be a "high" H or a "low" E. So... no. Not really. Within 2 color grades it is hard. Not impossible. But very hard. And it gets harder once set. If you are talking ideal rounds, or any stone with ideal light return and no sharp corners it gets harder still because the ideal light return masks body color.

Generally we say to be conservative stay above H in a round. But MANY people have happily bought white I or even J diamonds when trying to eek out a little more size. I personally would go down to I without a second thought.



This is how I think of it.

Ever gotten one of those HUGE paint fan decks? Where there are literally 100s of colors of whites? And when they are RIGHT next to each other you can TOTALLY tell that one is bluer/colder and one is a bit warmer and which one is one is TOTALLY warmer. One there's one that's slightly greener. One that's slightly pinker? But really. They are all white?

Then you pick one after agonizing over this white or that white and when it's on the walls and people are like: Oh. You painted again. And it's STILL white. Great.

And you're all... BUT it's BLUE white. Or it's a WARM white now. It used to be ____ white. It's TOTALLY different.

It's like that. You are talking about shades of white. D is colder... J is warmer. But it's all white.

YES. If you have an accurately graded F and an H THAT HAVE THE SAME PERFORMANCE you are going to be able to tell them apart when you compare them. Just like you would be able to tell if you painted your walls a warm white, but painted the crown molding a cold/straight white. But both are STILL white.


I want you notice all the qualifiers thought. I'm talking about stones with the SAME performance. An ideal H will out white an F that has compromised light performance from a poor cut.

NOTHING impacts the appearance of a diamond as much as cut. CUT is king.

You want the shinest whitest and brightest diamond out there: Cut is King. No other factor, not color or clarity or anything else impacts how white bright an shiny a stone is.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

You have to see them in various lighting to decide. H and I look fabulous in natural daylight and in the halogen lighting of big stores. I love my diamond in Walmart!!! But environmental colors can intensify the tint in some circumstances. I have had F, G, H, and I color, and all look beautiful in well cut diamonds.

I took this picture last weekend outside in natural light (all of these belong to a friend except one is mine). Can you guess the colors of these diamonds?

 

[Lorelei]

 

[pyramid]

I can definitely see color in an H, I can see it in a G too but the G doesn't bother me whereas the H does. I do own a half carat in h and every time I look at it, it just looks so much different to my Gs I own. There again on another person I would not notice unless it was side by side with other diamonds or maybe a large stone of 3 carats.

Remember it wont always be yellow, stones can have different hues of yellow, brown, grey or green. So if you get J or K and think there is no yellow in it, it is because there isn't the color is one of the above. We always hear jewellers saying yellow maybe there are more yellow but diamond experts here have said it is not always yellow.

 

[pyramid]

By the way there is a diamond cutter here Paul from Crafted by Infinity who says at that color range G H you will not be able to see it face up on another persons hand so I would go with his opinion. I think people who want higher, like me, are going for rarity or eye clean upside down to themselves.

Yes since he said that I would buy an H if I didn't want to scrutinize it from the size or upside down myself and was just wondering what other people saw. It is not often you can get the opinion of a diamond cutter of such prestige diamonds in the outside internet world.

 

[artdecolover71]

I have had many color diamonds from D-I and my most recent is an I color that I just got that I adore! It looks very white to me and unless I put it directly next to D-E-F I don't think people would be able to tell (unless they were a jeweler or an avid PS'er).

 

[Tourmaline]

I hadn't commented previously because I like warmth in diamonds. I actually prefer slight tint over colorlessness. That said, I had my L diamond (which was lower than I was planning to go for, but it didn't bother me enough not to buy it) set in a ring with whiter melee, and I hated the contrast. In some lighting, it looked fine, but in other lighting, it looked darker than the melee, and it always distracted me. I just had it reset into a solitaire ring with no other diamonds, and now I love it in every lighting situation. This is HUGE for me, and I think it's an important point. I know that most people wouldn't go down to L, but this is relevant for H and I, too. If it's by itself, it will look perfectly fine, but if it's with whiter melee or side stones, the tint may bother you.

 

[TC1987]

^ Now, I'm the opposite. I like L and M, and don't mind the contrast against whiter mele. I don't like even J or K against stark white baguettes, for whatever reason. But round diamonds, that's fine. There are a lot of estate rings that have L or M apparently deliberately set against platinum and some very white pave', and I reckon the contrast between pale yellow and white is integral to the design.

 

[Tourmaline]

Interesting, TC1987. When I consulted with jewelers before the first ring, they all seemed to want to highlight the difference to "make it look deliberate" - hee hee. It didn't bother me in theory, but it bothered me in practice. I think if my diamond had been more yellow, like O-S, it might have bothered me less. But the L was playing both sides, and it bothered me. Now when I see the light yellow of my diamond (tilted, in certain lighting conditions), I love it. It's so interesting!

 

[AprilBaby]

In a modern round brilliant I like FGH and no higher or lower. In an old cut stone, the warmer the better. A nice vanilla is beautiful. I had a pear "I" and a traded it in because I didn't like the tint, and yes , i know pears show more color.