I1 for diamond studs?

[Taylorbug!]

I want to purchase diamond studs. Would love OEC’s but they are out of my budget. Want something about 5 to 5.5mm. Are I1 studs going to have any sparkle? Would you wear them, or opt for a smaller better quality?

 

[blueMA]

I want to purchase diamond studs. Would love OEC’s but they are out of my budget. Want something about 5 to 5.5mm. Are I1 studs going to have any sparkle? Would you wear them, or opt for a smaller better quality?

It's the cut, not the clarity, that rules diamond performance. You certainly can have I1 sparkly studs, but be sure to rule out the ones with enough transparency issues to affect the performance.

 

[Rockdiamond]

Personally, I love to pick I1 clarity stones for earrings.
The issue is that the grade of I1 is extremely wide- and encompasses a lot of stones that will have transparency issues.
And that's if the grade is based on GIA parameters. In many cases, a seller will call any old POS I1- even though it might be an I3- or worse.
So the grade itself has a very bad and well earned reputation. But not all I1's are an issue.
But in the same way that I1 itself is often misinterpreted by consumers- so is cut.
Neither cut nor clarity - or any single parameter rules performance. The factors of color, clarity, cut, shape, size, transparency....they all work together in balance.

 

[blueMA]

"Experts consider cut to be the most important out of the 4Cs because the brilliance and fire of a diamond depend greatly on its cut."
https://www.dazzlingrock.com/blog/2018/02/4cs-diamond-quality-most-important-c/

"The most important of the 4Cs is cut because it has the greatest influence on a diamond's sparkle."
https://www.bluenile.com/education/diamonds

"Diamond Cut quality is the single most important factor in diamond beauty. "
https://www.whiteflash.com/about-diamonds/diamond-education/diamond-cut.htm

"The cut is the most important "C" to consider when purchasing a diamond."
https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/education/

 

[Rockdiamond]

"People place too much emphasis on cut to the exclusion of other factors"
David Friedlander, Diamonds by Lauren

There are many different opinions of experts that we can find.
I'm sure that if you sat down with some of the people you're quoting, they'd agree that you need a balance of factors to assess beauty, and desirability in diamonds.

 

[blueMA]

"People place too much emphasis on cut to the exclusion of other factors"
David Friedlander, Diamonds by Lauren

There are many different opinions of experts that we can find.
I'm sure that if you sat down with some of the people you're quoting, they'd agree that you need a balance of factors to assess beauty, and desirability in diamonds.

Of course there should be a balance - that's why there's 4Cs, but what is the MOST important factor that determines diamond sparkle?

 

[Rockdiamond]

Of course there should be a balance - that's why there's 4Cs, but what is the MOST important factor that determines diamond sparkle?

Size,
The best cut .01ct diamond will not sparkle nearly as well as a 1ct, with a mediocre cut.

Or color.
Or shape.

The issue for me is that by attempting to translate this into a simple "cut is the most important", then too many other SUPER important factors get discounted.

 

[blueMA]

The best cut .01ct diamond will not sparkle nearly as well as a 1ct, with a mediocre cut.

haha, nor will I pay the same price for the two options. I hear you.
After all, if not cut to take advantage of the facets and light reflections by men, a diamond is a chunk of rock devoid of sparkle.

 

[Rockdiamond]

After all, if not cut to take advantage of the facets and light reflections by men, a diamond is a chunk of rock devoid of sparkle.

Totally!!!
I think that the online discussion of diamonds, or anything- can get distorted by how loud an opinion is voiced sometimes.
My experience working with actual people and actual diamonds is that diamonds are loved for so many reasons. Based solely on "online research" one could easily get the idea that if you don't buy AGSL 0 you're automatically buying an inferior diamond.
A lot of folks will choose a 1.25, technically less well cut than a 1.00 perfectly cut when they are actually looking at the diamonds in person!
This thread caught my attention because the I1 moniker can have the same effect. People have read I1's are bad, and that closes the subject, in their minds.
"Cut is king" is another one of those sayings for me....sure, cut is important- but truly....nothing is the "most important" to everyone.....

 

[blueMA]

One could easily get the idea that if you don't buy AGSL 0 you're automatically buying an inferior diamond.

Oh I see. I also get amused by people who're hung up on AGSL 0 trumps all, I have this brand so happy by it and it beats all else...
I think that comes with an inexperience of not having witnessed some super performers that blow tightly cut perfectly proportioned superideals in actual live view.