J Color AVC in a Halo Setting

[Dreamer_D]

tx are you the intended wearer of the stone or is it for someone else?

 

[slg47]

great video, I also would be curious to see solitaire vs. halo, and also some higher colors in a halo...the H looked tinted to me in the halo but I suspect in a solitaire setting it would not. Also, just curious, most melee is F/G, or is it ungraded? Perhaps using KLM melee for the H would lessen the contrast?

 

[arjunajane]

Getting a lower color halo will not help much with the contrast in my opinion. The contrast comes not so much from body color as from the way that diamonds of different sizes handle light. Teensy diamonds do nto actually show much or any body color at all, they look like sparkly little white circles all the time in large part because the factes are so small your eye cannot pick up contrast. Larger diamonds, especially a chunky cut like the AVC, allow lots of opportunity for body color to show, and since the facets are larger, also lots of opportunity to see contrast. In my experience with a larger J color stone, it markedly contrasts with H/I color melee because the larger stone shows its body color more and treats light differently than do the little melee stones. So I am of the opinion that there will *always* be a contrast between a J color main stone and melee, even if you match the color grades exactly.

DD, do you mind if I ask is your opinion based on real world experience, or hypothetical?

 

[Dreamer_D]

My opinion about the different optics of small and large diamonds is based on part on my own observations and in part on conversations on PS.

My observations about melee contrasting with J color larger diamonds is based on my own diamonds. I have eternity bands with 5 pt and 8pt diamonds in H/I color and have worn them with G, J and K color larger solitaires. Saw contrast with the (high)J and K, not with the G. I attribute this in part to the "chameleon" effect of J/K color stones -- they show so much more variance in their color accross lighting than do less tinted diamonds like a G color (part of their charm IMO), but it also gives so much more opportunity for the larger diamond to simply look *different* than the melee. These are just my own observations and I am color sensitive. Others may have other opinion.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

My opinion about the different optics of small and large diamonds is based on part on my own observations and in part on conversations on PS.

My observations about melee contrasting with J color larger diamonds is based on my own diamonds. I have eternity bands with 5 pt and 8pt diamonds in H/I color and have worn them with G, J and K color larger solitaires. Saw contrast with the (high)J and K, not with the G. I attribute this in part to the "chameleon" effect of J/K color stones -- they show so much more variance in their color accross lighting than do less tinted diamonds like a G color (part of their charm IMO), but it also gives so much more opportunity for the larger diamond to simply look *different* than the melee. These are just my own observations and I am color sensitive. Others may have other opinion.

Three things govern this contrast between centre and melee:

1) Size of the diamond (smaller generally shows less color)
2) Cut of the diamonds (Modern Tolk Rounds generally show less color than Fancy Shapes, Better cut shows less color than poorer in faceup)
3) Body Color of the diamonds

My wife has a 1.59 ct H modern cushion cut (similar to a round), with G/H melee of 0.9pt melee in a HW halo and the contrast is definitely noticeable.

I would say you minnimize the contrast by going with melee within 1 grade of the centre but it will still be noticeable.

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

bean, awesome video - thanks for posting the link. I honestly can't really detect a difference in color between those two center stones.

Neither could I, Jon has very good attention to detail in his videos but in this case judging color from the video is very difficult. Any slight difference in white balance and the video will not be very conclusive. I find I see tint and warmth most in dim lighting.

 

[chamois]

Dreamer, I agree the contrast between the center stones and the halo is there. I do wonder though how close the halo stones are in colour to the center stones ? They could be at least one or two colour grades in difference ? I have an oval as a center stone of 'H' and the halo (round) stones are 'G' - 'H', all of the same cut quality as the oval, I don't see a colour difference at all between my center stone and the halo.

 

[arjunajane]

Dreamer,
Thank you for your reply and CCL thanks for the technical info.

I am basing my recommendation off what some higher - end jewellers who are used to working with lower coloured old cuts (such as SS) practice when setting their stones..

It really is so much in personal preference and the eye of the wearer though - when I compare my M AVC solitaire to the F/G BGD signature melee in another ring, I really do not see a colour difference that is displeasing to my eye.
I am currently setting a warmer coloured OEC with high colour sides and melee, and the difference does not bother / concern me.


So I guess my advice to tx would be to make sure you get to compare your AVC in person next to some different colour melee diamonds,and decide on your tolerances / preferences - as you can see in this thread, different consumers feel differently about their perception of warmth/colour in their diamonds - but what matters is your (or your intendeds) perceptions
it sounds as if you are able to visit GOG in person? If so I'm sure Jon would be happy to arrange a viewing comparison with a little bit of notice..

 

[ChunkyCushionLover]

Dreamer,
Thank you for your reply and CCL thanks for the technical info.

I am basing my recommendation off what some higher - end jewellers who are used to working with lower coloured old cuts (such as SS) practice when setting their stones..

It really is so much in personal preference and the eye of the wearer though - when I compare my M AVC solitaire to the F/G BGD signature melee in another ring, I really do not see a colour difference that is displeasing to my eye.
I am currently setting a warmer coloured OEC with high colour sides and melee, and the difference does not bother / concern me.


So I guess my advice to tx would be to make sure you get to compare your AVC in person next to some different colour melee diamonds,and decide on your tolerances / preferences - as you can see in this thread, different consumers feel differently about their perception of warmth/colour in their diamonds - but what matters is your (or your intendeds) perceptions
it sounds as if you are able to visit GOG in person? If so I'm sure Jon would be happy to arrange a viewing comparison with a little bit of notice..

Arjuna,

We are in agreement. For example Leon Mege uses F/G or G/H melee even with lower colored stones, he even at one time wrote on his quotes he refuses to use lower quality melee (which often means lower colors) not sure he still writes this.

Even comparing a round of the same color and size to a vintage cushion or round of the same color and size there will be faceup color differences to say otherwise isn't really accurate. But of course to some that are less color sensitive maybe it isn't readily discernable. The path length of light for a modern round is shorter than for a vintage style cushion or round.

There are three main camps in terms of preference(maybe more ) when it comes to seeing the contrast in melee and centre:

1) They see the difference readily and like the contrast (like my wife)
2) They don't notice much of a difference and if they did see it, it is no big deal. (pretty much everyone who has seen her ring)
3) They see the contrast and would have preferred it be as minnimized as possible (that would be me, I'd have preferred to go higher centre color than the melee, but it doesn't bother me much, I suspect if the color differences were a bit more it would bother me more.)

 

[txagkg]

Thanks for all the great replies - lots of good knowledge here.

The ring will be an engagement ring for my girlfriend. I know that she wants a halo and I get the general impression that she does not want the diamond to appear tinted. Last night I took the diamond to a local jeweler and placed it on top of some Tacori settings and the contrast between it and the melee was noticeable, but not unbearable. Of course, if I looked at it next to the CZ's that they had in the settings, my stone looked very tinted

I believe the H in the previously mentioned video is the same ring shown here: http://www.vimeo.com/13395187

I *think* Jon mentioned to me that the stone in his "Perfect Halo" video was a 1 ct. H AVC so I assume these two rings are the same. It is interesting to me that I see no contrast in color whatsoever in the Perfect Halo video. I think my plan of attack may be to go back on the hunt for an H or even high I but I'm not completely sure yet.