K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setting)

[SF-Guy]

Still searching for that perfect center stone for our HW Cushion Halo e-ring.

I can't believe I am even considering this stone since I was originally searching G/H/I VS2 -- but it has been suggested more than once here on PS and I have had quite a bit of back/forth with Matt over at Good Old Gold (excellent customer service and went out of his way to provide the following).

I HAVE PUT THIS STONE ON HOLD.

Appealing is the fact that it is AGS 000 with the beautiful AVC facet pattern, and while Si1 - the inclusions are nearly invisible and the stone is certainly eye-clean.

We are spending quite a bit of $$$ to have our stone set in a custom setting, and obviously my main concern is that on paper, it says "Color: K". I would hate to end up with a flashy, icy-white setting (f/g melee) only to have a yellow-tinge colored center stone.

GOG says the stone is eye clean and faces up white. Matt has sent me some photos of this K colored stone next to an AVC I color stone. These photos are VERY CONVINCING.

I'd love to get opinions and hear from those who have warmer colored AVCs and if you wish you went with a whiter color. Even better would be photos of comparable AVC in different lighting situations.

Asking $7700 before wire and PS discounts... Is this a mistake for an E-Ring?

AGS:


Professional Shot:


ASET:


Inclusions:


Color Compare From Side:


Color Compare Face Up:


Color Compare Face Down:

 

[missy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

So ofc only you and your FI can say for sure if the color is acceptable to you guys but K is for sure acceptable in an AVC IMO. It faces up differently than a modern cut. It looks like a beautiful stone with some gorgeous faceting! I was of the mindset that G would be the lowest I would go (in an MRB and my original ring was a GIA G) but then I fell in love with an L OEC and I haven't looked back or regretted my choice since. You need to see the stone in person and check it out in different lighting situations/environments and see how you feel about it. It will also appear more tinted if you surround it with smaller whiter melee so something to consider if that will bother you.
Good luck!!!

 

[Niel]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

When will you ever view it upside down or on a white piece of paper??


I personally love a K. But this stone isn't for me

 

[JulieN]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I can definitely see the tint in the face up photo next to the I.

 

[fashionbabee]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

Hi, I looked at AVC's initially and with my budget could only look at the warmer colours, I eventually went with a modern cushion from GOG in an I colour which I love but I do think, and have read the same opinion from many PS ladies on here, that there is a lot of love for AVC in warmer colours.

I personally wanted to start from H and did not want whiter (whether modern cushion or vintage cushion) because personally I am not so much a fan of icy white but that is just my own preference.

When I had my setting made by SK though I asked for H/I coloured melee (left it to SK to match) and I am also extremely happy I did this because when I looked at H/I colour cushions that were set with higher coloured melee I think there was more of a highlight of the difference between the two - and in my ring I think the melee and centre stone blend perfectly!

I have watched a lot of GOG videos and I know they have one were they compare stones right through all the colours together in the one video. I cannot recall if they were AVC's or rounds etc but I was surprised when I watched it as to how warm I was prepared to go!

Usually once you hold a stone with GOG they will shoot an HD vid? Would this help if you compared your stone with higher colours to rule in or out before further consideration or inspection?

 

[UberClaire]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I have an M AVC -- it's beautiful. 9 out of 10 times I look at it, it looks really white (especially in fluorescent light -- it does the worst in daylight, and looks the absolute worst in my car where the upholstery is tan and there's no direct light). Luckily I work in a lab/office, so there's fluorescent lighting for most of my day!

I had a hard time finding a wedding band because the contrast between my AVC and melee diamonds in the wedding bands drove me nuts. I would have gone crazy with a halo. Obviously a K is not an M, but the one you're looking at is significantly bigger than mine, and it will show color more. I would hazard a guess that that stone would look great in a halo in some lights, but you'll see the color of the center stone in other types of light/settings. That color you see in the white background pictures, because the AVC has such a high crown, you will see some of that color when the stone is set when you look at it at a 45 degree angle. It took some getting used to for me.

It's a gorgeous stone, though -- I love the slightly rectangular AVCs.

 

[makhro82]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I had a J-color stone and I wore it in a ring with F/G melee and the difference to me wasn't that perceptible and it wasn't displeasing to the eye in anyway.

 

[vintagesparkleslover]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

First of all, I think that's an absolutely gorgeous stone. While I don't have an AVC, I do have a GIA L colored OEC, and I personally love it. Most of the time I am surprised by how white it appears, although occasionally I do se a bit of color in it.
Ultimately, though, color preference really just depends on how you/your FI feel about it.

 

[Gypsy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I'm not loving it.

In a halo to some extent, differences in spread disappear. My 1 carat asscher looks like a 1.5 carat asscher in it's halo.
What is HIGHLIGHTED in a halo, is color contrast between the melee and the center. And it's not a function of the color of the melee, but rather the performance of small facets versus large ones. Even if you get lower color melee they are going to look whiter than your center.

So. My advice is to go slightly smaller but up in color.
Did you see the ERD stone I posted for you in your other thread? They have two lovely stones at ERD right in budget for you.

And I do hope you aren't going with GOG for the setting. I have not yet seen pave of theirs that can compare to ERD (or other premium pave vendors).
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/royal-t-cushion-brilliant-selection-gid-142779.html
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.25-carat-royal-t-cushion-brilliant.-gid-142781.html
Both are H, and if eyeclean, I'd seriously consider one of these.

If you are stuck on an AVC, is this one eyeclean: http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/10940/

 

[SF-Guy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

So ofc only you and your FI can say for sure if the color is acceptable to you guys but K is for sure acceptable in an AVC IMO. It faces up differently than a modern cut. It looks like a beautiful stone with some gorgeous faceting! I was of the mindset that G would be the lowest I would go (in an MRB and my original ring was a GIA G) but then I fell in love with an L OEC and I haven't looked back or regretted my choice since. You need to see the stone in person and check it out in different lighting situations/environments and see how you feel about it. It will also appear more tinted if you surround it with smaller whiter melee so something to consider if that will bother you.
Good luck!!!

Thanks Missy!

Right! Never having bought a diamond before, and this being an "internet" transaction... I just needed to hear some motivation to send the cash so I can see it in person, instead of feeling like I am just wasting our time!

I read something about excellent/ideal cuts really helping to "mask" any obvious color (still there, just not as obvious as say the L colored "fair" cut stone we thought was yellow)

I found 2 or 3 threads regarding K, L and even an O AVC which all looked amazing.

 

[SF-Guy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I personally love a K. But this stone isn't for me

Niel, I'd love to hear reasoning as to why?

 

[Trasid]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I have an L AVR. I do not know how an AVR carries color compared to a AVC. I love my diamond but it is not in a halo. Most of the time it faces up very white but in a halo there will be times you will see contrast. You may decide you LOVE the contrast...or you may decide you don't. I believe it boils down to personal preference.

There are times I see tint but my stone is never yellow. The tint is hard to describe and it is usually very subtle.

I was in a pawn shop recently and they had a large, perfect, 3-diamond OEC ring. The diamonds were SUPER white and it made my diamond VERY off white to the point that I was shocked because I had never seen the huge contrast like that in my diamond. Maybe it had something to do with their lights but my diamond still did not look yellow but at that moment VERY definitely tinted.

This site may help. http://vimeo.com/14621870

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Niel]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I personally love a K. But this stone isn't for me

Niel, I'd love to hear reasoning as to why?

If you think of diamond color like paint color, I think its easier to understand why someone might like a stone in a k color. Do you like to look at stark white walls or "eggshell" ? I personally like a softer white. And I like a stone with personality, and I like the softer more romantic bone color.

Obviously how you feel isn't how I feel, but DeBeers sells the idea that D is best and it goes down from there. Just don't let anybody( me or anyone here or DeBeers ) tell you what color YOU and your GF like. i just think you should go in with an open mind

But to answer your question that's why I like them.



Also, no color will look exactly like the halo melee. Tiny little diamonds will just look like sparkly white, it won't have the same look as a big diamond, whether its a d or a k.

 

[Circe]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I personally love a K. But this stone isn't for me

Niel, I'd love to hear reasoning as to why?

Not to put words in Niel's mouth, but I don't think she was downing the AVC ... rather just saying that since you guys are the ones to whom it will be important, it's your call on whether or not the grade will matter.

 

[arkieb1]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

Some people are very colour sensitive and others are not. This is really an individual thing..... Antique stones tend to look fine with a bit of body colour and in lower colours and tend to display colour in a different manner to modern cuts, but it needs to be something you either accept or get used to otherwise you are in for a shock. A "K" colour stone is never going to be super white looking or appear ice white. It will at best be white facing some of the time with a bit of warmth.

You should either go and look at or get the stone in person BEFORE you set it into a halo and work out if you like the colour and can live with it. If you are not near the vendor go and look and try on other old cuts if you can, modern cuts if you can't in the J, K, L range. This will give you a better idea of what you can and can't live with.

 

[ecf8503]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

This is a very personal decision.

I am normally a D-G color kind of gal, but I went out on a limb and got a 1.18ct L color AVC. I lived with it for a while, in a solitaire with pave on the band, and it was too warm for me... and the difference between the L AVC and the melee was very obvious. I sent it back and got a 1.43 G color instead.

I did get another stone as a rhr - a J color emerald cut, and although I can see the tint it isn't bothersome. I think J is fine as long as there is nothing for it to compete with (like pave - it's in a solitaire setting), but I think any lower than that and you'll see a definite difference. So either go really low to make the contrast with the halo obvious, or go up higher in color. Just my 2 cents.

 

[woofmama]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I don't have an AVC nor have I seen one in person except for Roseblooms five stone band. Perhaps she'll see this thread and comment.
I do have a K EC and when I was shopping for settings I did notice the tint when my stone was paired up with a setting which had sidestones. I ultimately choose a solitaire and rarely notice the color. I wear it with a five stone G-H color band and it looks great together.
I do love the diamond you picked. Can you have it shipped and take it to a local jeweler to play with against different settings?

 

[Niel]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I personally love a K. But this stone isn't for me

Niel, I'd love to hear reasoning as to why?

Not to put words in Niel's mouth, but I don't think she was downing the AVC ... rather just saying that since you guys are the ones to whom it will be important, it's your call on whether or not the grade will matter.

exactly. My apologies if it sounded like i didnt like it. Basically I was saying we all could talk forever about if a K is too tinted or not, but we wont be wearing the stone, so our opinions wont matter

 

[SB621]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I'm also not a fan of this stone for some of the reasons Gypsy posted. And though I'm not very color sensative I do see the color in the K. The color appeals to me but I know you are trying to find something that faces up white so I would pass.

 

[AprilBaby]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I would be ok with the K if it wasn't haloed. I wouldn't like the color difference of the melee. In a MRB I won't go under an H but in that cut a K would be lovely.

 

[SF-Guy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I'm not loving it.

In a halo to some extent, differences in spread disappear. My 1 carat asscher looks like a 1.5 carat asscher in it's halo.
What is HIGHLIGHTED in a halo, is color contrast between the melee and the center. And it's not a function of the color of the melee, but rather the performance of small facets versus large ones. Even if you get lower color melee they are going to look whiter than your center.

So. My advice is to go slightly smaller but up in color.
Did you see the ERD stone I posted for you in your other thread? They have two lovely stones at ERD right in budget for you.

And I do hope you aren't going with GOG for the setting. I have not yet seen pave of theirs that can compare to ERD (or other premium pave vendors).
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/royal-t-cushion-brilliant-selection-gid-142779.html
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.25-carat-royal-t-cushion-brilliant.-gid-142781.html
Both are H, and if eyeclean, I'd seriously consider one of these.

If you are stuck on an AVC, is this one eyeclean: http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/10940/

Hi Gypsy,

You know I very much respect and appreciate your advice, this is just the sort of decision making process we need to consider.

We very much did look at those two ERD stones. The 1.34 is nice, but it has two major inclusions; one is a big black crystal by the culet - the other appears to be a feather<?> -- Unfortunately these are both smack dab in the center of the table

The 1.25ct ERD is nice, but it's so hard to pull the trigger when you compare the GIA EX-VG to the AVC AGS triple 000. I just think we would rather have cut over color; however, we are nervous of K. I think the only way to know for sure is to order them BOTH and keep our favorite - something we are considering.

with regards to the 1.39 F/Si2 - it is a Clarity Enhanced stone; we almost bought it but I just didn't feel right about that stone in her engagement ring.

We are going to be using Maytal Hannah for the setting; I'll start a thread on our decision making process there once we find our stone!

 

[SF-Guy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

This site may help. http://vimeo.com/14621870

Good luck and keep us posted.

GOLD. Perfect video for the GF to use in her decision making process.

I personally love a K. But this stone isn't for me

Niel, I'd love to hear reasoning as to why?

If you think of diamond color like paint color, I think its easier to understand why someone might like a stone in a k color. Do you like to look at stark white walls or "eggshell" ? I personally like a softer white. And I like a stone with personality, and I like the softer more romantic bone color.

Obviously how you feel isn't how I feel, but DeBeers sells the idea that D is best and it goes down from there. Just don't let anybody( me or anyone here or DeBeers ) tell you what color YOU and your GF like. i just think you should go in with an open mind

But to answer your question that's why I like them.



Also, no color will look exactly like the halo melee. Tiny little diamonds will just look like sparkly white, it won't have the same look as a big diamond, whether its a d or a k.

Thanks for the follow up Niel --- Extremely motivating and very well said. I personally like stark white walls, but i'm sort of "boring" We like a little color in our stone, just not sure where to draw the line!!!

 

[SF-Guy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

[BAH! Sorry, somehow I double posted]

 

[Gypsy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

Which stone is clarity enhanced??? I hope I didn't recommend one! If I did I'm sorry. I do not endorse clarity enhanced stones at all, and never recommend them.

As for the ERD stones. If you think it could be mindclean, I would at least call and see if it is eyeclean. You might be surprised.

But I do get what you mean about the AGS0.

Listen, did you call Victor Canera about his cushions? They are OMC faceted and they are AGS 0 as well. Might be worth a call. He is in CA.

Great choice with Maytal! You are in good hands there!

 

[SF-Guy]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

Which stone is clarity enhanced??? I hope I didn't recommend one! If I did I'm sorry. I do not endorse clarity enhanced stones at all, and never recommend them.

As for the ERD stones. If you think it could be mindclean, I would at least call and see if it is eyeclean. You might be surprised.

But I do get what you mean about the AGS0.

Listen, did you call Victor Canera about his cushions? They are OMC faceted and they are AGS 0 as well. Might be worth a call. He is in CA.

Great choice with Maytal! You are in good hands there!

Hi Gypsy,

No worries, it's misleading (by accident on their part) - The GOG F/Si2 has 2 photos and one is called "after enhancement" which made me think they were blowing up the photo to better show inclusions i.e. enhancing the inclusions to see in photo.... When I called, they were very up front and honest and told me right away it was CLARITY ENHANCED. (http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/10940/)

It's still a great stone, at a great price, and it is EYE CLEAN. The enhancement was laser done and is completely reversible. But just not something I am comfortable giving the GF (and believe me when I say I thought long and hard about it!).

Regarding the mindclean, that is exactly my hangup on the 1.34 ERD. The 1.25 is nice, but I am hooked on AGS 000 and the ASET looks a little better, but I know my untrained eye wouldn't tell a difference. I'm an engineer though and I need to have some type of quantifiable way to base my decision on

I did in fact call Victor and he offered me a great price for ring setting and stone. He does great work, but the stone was out of our price range to begin with His stones are beautiful though.

Maytal is SOOOO nice, super sweet and is holding our hand through this entire process! We very much look forward to working with her.

WE JUST NEED TO FIND OUR STONE! I'm open to going a little higher/lower<?> in color (back down towards D) but the pickings are slim to none in the 1.0-1.5ct range. GF has her heart set on vintage chunky cushion and I am feeling pressured to deliver.



We really appreciate everyones insight. These are all very good points to consider.

 

[Acinom]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I lover 'old' cut warmer stones myself: I wear a U-V OEC with N coloured french cut tapered sides. I had an icy white princess before, but it turns out I prefer older, warmer stones with personality. You need to find out what type of diamond person you are.

The stone you selected is beautiful. However, I am not sure what it looks like with a modern cut icy white melee. Also, I have the feeling you want the stone to be quite white? If possible, have a look at the stone in person and see if the two of you fall in love with the colour. Perhaps it's possible to put it next to some smaller whiter diamonds to investigate whether you like the contrast.

Good luck!!

 

[arkieb1]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

Did you ask Victor when he was getting more cushions in? Are you in a rush? He is cutting more all the time if you do look at the K and hate the colour it might be a matter of waiting to get what you want....

 

[lknvrb4]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I have a J cushion and it looks a little creamy indoors, outside it looks very white but it does have SBF, in the car it looks yellow. I could not be happier with my stone though, I love the personality of it and the fact that it is 100 years old. Is it possible to have it shipped to you so you can look at it?

 

[ChristineRose]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

It will have a visible yellow tinge under normal viewing conditions. We're not talking lemonade, more like "warm white" or "creamy" or "antiqued."

For whatever reason, people who like antique cuts lean towards the tinted colors. I've heard that this is because when OEC rounds and OMC cushions came back on the market in the early twentieth century they were recut into standard RB unless they were K or lower in which case the diamond was not considered valuable enough to "improve." So people who seek out the genuine antiques are also people who appreciate the lower colors. And this is not a cut designed to maximize the whiteness of the material, which again makes the tint-lovers happy.

It's a matter of taste, really. There are people who want visible tint in their engagement stones, but they aren't in the majority.

 

[kathley]

Re: K color acceptable in 1.4ct AVC ??? (Cushion Halo Setti

I'm not loving it.

In a halo to some extent, differences in spread disappear. My 1 carat asscher looks like a 1.5 carat asscher in it's halo.
What is HIGHLIGHTED in a halo, is color contrast between the melee and the center. And it's not a function of the color of the melee, but rather the performance of small facets versus large ones. Even if you get lower color melee they are going to look whiter than your center.

So. My advice is to go slightly smaller but up in color.
Did you see the ERD stone I posted for you in your other thread? They have two lovely stones at ERD right in budget for you.

And I do hope you aren't going with GOG for the setting. I have not yet seen pave of theirs that can compare to ERD (or other premium pave vendors). http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/royal-t-cushion-brilliant-selection-gid-142779.html
http://www.engagementringsdirect.com/1.25-carat-royal-t-cushion-brilliant.-gid-142781.html
Both are H, and if eyeclean, I'd seriously consider one of these.

If you are stuck on an AVC, is this one eyeclean: http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/10940/

I apologize for the thread jack, but for educational purposes, Gypsy what do you look for (or what are you seeing) when determining the quality of pave, etc.?

OP, it really helped me to find my color tolerance before I purchased my OEC when I had the opportunity to view several old cuts in their antique settings.