Newbie..AVC Diamond Question-which one to choose???

[arkieb1]

I know the cost of "seeing" these things adds up if you are doing it all remotely, I live in another country so it's uber expensive if I get it wrong - which I have done a number of times now.... Seeing the stones in person and being able to have an instant one that the OP favours more than the other is going to be infinitely cheaper than buying the wrong stone, regretting it, getting it set, then destroying the setting for a reset or selling it for a whole new setting.

If you are in doubt or have not seen a lot of N/O coloured diamonds then viewing the stones first IS worth the cost IMHO, all of these diamonds look great in pictures but some people instantly love mid colours, some love lower colours, but it is a fact (without being insulting to anyone) they just aren't as visually appealing to some people.

 

[packrat]

Adding a pic of the five stone w/center J, side K's in 14k wg. Three M's in 14k yg and current center L and side M's in 18k unplated wg for comparison. the side M's are the same side M's in the yg three stone. In the five stone picture, there is one of the M's with it for color comparison.

 

[packrat]

Damn. That yg one makes me want to do another ring.

 

[valmanin]

This has been such an interesting topic. I too have been back and forth over lower colored stones and metal color. I have found it REALLY depends on the particular stone which stinks because it's kind of a hail mary setting a lower colored stone. My 3.33 M looked much more tinted in its YG setting while my 3.55 M looks MUCH whiter set in unplated WG basket. However, since it's not the same stone, it's not comparing apples to apples.

A while back I found a gorgoeus antique ring with a OEC/tranny set in platinum (now owned by another pser). The stone was listed as a K and I would have totally believed it. It was white to vanilla...mostly white! I had them remove the stone and send it to GIA. Sure enough it came back O/P. I almost fell out of my chair when he told me. Unmounted it looked much more tinted and yellow. Once they put it back in it's original mount it once again lit up WHITE! That ring was the perfect camouflage for a lower color stone. It was set very low with very little of the body showing AND the settting had a lot going on which kind of tricked the eye. So unexpected. I will try and dig up pictures.

 

[valmanin]

To answer your original question, OP, I would choose the N! But, not without seeing it first!!! I think you will know immediately if you like lower colored stones. Depending on body color, I would set it in a RG or YG halo like Meg's! Ugh...gorgeous! Making myself want one!