Nitpicky nuances of choosing metal for warmer diamonds

[evergreen]

Hi, everyone! Like so many, long-time lurker, and finally found a question that I haven't been able to answer with old posts. I'm in the planning stages for an e-ring (my e-ring... boyfriend is happy to delegate responsibility and write the check when it's time) which will probably be fairly, if not entirely, custom, so have been mulling over the various metal options. While different metals and their colors have been talked over almost to death (18k wg? Plated or unplated? Pt?), I was hoping for some opinions about how your metal - unplated versions of 18k wg especially - plays with the color in your diamond.

Sometime in the next few months, I'm going to find my perfect I-J-K RB with strong blue fluoro. (Medium might be OK; VSB - if no cloudiness issues - would be extra-cool.) Maybe even an L. I've never seen anything warmer than a J (without fluoro) in person, but find GOG's pictures - at http://www.goodoldgold.com/4Cs/Color/NearColorless/ - really appealing, especially the J.

As you can imagine, getting opinions on colors warmer than I, or metals other than Pt or rhodium-plated WG, has been a little tough at local B&M stores. Nothing to compare with the collective experience of PSers on (1) warm stones and (2) atypical metals!

For those who have a Pt-mounted warm stone, does the grey-white of Pt ever contrast in an unpleasant way with the warmth of your stone? My first impression would be that unplated 18k wg would "go" better. Second - and here's where it gets really nitpicky - what about the way different wg alloys play with warmth? Yssie had mentioned that her DBL Pd-WG was a little pinker than her other WG alloys on the JA True White thread last week... So (while it's probably pretty tough to tell unless everything's lined up next to each other on a neutral background!) I wondered if people with unplated 18k wg of various compositions had other thoughts on the color of their metal and how it works with their (warmer) diamond. And my last question, what about a faint brown K? If the "warmth" is actually brown, how would that change the way 18k wg or Pt looks with it? I doubt I'll be able to see a faint brown stone in person without ordering it.

My imaginary e-ring design involves a bezel, so that's another choice: with what should I bezel it? Would you bezel in Pt and have the rest of the ring made in 18k wg? I guess what it all comes down to is, I don't really want a colorless diamond - but I also don't want a yellow ring, or a yellow stone. I definitely know I don't want rhodium-white (for diamond or band, heh). Thanks everyone for showing me a world where people actually have more than 5 or 6 binary options to choose from to find their "perfect" ring - you have stoked the fire under the perfectionist in me and I'm really excited to hear your thoughts!

 

[MissStepcut]

Bezel in Plat? Gosh I definitely wouldn't. I have an I RB in unplated 14K WG and I think it makes my stone look whiter. I think a J-K-L would look perfect in this setting... dial the warmth of both elements up over the "traditional" colorless/plat combo!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I agree that unplated wg would be very complimentary to a J-K color stone (and I love the idea of the fluoro!). Just be sure you have the same person make you a wedding band so the metals match. I am sure you saw that Yssie ended up with various shades of metal colors!

 

[milton333]

I'm also a fan of unplated white gold and think it would go well with a warmer diamond. Honestly, I haven't replated my WG rings since before my son was born (years!) and I think the very soft yellow is absolutely lovely (well, it would be better if it were uniform, and not just in the worn-off areas ) I used to wear a YG wedding set, and sometimes it just looked too harsh to me. Unplated WG is "buttery" and lovely.

IMO, I don't like the contrast between a very white metal and a warmer stone, and that includes doing platinum prongs. I would also say, however, that I'd set a warmer stone in a solitaire or an antique repro setting, because the slight ivory look of a warmer stone seems to say "antique" to me. I don't love warmer stones in halos, fwiw, because small melee always looks much whiter, and I'm not personally a fan of the contrast with the center stone.

 

[Gypsy]

I have an L I was going to set in platinum. No issue with it what so ever. But my L is an OEC and the setting was deco inspired. I think the style you are going for matters as well. I think platinum is great for lower colored stones. I like the contrast. I like unplated white gold as well, though.

 

[Gypsy]

I hope this is okay with the moderators. I will report it and they can decide.

But here is the only PS thread I have that shows the L with platinum. All of my rings pictured are platinum. You can see the how an L can look with platinum. Granted, my stone is an OEC and it really faces up like an I/J stone. But it looks great with platinum. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/gorgeous-1-25-carat-old-european-cut-oec-for-sale-t170636.html']https://www.pricescope.com/forum/preloved-ps-jewels/gorgeous-1-25-carat-old-european-cut-oec-for-sale-t170636.html[/URL]

ETA: The men's band pictured is palladium. I forgot.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I personally have not found metal color to make all that much difference to how my warmer diamonds have looked (have owned I, J, K, and M colors). Pick the metal you like the look of regardless of your stones color, IMO.

 

[motownmama]

I agree. There are entire threads devoted to lower color diamonds; I would look through these. ME? I'd prob do platinum.

 

[chrono]

I have a J coloured OEC bezeled in a platinum setting and a L coloured OMC prong set in plated white gold. I'm not sure if the fact that they are old cut designs makes any difference versus a modern RB in a white coloured metal.

ETA
No fluorescence on this stone.

 

[Lula]

I've owned a variety of modern round brilliant diamonds in colors ranging from D to M. I had a D set in rhodium-plated white gold -- looked fake; a J set in platinum -- looked great; and an M and an I and a G set in settings that combined 18 kt. white and yellow gold -- my favorite and the most flattering to my skin tone and these diamond colors. That said, I think with diamonds in the J-K-L range, metal choice depends more on the individual characteristics of the stone, and your preferences for metal colors on your skin, than the specific color grade of the stone. Once you get to the J-K-L and lower ranges, there seems to be a wider variety in how stones mask or show their color. Hope that makes sense!

 

[evergreen]

Thanks for the replies! Sounds like platinum works great for older-cut stones -- maybe that's because those stones have more fire than the modern RB, so you don't notice the "color" in the diamond as much? (I've never gotten to see an old cut in person - love them, especially AVRs, in PS photos, but think I might never get a ring if I hold out for a 1.5ct AVR with SBF/VSBF!)

Milton and MissStepcut, that's sort of what I was thinking -- that while Pt wouldn't fight, the warmth of WG probably would look really nice. Luckily I'm planning a plain bezel, no halo or sidestones. Gypsy, thanks for sharing those pics of your OEC -- they really do show its color to advantage! (So warm and cuddly, especially next to the white precision of your asscher (which is also gorgeous)!)

Chrono, I'd wonder the same thing about OMCs vs RBs of the same color in the same metal - like the rest of my questions, though, I bet it boils down to personal taste. Anybody want to chime in? (ETA: holy mackerel, also, love your ring!! beautiful milgraining!! is that an antique setting or antique-styled modern?)

Lula, heh, I bet there are oodles of ladies who'd drool over your D in rhodium-plated wg - but yeah, that's how I feel about most of the rings I've seen in B&M stores around here. Really helpful to hear your experience that JKLs tend to be a little more chameleon-like and/or variable from stone to stone and maybe from metal to metal; that's what I've started to feel after reading around, and totally contributes to my neurosis.

And I have seen lots of pretty yellow/white rings, but probably will steer clear myself - not a yg person. As far as metal colors on your skin... that's a tricky one. Has anyone gotten unplated wg and *not* liked it, on their skin or in general? (I guess you can always get it plated if you change your mind...)

 

[chrono]

Evergreen,
The original design of the ring is an exact replica of an older style (antique) Tiffany ring, with 4 ribbon prongs at the NSEW directions. However, being that my stone has a thin girdle, I had it modified into a bezel to protect it a little better. The milgrain is also only on the inner edge of the bezel to give it a little something interesting to look at.

 

[Amys Bling]

Hmm I like unplanted WG for warmer stones

 

[yssie]

evergreen have you seen Liane's Green Lake rings? Her stone is an EGL J (so we can assume likely warmer than a GIA J) in unplated Nickel alloy 18k wg. They were my colourspiration

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/green-lake-jewelers-nerd-ring-wedding-band.130950/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/green-lake-jewelers-nerd-ring-wedding-band.130950/[/URL]

 

[yssie]

Thanks for the replies! Sounds like platinum works great for older-cut stones -- maybe that's because those stones have more fire than the modern RB, so you don't notice the "color" in the diamond as much? (I've never gotten to see an old cut in person - love them, especially AVRs, in PS photos, but think I might never get a ring if I hold out for a 1.5ct AVR with SBF/VSBF!)

Milton and MissStepcut, that's sort of what I was thinking -- that while Pt wouldn't fight, the warmth of WG probably would look really nice. Luckily I'm planning a plain bezel, no halo or sidestones. Gypsy, thanks for sharing those pics of your OEC -- they really do show its color to advantage! (So warm and cuddly, especially next to the white precision of your asscher (which is also gorgeous)!)

Chrono, I'd wonder the same thing about OMCs vs RBs of the same color in the same metal - like the rest of my questions, though, I bet it boils down to personal taste. Anybody want to chime in? (ETA: holy mackerel, also, love your ring!! beautiful milgraining!! is that an antique setting or antique-styled modern?)

Lula, heh, I bet there are oodles of ladies who'd drool over your D in rhodium-plated wg - but yeah, that's how I feel about most of the rings I've seen in B&M stores around here. Really helpful to hear your experience that JKLs tend to be a little more chameleon-like and/or variable from stone to stone and maybe from metal to metal; that's what I've started to feel after reading around, and totally contributes to my neurosis.

And I have seen lots of pretty yellow/white rings, but probably will steer clear myself - not a yg person. As far as metal colors on your skin... that's a tricky one. Has anyone gotten unplated wg and *not* liked it, on their skin or in general? (I guess you can always get it plated if you change your mind...)

Cushion is a fair N in unplated 14k Ni-wg from BGD, OEC is a fair I in plated wg




Same pair of I studs, ring is Js in unplated 18k Ni-wg from WF




I in platinum from WF




Fair K/Ls in plated wg




Js in 18k Pd-wg next to 18k Ni-wg





Love it in all its incarnations, won't ever go back to icy rhodium/platinum

 

[evergreen]

Yssie, thanks so much for those pictures! Glad to hear you'll never go back -- the warmth of the metals you use compliments your skin so perfectly! Heehee, I bet there are a handful of hardcore PSers who, if ever they had a reset in plated WG, would make everyone's eyes bug out of their heads. That photo of your Pd-WG next Ni-WG is really surprising -- actually, I hadn't noticed THAT big a difference on your paper-towel photos before but all that Ni-WG looks a lot warmer than I'd realized! Also, I can't believe how white your K/L studs look in plated WG; sometimes I really do forget we're usually talking about nearly imperceptible differences in color. Super, super helpful as always.

I had seen Liane's set months and months ago, but before I'd decided on bezel or really gave custom settings much thought, so a really great reminder of a truly beautiful set! Actually, that's a lot like the look I want - maybe a little lighter and rounder on the bands, and none of the (beautiful) custom engraving she has, but a 1.5-2ct with a 1mm-ish bezel and band to fit flush against the e-ring, and the same - hm, how to put this? - non-fussiness. Sturdiness. Thanks for the reminder and the inspiration!

Chrono, do you perhaps have any more close-up photos of the milgrain in your bezel? It's absolutely beautiful but I'm having a tough time making out all the details on my monitor. (Trying to understand how "inner" the "inner edge" is.)