Observations on color

[knowverylittle]

Yet another posting on color

Not looking for any replies, but thought I would post my own impressions on color.

Well the colors. Viewing conditions were not ideal, having a white background would have helped. The jeweler did not have any D stones and only one E. They also presented an F, a G and a so called G/H (hmm...). They were never all side-by-side at one time but it was easy to spot the G and G/H side on. From the top it was ''fairly'' easy to see the G/H if I moved it around and looked between the reflections.

The summary: In a restaurant setting, spotting a H and maybe a G would be possible with a 2 or 3 second side-on glance. But who looks that closely? The fact that the Jeweler had only ''high-end'' diamonds with one costing $64K and still had no D''s strengthened my desire for a D. If I wanted to go bigger on a fixed budget then F/G would be a no-brainier and maybe even a H.


The Jeweler was Baily, Banks & Biddle in Raleigh, NC. Many people recommended them one the best in Raleigh, but I discovered they are mall based which means I will not buy from them (I drove around the mall for 20 minutes looking at the satellite stores before actually trying IN the Mall). The staff were friendly but seemed lacking in detailed knowledge. Cut was not a subject they wished to discuss. H&A got the response that only the hearts can be seen when set, I know it the arrows on top but did not want to correct someone in their field of expertise. Hey they are in Mall

 

[canadiangrrl]

I woudln't necessarily discount BB&B because they're based in a mall - they're not your $1999 chain store, and they usually have some well cut stones. I would, however, discount them based on price.

No one is going to spot an H or a G in a restaurant-type of setting. No one cares that much, or looks that hard.

If *you* want a D, get a D. But I think wanting a D is more about psychology than gemology.

By definition, an F is virtually indistinguishable from a D, to a trained gemologist. I would be sure to see some properly graded stones before making my decision.

 

[Hest88]

Knowverylittle, I'd also suggest you seek out your nearest Hearts on Fire distributor and take a look at their Ds, Es, Fs, and warmer colors. HoF is massively expensive, but since they are a large distributor you should have no problems finding one in your area. It will give you a chance to see real H&A diamonds and and how that affects color. It just might change your mind as to what color you're willing to live with.

 

[pqcollectibles]

Dittos to CG and Hest! Go to a diamond broker/seller that will have a variety of Certified, well CUT diamonds for you to view. CUT does amazing things for color in diamonds!

 

[knowverylittle]

>>I would, however, discount them based on price
Yes they looked pricey compared to the internet! They have a nice store on which they must pay rent and few customers. With such overheads it is probably a nerve-racking business when the economy is shaky.

>>But I think wanting a D is more about psychology than gemology
LOL! Absolutely, I envy those who can buy a cheap gemstone and donate the difference to charity.

>> HOF
There is a local HOF dealer which I have called already for prices. It just seems doubtful the premium will be worth it over Whiteflash's cut-above etc.

 

[caratgirl]

>> HOF
There is a local HOF dealer which I have called already for prices. It just seems doubtful the premium will be worth it over Whiteflash's cut-above etc.
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The point was that you should check them out JUST to see what color you are willing to live with, so that you can thell WF what to search for.

 

[hoorray]

I wouldn't pay the premium for HoF, but they are worth seeing by all means. You will see instantly the difference that cut makes to size, color, and everything else. Trying to base your criteria decisions on what you have seen with poorly cut stones is different than what you will see with the good cuts. if nothing else, they are beautiful, and it will be a fun trip!