POLL: Do you find "I" colored MRB attractive

[Niel]

I think winks post about blind taste tests prove you can find an I attractive in a bubble.


my point was to aid people looking for a stone know if an I is considered safe, sense i know many men here dont want to go shopping with their SO as it would ruin a suprise. And based off the responses I'd say yes, it is safe.

 

[msop04]

In the States I colored diamonds are more readily accepted. In Asian countries, they are a no go.

Hey delight! I've read a good many posts that describe this same theme (Asian countries preferring more colorless stones). Do you think that it's because that's what most ppl really like with their eyes or is it just taboo to have a stone with a little more body color?
Just curious.

I have a good frined who would never go lower than an F (and was obnoxiously vocal about how she "detested those yellow-looking stones" (speaking of H/I/J)! Ironically, when we'd shop or gawk at someone's stone, she'd always gravitate towards the I/J/K stones over the colorless ones! After this happening repeatedly, I couldn't resist pointing it out anymore -- she was furious and said, "...well, that can't be right -- it must be the lighting or something." When she first saw my ering, I found it quite amusing to have her comment on how "white and bright" it was and how it "throws out the coolest pastel colors." I wanted to say, "ummm... sorry to break this to ya, but I think you do like lower colors, because it's a JAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!" I've never told her the color because she's never asked, only assumed it's much higher. I'll just let her think what she wants.

True story.

 

[marymm]

my point was to aid people looking for a stone know if an I is considered safe, sense i know many men here dont want to go shopping with their SO as it would ruin a suprise. And based off the responses I'd say yes, it is safe.

IMHO your conclusion above does not necessarily correlate to the poll question... not only is there an extremely small sample of respondents, but even if 57 of 68 PS members find an I-color MRB to be attractive, there is no data suggesting that any of them consider an I-color MRB a safe recommendation for new diamond buyers who are buying surprise ERs for their GFs. Most PSers would ask the BF if he knew his GF's color preference and if she did not prefer warmer colors or prize size above all other factors, PSers who suggest I-color diamonds almost always include the statement that I-color is where tint begins to be seen, and that the safe choice is the G/H color range.

 

[Niel]

my point was to aid people looking for a stone know if an I is considered safe, sense i know many men here dont want to go shopping with their SO as it would ruin a suprise. And based off the responses I'd say yes, it is safe.

IMHO your conclusion above does not necessarily correlate to the poll question... not only is there an extremely small sample of respondents, but even if 57 of 68 PS members find an I-color MRB to be attractive, there is no data suggesting that any of them consider an I-color MRB a safe recommendation for new diamond buyers who are buying surprise ERs for their GFs. Most PSers would ask the BF if he knew his GF's color preference and if she did not prefer warmer colors or prize size above all other factors, PSers who suggest I-color diamonds almost always include the statement that I-color is where tint begins to be seen, and that the safe choice is the G/H color range.

I think that it can. You're saying G/H is safe why? I'm saying its safe because even on a forum with diamond enthusiasts, the color is considered attractive. If he knows absolutely nothing, or only that she wants a big diamond, this is absolutely helpful.

Should he get more info, yes! But if he wants it to be a complete surprise, yes, I do think tis would be helpful to show that yes, there's a good chance your lady will like her ring if its an I

 

[dragonfly411]

I don't have a round, but I have a cushion that would probably rank as a GIA I (it is an EGL USA H), and I just love it as my main center stone. I also have a lower colored marquis which I also love. I think as long as it does not detract from the stone, a little warmth can be gorgeous!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I always considered G-H my sweet spot for a rb, but I have become more comfortable with I color after seeing several ideal cut I color stones. And of course, my AVR is I color, and that was mainly because the only two stones in my size range were I color! I feel like the color looks great in an antique cut stone, so I have no real desire to pay more just to increase the color at this point. I probably would have made my studs I color on my last upgrade if I had seen mom2boys pair before then!

I agree with Yssie that I color is the lowest Tiffany sells, so I think it is okay to recommend as an e-ring stone IF there is no indication that the girl has asked for or is expecting a higher color for cultural or other reasons. If a girl's sisters and best friend have D-F color diamonds, I would stick to no lower than G. But for a girl who wants size most of all, I color really helps maximize it!

If money were no object, I would probably choose F VS1 in a superideal cut modern round, though!

 

[0-0-0]

I find all colors attractive as long as the stone is well cut.

 

[AprilBaby]

I would pay the difference to get an H.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I can see the difference b/t my wife's 2 solitaire b/c "IMO" one is a high H color and thee other one is a low I color.

 

[yssie]

I find all colors attractive as long as the stone is well cut.

thb good to see you back!!

 

[Niel]

I can see the difference b/t my wife's 2 solitaire b/c "IMO" one is a high H color and thee other one is a low I color.

Being able to see a difference isnt the same as being able to see AND not liking it though, KWIM

I can see the difference in blue and red but I'd take either of those diamonds.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I can see the difference b/t my wife's 2 solitaire b/c "IMO" one is a high H color and thee other one is a low I color.

Being able to see a difference isnt the same as being able to see AND not liking it though, KWIM

I can see the difference in blue and red but I'd take either of those diamonds.

True..

 

[chrono]

Because in Asian society, colour and clarity is measurable so getting D/E and VVS shows that you spent more money on a "higher" quality stone. Going with lower colour and clarity gives the perception of going "cheap". Not saying this is right or wrong but just the way it is culturally.

I can see the difference in colour but I find that I like higher colour for certain shapes and lower colour for certain shapes. For rounds, I don't mind G, H or I.

 

[msop04]

Because in Asian society, colour and clarity is measurable so getting D/E and VVS shows that you spent more money on a "higher" quality stone. Going with lower colour and clarity gives the perception of going "cheap". Not saying this is right or wrong but just the way it is culturally.

I can see the difference in colour but I find that I like higher colour for certain shapes and lower colour for certain shapes. For rounds, I don't mind G, H or I.

Oh, okay... I've wondered about that. Thanks!

I feel the same about liking different colors based on the cuts. I like a lower color (I-J-K, even L) in OEC, AVR, AVC, etc... I don't like lower colors in cuts that show tint a lot (like radiants, pears...)

 

[kenny]

Because in Asian society, colour and clarity is measurable so getting D/E and VVS shows that you spent more money on a "higher" quality stone. Going with lower colour and clarity gives the perception of going "cheap". Not saying this is right or wrong but just the way it is culturally.

I can see the difference in colour but I find that I like higher colour for certain shapes and lower colour for certain shapes. For rounds, I don't mind G, H or I.

I'm not Asian, I'm not even very cultured ... but I've also happily paid for for DEF and VVS even IF diamonds.
People just want what they want, (whether it's a REAL diamond over a fake, or a D IF over a H VS2) and they don't have to explain.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Because in Asian society, colour and clarity is measurable so getting D/E and VVS shows that you spent more money on a "higher" quality stone. Going with lower colour and clarity gives the perception of going "cheap". Not saying this is right or wrong but just the way it is culturally.

I can see the difference in colour but I find that I like higher colour for certain shapes and lower colour for certain shapes. For rounds, I don't mind G, H or I.

I'm not Asian, I'm not even very cultured ... but I've also happily paid for for DEF and VVS even IF diamonds.

I am a cheap Asian...

 

[kenny]

Because in Asian society, colour and clarity is measurable so getting D/E and VVS shows that you spent more money on a "higher" quality stone. Going with lower colour and clarity gives the perception of going "cheap". Not saying this is right or wrong but just the way it is culturally.

I can see the difference in colour but I find that I like higher colour for certain shapes and lower colour for certain shapes. For rounds, I don't mind G, H or I.

I'm not Asian, I'm not even very cultured ... but I've also happily paid for for DEF and VVS even IF diamonds.

I am a cheap Asian...

So you bought your wife a 0.10 ct D IF?
Shame on you! with your big fancy watches!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Because in Asian society, colour and clarity is measurable so getting D/E and VVS shows that you spent more money on a "higher" quality stone. Going with lower colour and clarity gives the perception of going "cheap". Not saying this is right or wrong but just the way it is culturally.

I can see the difference in colour but I find that I like higher colour for certain shapes and lower colour for certain shapes. For rounds, I don't mind G, H or I.

I'm not Asian, I'm not even very cultured ... but I've also happily paid for for DEF and VVS even IF diamonds.

I am a cheap Asian...

So you bought your wife a 0.10 ct D IF?
Shame on you! with your big fancy watches!

Haven't found one yet. Have you ever seen a GIA XXX H&A RB of that size?

 

[Smith1942]

Just stumbled across this topic, and although I haven't read all the responses yet, I just wanted to reply because I think it's a fascinating question. Diamond colour is a topic that interests me more than clarity.

I voted "no", I don't find them attractive. I wear an I every day in my e-ring and I don't like the colour. I can see heavy tint, and it just looks like a somewhat tainted, dirty diamond to me. I would never, ever choose an I colour. I think mine must be a low I. The I-colour diamonds I see on here look much whiter.

The ring was a complete surprise back when we knew nothing about diamonds. We can't change it because it was so incredibly overpriced, being a Hearts on Fire stone, that we'd lose lots of money, and there's no trade-in option where he got it, eight years ago. Also, the cut is stunning, I love the setting, and I'm sentimental about it as it's my engagement diamond and he spent ages choosing it. I just dislike the colour. The reason I probably have such strong feeling against I colours is because I'm pretty stuck with it and I wear it every day. I have three D stones, an E, and lots of signature DBTY melee in F. My I looks so yellow next to all these, and in dimmer electric lighting it looks dark and kind of disappears, next to my DEF colours which show up as pinpricks of pure white light.

This is for a solitaire diamond, mind. I do have jewellery which is I-colour melee - oddly, they seem less yellow than my e-ring. The grading must be OK on my e-ring - it's an AGS-graded stone. I have wondered if it's a low I. Also, it has no fluoro, which might have helped.

So to answer your question of whether I colour is safe, I'm an example of a case where it definitely was not safe. As I got older and bought more jewellery and became more educated, I saw how yellow it really was next to my desired icy DEF colours, and once I saw that dirty yellow tint I just couldn't unsee it. Well, my I looks like a dirty tint anyway - I wonder if it's just a bad I. It's safe to say that I detest the colour of my e-ring. Of course, many I colours might be better than mine, but it's put me off them for life!

 

[doberman]

Very interesting question. I think that I am drawn to the near colorless stones, as all my other jewelry is G/H, but at the same time when I was shopping around for a MRB I decided to get an AGS D. I like the iciness of the stone and I try not to think about how much more diamond there might be on my finger had I gone with an I color.

 

[ajodasso]

I think it depends on personal preference and aesthetic, to be honest!

I shy from anything below about G/H, because they look awful with my skin tone.

 

[LLJsmom]

In the States I colored diamonds are more readily accepted. In Asian countries, they are a no go.

Delight, I totally would have agreed with you if I hadn't visited Hong Kong this summer. I went into over a dozen large expensive jewelry stores, big chains like Chow Sung Sung and others. I looked at a bunch of stones over 2 carats just cause I was curious about pricing. And believe it or not, I did not happen upon one stone higher than an H. When I asked for Fs they said they needed to go to the vault or call another store. So they too are jumping on the near colorless bandwagon. I assume they are presenting what their market is demanding.

 

[arkieb1]

Hi Smith, it could be possible your AGS graded "I" is actually what would be a GIA graded "J" and that is why you are seeing it as coloured compared to smaller "I" coloured diamonds that you own. It is well known that many older AGS stones are one and can be up to two colours out compared to GIA coloured diamonds. Alternatively it could be the equivalent of a GIA graded "I" with funky coloured body hue or undertones. I know I rave on about it a lot but the underlying tints, tones or hues makes a huge difference in how I, J and K colour stones face up.

 

[WillyDiamond]

I hate "I" color stones..............oh, wait a minute my wife's ring is an "I" color. I could see no tinting when it was sitting in a solitaire setting and no tinting with the halo border.

 

[heididdl]

Always have in my head g/h g/h but after buying my studs that are EGL F/G which are probably J/K I a perfectly fine with I color idea cut stone

 

[Smith1942]

Hi Smith, it could be possible your AGS graded "I" is actually what would be a GIA graded "J" and that is why you are seeing it as coloured compared to smaller "I" coloured diamonds that you own. It is well known that many older AGS stones are one and can be up to two colours out compared to GIA coloured diamonds. Alternatively it could be the equivalent of a GIA graded "I" with funky coloured body hue or undertones. I know I rave on about it a lot but the underlying tints, tones or hues makes a huge difference in how I, J and K colour stones face up.

Thanks Arkie! I wish you could see it. Maybe it has yellow under-hues. I can't see those extra colours that you can, with your museum full of glittering diamonds to practice on!

I just dug out my AGS cert and it says the colour is a 2.5.

 

[leoshraeder]

Voted yes.

 

[GreenBling]

LOVE icy white stones. Was looking for F/G ended up with an I for extra carat weight and mm. You just cannot evaluate diamonds based on a single factor. Think the right combination of factors would make an I very attractive!

 

[LLJsmom]

I didn't answer the question in the poll. I do find "I" attractive. However, I responded in light of the reasoning for your question, which is whether it would be good for a newbie, if I am paraphrasing it correctly.

For a MRB ering, I would not suggest an I stone. But that is totally because I have major mental issues, mind clean and mind color. When looking at them face up, you may not be able to tell the difference. When comparing upside down stones side by side, you can see the color differences more easily. I admit it. I really like icy whiteness. Just knowing that it is a matter of positioning of the diamond that may cause me to see more color bothers me. I also have mind clean issues. Just knowing the inclusion is there, or a certain inclusion, or a certain number, even if I can't see it, bothers me. I guess I just really like to know that I have a certain clarity and color (even if it does not affect how the stone looks to the naked eye). Then I have to weigh that against budget and size. I would compromise for size, but not below a certain color or clarity.

 

[arkieb1]

Hi Smith, it could be possible your AGS graded "I" is actually what would be a GIA graded "J" and that is why you are seeing it as coloured compared to smaller "I" coloured diamonds that you own. It is well known that many older AGS stones are one and can be up to two colours out compared to GIA coloured diamonds. Alternatively it could be the equivalent of a GIA graded "I" with funky coloured body hue or undertones. I know I rave on about it a lot but the underlying tints, tones or hues makes a huge difference in how I, J and K colour stones face up.

Thanks Arkie! I wish you could see it. Maybe it has yellow under-hues. I can't see those extra colours that you can, with your museum full of glittering diamonds to practice on!

I just dug out my AGS cert and it says the colour is a 2.5.

Hi Smith, I'd love to see it, it is possible that it could have yellow, brown, grey, greenish, pink or a combination of any of them as undertones. The inlaws museum and shop is full of rocks, crystals and semi precious stuff, they only have small diamonds. I learnt to see colour in coloured stones - like many different shades rubies come in for example, my mother-in -law is much better than me, she not only sees colours in all stones she can identify where geographically they came from. So you can give her 10 gemstones, she can name what they are what colour shade they are and where they came from, how they have been treated or not treated (she prefers untreated gems), how much they are worth etc..... She can identify specimens that the average person who is into gems has never seen or heard of..... Being able to notice colour in diamonds including under tints and tones, I think comes from looking at gems.

I went to a huge metal shed type warehouse in Vietnam where they both cut and sell sapphires and rubies around 10 years ago, it was overwhelming, I've never seen that many Sapphires and Rubies in the one place before. I have also seen strands and strands of coloured gemstone beads in China..... Before meeting my husband I doubt I would have been able to tell the difference between colour in anything let alone diamonds like most people.