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Rookie needs advice please. Considering downsizing.

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catcher

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 29, 2005
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I've been lurking around pricescope for about a month now and am so impressed with everyone's knowledge that I thought I would ask for some adivice. I am newly engaged and my very sweet and generous fiance purchased the following from a reputable local jeweler:

GIA Round Briliiant
1.51 Carat SI1
I Color

Measurements: 7.39 X 4.49 mm
depth 60.7%
table 61%
girdle medium to think, facaeted
cutlet none
ploish good
symetry good
flor none

It's a beautiful diamond, but I'm torn between keeping it and downsizing it to get a higher color (maybe F or G in a 1.2 or 1.3). Is it worth going down in size for that few of steps in color? Will the color really be that noticeable or is the diamond I have now a good one worth keeping? It is set in white gold. Thank you so much for any advice you can give!
 
Congratulations on your engagement!

Regarding your question... Some people are able to distinguish a color difference of a grade or two in a mounted diamond and other people experience difficulty in doing so. Visit the local jeweler who sold your fiance the diamond and ask them to provide you with an F - G and H color diamond as a comparison to the diamond you have so that you can determine whether the difference is something that you will benefit from as the wearer. There are some excellent tutorials here on Price Scope that will help you address some of the questions that you might have about your diamond...
 
I have a pear shaped I colored stone. In every type of lighting it looks white and bright to me. I have a pair of E colored pear shaped diamond earrrings and a G colored diamond pendant. I cannot tell the difference in the I colored pear and the G colored pear. I can only tell the color difference when the E colored diamonds are right next to the I color. Even then it isn''t a glaring difference, just a very subtle one. I personally wouldn''t go down in size to gain one or two grades of color that you most likely won''t notice anyway. I think Robin and Todd gave very good advice though, go to a jeweler and see for yourself whether or not you can see the color difference. When he makes a white paper tray and places the diamonds upside down on them you will certainly see a difference, but when the diamonds are turned right side up and mounted it''s much harder to see. Unless it''s a VERY noticable difference to you I would just keep what you''ve got and be happy.
 
Only you know how much it bothers you to see a bit of color in your stone.

I agree with the suggestion that you ask your jeweler to show you different colored stones. Also look at a 1.3 or so and see if the size difference would bother you.

I have a G and an I stone (both round brilliants) and I can tell a considerable difference in the color. (I may have a "high G and low I" but both are GIA graded.)
 
I have an I color cushion and it looks pretty darn white to me. That being said, I don't think I'm ultrasensitive to the subtle changes in color but I don't really have any other diamonds in my possession to compare it to.

I agree with the suggestion to look at stones of other colors and sizes side by side and see if you can notice any difference. Will you be upset if you go for a smaller stone with better color or is size more important? It's a tough call. I would say that you shouldn't be afraid of the I but it really is a matter of personal taste. You don't want it to drive you crazy, so it can't hurt to get some more information now in order to have peace of mind in the end. Good luck and keep us posted!
 
My fiance and I decided to go with a bigger K coloured stone over a smaller G. Sure I could see the difference when looking through the pavillion, and maybe a tiny tinge of warmth when viewed from the top, but I didn''t find it to be a turn-off at all. Now that it''s set (in a white gold half bezel), it looks pretty darn white to me.
I guess it just depends if it''s a bit too warm for your taste. I''d probably stick with what you already have, but it''s a personal decision.
Good luck!
 
How is the cut ? I/SI sounds like great material, well worth all-out finish. Without some branding (such as AGS lab report) or detailed technicals (such as 3D Sarin report) it is hard to tell whether that particular stone is as bright as it can be. All I know is I/SI looks wonderful with a wonderful cut.

No color&clarity insures great presence otherwise... so it may not help upgrading the color if the goal is to obtain a spectacular diamond.
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Just IMO, of course.
 
If it is a beautiful diamond I personally wouldn''t change it.

Are you particularly sensitive to colour? i.e. Do you look at your "I" and think it looks yellowish, or "warm", and find that it bothers you to see that? Or is this more about knowing it is an "I"? (Question: If you didn''t know what the colour grading was, would you be thinking of changing your diamond?)

Personally, in a beautifully cut RB an "I" is fine with me. I''m not one of those ultra-sensitive-to-colour people, so paying more for a higher colour (or going with a smaller stone for a higher colour) is wasted on me. Tons of people on PS have stones in the H/I/even J range, because their well-cut stones faces up very white. I''d rather have a beautifully cut M than a poorly cut D!

Go see some loose diamonds and have a look at a few colours side-by-side, and figure out whether you can even see the difference. And if you can see the difference side-by-side, see if you can see a colour difference when they''re not next to each other, or when they''re set in a ring. If the "I" colour bothers you and you are willing to sacrifice carat weight then sure, change stones. But I wouldn''t change just because you think, "Oh, it''s an ''I'', that''s bad."

The only reason to change your diamond would be if you are unhappy with it. Otherwise, just enjoy it.
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WOW, thanks for all the great advice. Yes, I do tend to be pretty sensitive to slight color differences, and my stone is on the warm side. We called our jeweler today and he has a GIA 1.24 D Round Brilliant SI1 that he would be willing to exchange for the current stone. I'm going in tomorrow morning to check it out (hopefully along with a few others). I'll keep you guys posted.
 
If it looks warm to you and it bothers you, I doubt it''ll bother you less later. I have an H and could definitely see the difference between H and I and sometimes wish I went even higher in color. Of course only you''ll know if the color difference is worth going down in size for you but I imagine the difference between I and D would be pretty dramatic.
 
UPDATE:

I went in and looked at the GIA 1.24 D Ideal RB SI1 and it was beautiful. The color difference was incredible and I really liked it. The size difference was small and slightly noticable. I''m going back next week to also view a GIA 1.27 E Ideal RB S11 with excellent polish and symetry and medium blue flor.

My new question is this: Is medium blue flor bad in an E stone?
 
My new question is this: Is medium blue flor bad in an E stone?
bad? well, if you don''t want to have your diamond glow a bit under black lights, then perhaps you might think it is bad. personally, i think medium blue fluorescence is GOOD!
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you can see the black light effect here.
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Medium blue fluorescence is not "good" or "bad" - its in the eye of the wearer.
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In a lower colour stone fluorescence can help a stone to look whiter than its colour grading would suggest, so it could be considered an asset. In a higher colour stone (like an E), it''s all preference, whether you want it. Some people want a white stone under all lights, others like the uniqueness fluorescence can bring, giving the stone a bit of "difference" and personality. Check out the stone and see it under different light conditions incl. UV light and outside, and see whether you like fluorescence. It''s not bad at all, it just depends on your tastes.
 
Date: 4/30/2005 7:34:42 PM
Author: catcher
My new question is this: Is medium blue flor bad in an E stone?
As belle and Indecisive said, it all depends on your personal taste.

I happen to find medium to strong fluorescence in a colorless stone to be quite beautiful, and I am looking for such a diamond now. I love the colorless range and I also find the fluorescence to be very fun!

Colorless diamonds are sometimes discounted just a bit if they have med. to strong fluor., which I also see as a plus (interestingly, the I/J/K range diamonds w/ fluor are sometimes priced higher because blue flour. can help improve the color). A very few-- I think the GIA article I read said "2%"-- of very strongly blue fluorescent diamonds may be "overblue" which causes a hazy or oily appearance in sunlight. That would be something to check before you buy.

GL!
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The E colored stone w/ the fluor should trade for a tad less. Since your eyes will be able to view the stones, you make the decision. Make sure you view *any* diamond & especially the one w/ b. fluor under lots of different lighting, especially under direct sunlight as the stone may take on a purplish hue. I think it''s way cool. Some are turned off.
 
My I colored stone has medium blue fluorescence and I love it! When I first saw it on the GIA certificate, I kind of freaked out and felt that my jeweler was trying to pass off a bad stone. But in reality, I think it''s definitely an asset in a stone of a lower color! I agree with what the others said, it will make the higher colors appear super white and will take away the yellow from the lower colors (such as my I). I really never even think about it except as Fire & Ice said, when I''m in super bright sunlight it has a light violet hue that I absolutely love! Definitely try to see it in all different types of lighting and take it from there. Again, as everyone has said, it''s all about personal taste so you''ll never be wrong about how you feel about it. Good luck!
 
If this was my decision, I would not go .25 less (that''s a big difference) to go from an I to an E...although I have an E and love it, I''d try to find a larger G or F...that''s just me. Best of luck, I''m sure you''ll love it.
 
UPDATE

Hi Everyone!

I'm typing this with a big smile on my face because after patiently waiting for a couple of weeks, our jeweler found us exactly what we wanted.

We traded in the original 1.51 I SI1 (details above) for a 1.41 H&A AGS G SI1. I LOVE IT!!! We paid an additional $500 that was well worth it because now the color doesn't bug me and this stone absolutely dances. I'd like to thank the wonderful Pricescope community for educating me to this point and sharing so many wonderful thoughts and opinions.

Thank you!

p.s. sorry I can't post a picture, a digital camera will be my next purchase, I sure hope there's a digcam-pricescope out there somewhere!
 
Well congratulations!! I''m glad you figured everything out, and it all worked out so well!!
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And we''ll be waiting for those pics
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hehe
 
Congrats!!! re: the digicam....you could always try the patented "stick your hand on a scanner" trick that many PSers have employed!
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We''d love to see it
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Sound like a great stone--kudos!!
 
OK, I tried the scanner trick and here are the best ones.
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xring.JPG
 
Date: 5/13/2005 3:20:58 PM
Author: catcher
OK, I tried the scanner trick and here are the best ones.
Yay ! I really love those elvish pictures... and the way that stone dances into the light. Congratulations for the find, of course.
 
Gorgeous-looking ring... great images too. Very soft & dreamlike!
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Lovely ring, and the pics are nice too!!!
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