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To J or no J? Advice on a few options.

H

helpmepick1

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
Messages
2
So after way too many hours of research I've come up with a short list of diamonds. Yes, this is my first post. Haven't really needed to post here before! So, I'm going to be "that guy" and ask for some help. I've learned a ton reading here. Probably just enough to be dangerous.

What I'm looking for:
Budget: $10,000ish
Size: I'm generally looking for 1.60-1.75 carat. I would go down to 1.5 if it meant staying in my price range and getting other features.
Color: I was initially searching I or better. Have looked at a few J. See why below.
Cut: VG, E, I and have been using the HCA.
Clarity: Initially stated looked for clean SI1. Seem to have gravitated toward VS2 and higher.

What makes it difficult: I would love to have a Canadian diamond. My girlfriend is Canadian and has mentioned them several times. She isn't picky but I'd like it to be Canadian. The problem is I can't find a Canadian diamond in my price range with the above features.

So here's my real question:
J color. There are two Canadian diamonds that appear quite nice. They score well on the HCA. They are cut great and a VS1. However, they are J color instead of I. Is this an issue? Setting will be Platinum. Is a J in Platinum a no-no? Will it be a yellow duck? Both Canadian diamonds have medium fluorescence. Will that medium fluorescence make the J look more like an I? The rep at James Allen says the J will be just fine in Platinum. Thoughts?

I tired finding any Canadian diamond over 1.5 in I SI1 but they all seems to be $12k+.

Here is my short list. Comments welcome. I'm ready to end this search.

screen_shot_2015-07-18_at_3.png
 
I have researched J diamonds to the point of exhaustion for the past month so here is what I have learned.

I personally prefer warm diamonds, so I wouldn't mind noticing a little color in a Platinum setting. The thing is, based on what I've read here on PS and other forums like Weddingbee... while a J will often (mostly?) face up white, some women become acutely aware of the very slight yellow (mostly seen from the side). And its that little yellow that (per my observation) drives some women absolutely nuts. Others say that they like the warmth, but I wonder if they have learned to love it? I personally knew I'd be setting in rose or yellow gold, so a J wasn't something I had to worry about.

Medium Fluorescence can help a J diamond look whiter, so that is a plus.

So, IMO, a J would be great in a platinum setting, and will probably face up white. But only you can figure out if your girlfriend will be bothered by a yellowish tint seen in certain lighting, from the side, if she's really looking.
 
I think for an engagement ring I would prefer to have a higher color than clarity if the stone is eye clean. I'd rather pay for something I can see rather than something I can't see. I have a G color engagement ring and a J color ring for my upgrade. I would say I'm very color sensitive. While my J color ring doesn't bother me at all, I would still prefer an I or higher color in a modern cut (my J color is an old cut). So without knowing how color sensitive your gf is I think I is a safer choice.
 
I have a mrb GIA 2 carat J in platinum and I couldn't be happier. I can't see the tint in it myself. I think excellent cut helps to make these colours face up white, - remembering that they are graded face down.

Given it is a J presumably it wouldn't look as white next to a colourless stone but it is never scrutinised in that way. I have worn it next up a Cartier eternity containing E/F colour diamonds and it still looks great.
The photo shows it with the E/F Cartier eternity and with a 3 stone ring with G colour old cut diamonds.

The trouble is, some people are colour sensitive and perhaps your gf is one them! We can't know. I can only relate my own experience.

I posted about this on a thread a few months ago. On my iPhone on a train at the mo but I'll try to find and post the link later. It showed my J next to a colourless CZ to show the difference.

_32520.jpg
 
Is 10k for the whole thing or just the stone?
 
That is tough! It is definitely a personal preference. My experience is that a J faces up pretty white, but to me, the side tint is noticeably more yellow than an I. For that reason, I stick with I. However, it really depends how open the side view is of the setting you get. What are you thinking for a setting? If it is rather closed off (i.e. halo, detailed basket), than I might consider the J. Just as a call out for you, most people view the side view of their ring more than the face up view, so something to consider!
 
Can you find out if the intended wearer cares more about it being a Canadian diamond or a colorless diamonds? And what kind of setting will it be in?

To me, a J would be fine, especially if I had the other requirement of a Canadian stone. My cousin got engaged with a J color ACA from Whiteflash, and in most lighting, it's very white; the quality of the cut makes the stone sparkle like crazy in nearly all lighting, so the color is less visible. The thread on it is here: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-cousins-tacori-2503rd-and-wf-aca.214112/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-cousins-tacori-2503rd-and-wf-aca.214112/[/URL]

But her setting has 8 prongs and is fairly enclosed so the side view is obscured. I have an M colored antique stone, and the color is definitely visible, and even moreso from the side since it's currently in a solitaire with 4 prongs, but I think it's lovely.

I think if you're going with a more enclosed setting, or you know she prioritizes the Canadian stamp more than high color, you could go for it. Can you go someplace with GIA certified stones in various colors so she can compare her options?
 
It really is something you need to choose for yourself. When you spend a lot of time with D to F stones you will probably be able to see a J colour even when it is facing up. Photographs and quick comparisons are not like long-term viewing. Some like their stones "warm" and others like them colourless or brilliant white.
 
This is a J SI2 in the carat range you are looking at. [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/wfs-ribbonesque.86394/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/wfs-ribbonesque.86394/[/URL]

There is a "J in platinum" thread in Show Me The Bling.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/j-color-stones-in-platinum.24731/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/j-color-stones-in-platinum.24731/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/2-04ct-j-si2-in-platinum-tiffany-solitaire-from-niceice.12734/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/2-04ct-j-si2-in-platinum-tiffany-solitaire-from-niceice.12734/[/URL]
And I and K here (see post by Dreamer_D for links)
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/smtr-helpful-threads-archive.131796/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/smtr-helpful-threads-archive.131796/[/URL]

Even if the tint is off in the photos, you can imagine the whiteness of platinum and get a rough idea of the amount of contrast between the I or J and the platinum.

I don't know what setting you are contemplating. But you can choose a setting, like a halo with the center stone mounted on a bezel, or some other style, that blocks the side view of the stone. The face-up color of J will be probably white enough for most people. But there are lots of others who'll say that J is too tinted for an engagement ring, too.
 
My first LARGE diamond was a K and it had the best cut and flourescence so you would have never know it was a K. Same thing with my 2nd LARGE diamond, except it was a J, if you have an exceptional cut and some flourescence it makes a difference.
 
rubybeth|1437332898|3904883 said:
Can you find out if the intended wearer cares more about it being a Canadian diamond or a colorless diamonds?
Click to expand...

A J will show some warmth at times, and definitely from the side view at that carat weight.
 
Face up a J can appear bright and white. Depending on your setting though it may be more easy to notice a tint. I personally even find a lot of I stones to have a noticeable tint. A J might be perfectly acceptable it just depends on how color sensitive your fiance is.
 
Hi there,

This is the thread with pictures of my J next to a colourless CZ. Be warned, I picked photos that showed the difference, not the photos that minimised it. The post wasn't universally well received and I think some readers misunderstood my intentions so later in the thread I posted a photo of the two where the CZ looks much darker than the J to prove I hadn't just picked the most flattering photos.

You/ your GF might find the tint of a J bothers you, but what motivated me to post the attached was that without seeing pictures and reading about J colours on Pricescope, I would never have considered one, assuming they would be yellowy. By getting a J colour VS2 with excellent cut, my FI was able to get me a 2.02 carat diamond that to us looks white. Without Pricescope he'd either have paid many thousands more for a G colour wouldn't have looked noticeably better to me, or bought a smaller diamond and I like the size of my 2.02!

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...n-platinum-comparison-with-colourless.209470/
 
Here is a side view of my J, tint is more visible from the side.

_32590.jpg
 
Thanks for the information! I went ahead with the 1.7 J from Canada. It scored well on the HCA. Cut is excellent and the proportions appear to be decent (based on my very very limited knowledge!) I needed to move quick and wasn't having much luck. Ideally I would have liked a 1.5 I but this 1.7 J kept looking like the best bet. I'm having it set in a 6-prong setting to provide a bit more coverage on the sides.

It is scary to think a few weeks ago I was at a local store ready to buy a "clarity enhanced" diamond. Thankfully I did a bit of reading and came across this site to learn.

This is the diamond:
http://www.jamesallen.com/loose-dia...-j-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-543273

Does anyone see any issues? Obviously I can return it if it is terrible. And actually I could probably cancel it as I just ordered it last night.
 
No issues, that stone is way way beyond what most people would own. I think you're wise to go for VS1 with a large stone like this for a truly eye-clean experience at any angle.

Enjoy & good luck!

Am a big fan of cathedral settings like you've chosen for the stone, a perfect way to show it off.

You have a grace period, why not take it around to some shops & you'll see how much better such a cut and clarity really is. :)
 
Have you requested for the ASET and Ideal Scope images?
 
Please, please share real life pics when you get it and let us know if you are both happy with it! I'm sure it will be a stunning ring.
 
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