VVS and J Color is the best way to go

[Dancing Fire]

i think if a major lab like AGS/GIA willing to certified an "A" colorless stone there will buyers for them, just to satisfy their mind of having to best color.same reason if there''s a grade for IF under 50x mag.

 

[justpar]

Speaking of my experience, I used to buy G VS1 which everybody says it''s a sweet spot, nice combo..... After getting the stone, I was so disappointed. It''s not icy white as I thought it would be. I could see slight tint of grayish. I compared my G with floating diamonds of my Chopard watch, and realized that my floating diamonds look whiter than this G. Oh! I even saw the inclusions under 10x loupe, then could see them with naked eye. I blame myself of being too color sensitive, and have 20/20 eyesight. Anyhow, I told myself, all right, next time, if I want to get icy white diamond, I will choose E color, and if I ever want a warmer look diamond, I will go with I. I will skip F, G, H color. As for clarity, I can see some inclusions in VS1 diamond with naked eye, so I decided not to go below VS2. Otherwise, it would have bothered me too much.

So my ideal diamond would be either E VS1 or VS2, or I VS1 or VS2. Of course, I''m talking about ideal cut here.

 

[lostdog]

There are no IF diamonds, just stones that have not yet been seen under enough magnification.

 

[MiniMouse]

This threat has turned out to be very interesting. I''d just like to add my experience of diamond color to this thread.

Six years ago I entered into what turned out to be the ''wrong'' engagement. I was given the most beautiful engagement ring, a 1.65 carat round diamond with 2 very small baguettes either side. It basically looked like a solitaire as the baguettes were so tiny. I didn''t have much knowledge of diamonds but since my ex-fiance''s uncle was a jeweller, I was sure he had found a good stone (it hadn''t been handpicked by my fiance as he knew nothing). I wore that ring with such pride. I was like a cat that had got the cream. It was the most beautiful diamond ring that I had ever seen. It always sparkled and that rock gave off an incredible flashy display when in a dimmed restaurant. It just sparkled like crazy. I loved that ring for the year that I wore it. I knew it was a 1.65 carat VS2 stone with excellent cut. However, I didn''t know the color and didn''t think to ask as I wasn''t aware of diamond color (which I find unbelievable today), but the diamond was beautiful, sparkled like crazy and I had many favorable comments made about it. However, after the engagement collapsed I paid my ex-fiance for the ring (because I felt guilty breaking off the engagement and leaving him with a huge loss against the ring, even though the reasons for the split were his own actions, but I adored the ring). Anyway, I thought I would end up wearing it as a right hand ring but no, it held too many memories, so in the end I decided to part-exchange the diamond and create a right hand ring for myself. I had the diamond inspected (unmounted) and I was shocked to find out it was an M color. Yes an M color! All of a sudden, knowing the color made me feel quite upset, but how could I be? I had loved that diamond for the whole time that I had worn it. Why was it that knowing the color made me feel differently? I felt quite stupid really because we become very set in our ways when it comes to what we feel we should have (in some cases perhaps what we feel is more acceptable to society?) as opposed to what our eye finds pleasing. All of a sudden I felt M wasn''t good enough, because statistically it didn''t sound good, it was no longer mind clean to me. Isn''t that ridiculous? However, part of my upset was that my ex-fiance''s uncle was a jeweller and had said it was a top stone, which it obviously wasn''t.

Unfortunately that little shock and becoming more educated on Pricescope has made me become quite rigid in what I want for my next stone which my new partner plans to buy in June/July. I definitely don''t want the disappointment of knowing I have a very low color stone. We''ve decided on the D-F range (would really love an E). However, I still feel that if I see something just out of that range, I might be persuaded. I have always been rigid on VS, but again PS''ers are steering me towards taking a look at SI1s. If it means we can get a stone between 1.75 and 2 carats at a better price, then that will suit me fine. I still believe that although stats are important, it''s what the eye sees that really counts. I''d be happy with a stone that faces up whiter than it''s true color, since I was so happy with my M, but I wouldn''t really want to go down to an M again, as much as I adored it. I''ve seen too many white stones since then to know I would be unhappy with the same again, but while I wore it, I loved my M. My view was only spoilt when I learnt about it''s one poor vital statistic. Education can sometimes make one disappointed.

Hearing about many Pricescopers'' J and SI1 combinations facing up white, does make me curious... I''m sure I''m not alone. I plan to take a peak in July and make up my own mind. although I''m still not sure I could personally feel comfortable with going down to a J, but I''ll give it a look, it might work for me. The eye is the best test.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

What a great story MiniMouse

You have summed up hat ''mind clean'' means to me.
For my my mind it means I cant see it so it does not matter.
For one of my clients every diamond he buys from us is D IF. To him it personify''s his relationship with his wife.

I can understand people buying J VVS for religious ''purity'' reasons - with a loupe they can not see the inclusions = mind clean.
But for anyone who knows, or is shown how to ''see'' color, J is not clean and white.

So it is all clearly a matter of perspective.