Warm Or White Diamonds?

[Verdy]

I'm curious to see how many PSers feel about the color of their diamonds, whether it be warm colors or whiter, icier colors!

 

[AprilBaby]

I prefer F-H

 

[jewelerman]

I have diamonds from g-k color range and prefer whiter to warmer grades.

 

[Verdy]

I have diamonds from g-k color range and prefer whiter to warmer grades.

I've seen up to a J color, but never a K. Is there really much of a difference or is the tint much more noticeable?

 

[Autumnovember]

I like whiter diamonds better so I voted D-H but I do have to say that I have seen some amaaaaaaaaazing pieces that have warmer colored stones so I like both but I prefer to wear white.

 

[Verdy]

I like whiter diamonds better so I voted D-H but I do have to say that I have seen some amaaaaaaaaazing pieces that have warmer colored stones so I like both but I prefer to wear white.

I feel that both can be beautiful, it just depends on what you're getting. For what I'd call 'regular' diamonds (RBs, Princess, Ovals, etc.) I feel that whiter diamonds are better, but for OMCs, AVC, and OECs, the warmer colors give them more justice, they enhance the beauty of those cuts.

 

[MissStepcut]

I want to like warmer diamonds... but I just don't. Luckily for me, I am not very color sensitive, and don't start to see tint until the J-K-L range.

I am in the PS minority in that I like inclusions. I find them charming, depending on the type and placement. I would rather save money with an I1 or I2 than with a J or K diamond.

 

[Circe]

Poll-wise, it looks like I'm alone so far! The funny thing is, I'm very color sensitive ... but in a blind taste test, every time, the warmer stone is considerably more attractive to me. Right now, my pendant is a pear-shaped E, my earrings are ideal H stones, and my e-ring is an uncerted J, and ... while I love the cut on the pendant and the earrings, the J is the one I stare into for hours and hours. Something about the faint tint makes it that much more visually fascinating in different lighting environments. I'll happily stay in the near-colorless family, and I'm intrigued to experiment with faint yellows ... and beyond.

 

[Laila619]

I've only ever owned 'H' color, but the lower colors sure look beautiful to me, so I'd probably be fine with them.

 

[Verdy]

Poll-wise, it looks like I'm alone so far! The funny thing is, I'm very color sensitive ... but in a blind taste test, every time, the warmer stone is considerably more attractive to me. Right now, my pendant is a pear-shaped E, my earrings are ideal H stones, and my e-ring is an uncerted J, and ... while I love the cut on the pendant and the earrings, the J is the one I stare into for hours and hours. Something about the faint tint makes it that much more visually fascinating in different lighting environments. I'll happily stay in the near-colorless family, and I'm intrigued to experiment with faint yellows ... and beyond.

There's definitely a fancy yellow in your future, Circe! I'm curious though, in what types of lighting do you notice the tint the most?

 

[centralsquare]

I chose D-H but my earrings are I/J and they are white enough for me. So, I like white, but I'd say that H isn't exactly the cut off for that for me.

 

[swingirl]

I love antique diamonds in warmer colors. I like warm colors for pendants and earrings so you can get them larger for the price. But I wouldn't turn away from a D, E or F if it was offered to me! My e-ring is an H and it is just perfect.

 

[marcy]

I voted D-H but I think the warmer diamonds are equally beautiful.

 

[Amys Bling]

I voted D-H but I think the warmer diamonds are equally beautiful.

Ditto.

 

[Hera]

I guess I have a different gauge. I think D-H as white, I-K as off white and then L-on as warm diamonds.

 

[Verdy]

I guess I have a different gauge. I think D-H as white, I-K as off white and then L-on as warm diamonds.

I suppose it all comes personal preference in the end, the range of white to warm differs from person to person! But it's interesting to see what people really prefer!

 

[Hera]

I guess I have a different gauge. I think D-H as white, I-K as off white and then L-on as warm diamonds.

I suppose it all comes personal preference in the end, the range of white to warm differs from person to person! But it's interesting to see what people really prefer!

I prefer the icy look of D-G diamonds but it is trumped by the price of H-J diamonds.

 

[kenny]

I think a crucial aspect was left out of the question . . . Warmer colors cost much less.
To learn people's true color preference you have to ask, "If they were all the same price would you prefer warm or white diamonds?"

Warmer colors allow a much larger diamond for the same budget.
So it's not that all J owners prefer J to a D E F, they prefer the larger size that J allows for a given budget and don't mind the warmer color.

Sure, it's possible someone actually would pick a J over a D at the same price, but i'm guessing the majority prefer what the market has established to be more desirable, via the higher price.

 

[ame]

I prefer F-H

Same, but I don't discriminate. I think they're all pretty rad.

 

[bee*]

I prefer whiter diamonds. I'm not very colour sensitive though so my I is very white to me. I don't think I'd turn down a warmer diamond though.

 

[lbbaber]

I think a crucial aspect was left out of the question . . . Warmer colors cost much less.
To learn people's true color preference you have to ask, "If they were all the same price would you prefer warm or white diamonds?"

Warmer colors allow a much larger diamond for the same budget.
So it's not that all J owners prefer J to a D E F, they prefer the larger size that J allows for a given budget and don't mind the warmer color.

Sure, it's possible someone actually would pick a J over a D at the same price, but i'm guessing the majority prefer what the market has established to be more desirable, via the higher price.

This exactly.

I have owned 2 engagement rings, both E color. Sometimes I look at my current stone and think that I could have/should have gone 'bigger' and lower color BUT in the end...I really LOVE the icey white in the stone. I think if I had gone 'warmer' I would have been annoyed eveytime I saw the hint of color and I would have been staring at the stone every day trying to find the color instead of staring at it to enjoy the sparkle like I currently do.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I think a crucial aspect was left out of the question . . . Warmer colors cost much less.
To learn people's true color preference you have to ask, "If they were all the same price would you prefer warm or white diamonds?"

Warmer colors allow a much larger diamond for the same budget.
So it's not that all J owners prefer J to a D E F, they prefer the larger size that J allows for a given budget and don't mind the warmer color.

Sure, it's possible someone actually would pick a J over a D at the same price, but i'm guessing the majority prefer what the market has established to be more desirable, via the higher price.

I agree. If they were all the same price I would probably pick a higher color, maybe a G. In smaller stones, I would pick a D, but for a
larger stone I don't like quite so icy white, it looks like cz to me.

 

[Circe]

Poll-wise, it looks like I'm alone so far! The funny thing is, I'm very color sensitive ... but in a blind taste test, every time, the warmer stone is considerably more attractive to me. Right now, my pendant is a pear-shaped E, my earrings are ideal H stones, and my e-ring is an uncerted J, and ... while I love the cut on the pendant and the earrings, the J is the one I stare into for hours and hours. Something about the faint tint makes it that much more visually fascinating in different lighting environments. I'll happily stay in the near-colorless family, and I'm intrigued to experiment with faint yellows ... and beyond.

There's definitely a fancy yellow in your future, Circe! I'm curious though, in what types of lighting do you notice the tint the most?

Bright sunlight and fron a 3/4 tilt! Face-on it looks like a "white" diamond, just with a weird added depth, even in that light. But turn it a quarter away from you, and, boom, different stone. It's an utterly fascinating facet (if you'll pardon the expression) of how cut can affect appearance.

I think a crucial aspect was left out of the question . . . Warmer colors cost much less.
To learn people's true color preference you have to ask, "If they were all the same price would you prefer warm or white diamonds?"

Warmer colors allow a much larger diamond for the same budget.
So it's not that all J owners prefer J to a D E F, they prefer the larger size that J allows for a given budget and don't mind the warmer color.

Sure, it's possible someone actually would pick a J over a D at the same price, but i'm guessing the majority prefer what the market has established to be more desirable, via the higher price.

Good point, Kenny! Speaking purely for myself, though, when I bought, I had a choice between a 1.6-something G and my 1.46 J for a nominal price difference ... and I chose the J because it appealed to me more. Shortly thereafter (still in the return period), I had the option of switching it for a family D stone of 1 carat. Didn't matter - the J made it for me (though I do sometimes kick myself a little, given how prices have risen - if my J has appreciated, I bet the G would be worth ridiculous sums now - at least the D is still in the family!).

I did buy my E out of a kind of weird curiousity, to see if, given the opportunity, high color would sway me. While I do love my pendant, sadly, it doesn't exercise quite the same appeal for me. My H earrings? Well, if Yekutiel had been able to find me a low-color pair with SBF, I'd probably have larger earrings now, but these are the only ones that came up at the time, and I can't say I regret it - the size is perfect to wear with graduated piercings.

For the future, though, while I'm hoping Verdy is prescient, I'm just going to have to make like a limbo dancer and see how low I can go - ironically, my husband is color sensitive, and hates yellows and browns. My J is fine, but beyond that, he's wrinkling his nose. Will have to see if any PS vendors out there can find me a nice low color stone with a grey body color ....

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I'm a step-cut girl first and foremost, and for step-cuts, I prefer icy white. The reason being that I think that the colorless range (D - F) accentuates the steps, giving it a more rigid, architectural feel. I feel like the warmer colors soften the steps. I would sacrifice size to go up in color for a step cut.

In old cuts (which I also love), I really do prefer warmer colors. I think the chunky facets are perfect for that candlelight glow of a warmer color. The fact that you get a larger size for the warmer color is just a bonus!

 

[jewelerman]

I have diamonds from g-k color range and prefer whiter to warmer grades.

I've seen up to a J color, but never a K. Is there really much of a difference or is the tint much more noticeable?

it depends on the diamond and its make,shape,size and what jewelry its put into that help determine if that color is going to be as noticeable as the next K color stone it might be compared to.I'm strict and not very forgiving on color grading .The K color stone i have was actually graded while in a yellow gold shadow box setting with antiqued back and sides as H in color by 2 G.I.A. appraisers.Once out of the setting there was a tint that was noticeable.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I'm very color sensitive, and love the icy white diamonds D-E-F, but currently have a 1.81 H, which really compliments my skintone betterthat the Icy, but to me, I feel like I "settled" due to the affordability. My ideal would probbably be a 2 ct E H&A for my main e-ring stone.

That being said, I love the really warmer antique cut diamonds that I've seen on PS, and would not mind a L/M color AVC or something like that for a RHR.

 

[Rhea]

I only own uncerted stones.

The stone which was sold to me as an I is the one I prefer, though most of my stones are G-H-I uncerted so they're all pretty close in colour. I've seen a few lower colour stones in person in vintage and antique shops. Some I really like, and think they are beautiful, others not so much. I think my sweet spot must be right on that border - the G-J colours.

 

[tyty333]

I think I'm liking the warmer colors more and more. Love the candle light look especially in an older stone.

 

[jstarfireb]

I prefer whiter diamonds, but I draw the line between white and warm at J rather than H (as in, I'd change the poll options to D-J and K+). I notice very little warmth in my I-J diamonds.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I like colorless or very tinted, like M+.

I own a J that look pretty friggin colorless in most lighting and situations. Budget, like Kenny said, is why I have a J. If money was no object I would likely own all G color diamonds with some M or lower fancies thrown into the mix.