When can YOU start seeing color in a diamond?

[Kal-El in SLO]

When can YOU start being able to see color in a round brilliant?

I''m asking because I found a really great stone, but it''s an I color. My girlfriend''s sister has an F color diamond and I don''t want hers to look OBVIOUSLY yellow compared to her sister''s.

 

[jet2ks]

Personally, I can start seeing tint in some H's and almost always in I or below with well cut stones, especially from the side. The kicker is that I found I like I-J-K colored diamonds with a bit of warmth better than colorless. Oh well. If you don't want to see any tint at all, I generally recommend to stay with G or above.

Unless they put the diamonds side by side in just the right lighting, I don't know how much difference most people would see. If the I is that well cut, it will be reflecting the colors in the environment much more than any tint would show.

 

[FB.]

Smaller stones are less likely to show colour.
A well cut stone of a lower colour can look very white in many light conditions, but in some situations, the colour tint can show itself.

In mounted stones around 1ct, to my eyes;

D-F are colourless.
G has a slight hint of colour and is a good choice where an F colour stone is not affordable to reach a certain carat weight.
H has a noticeable tint.
I is obviously tinted.
J is very easy to tell.

Hand me two rings together, one with a 1ct F and the other with a 1ct I and I'd expect to be able to tell you which is which in a matter of seconds.

 

[Kal-El in SLO]

thanks for the input.

the diamond is an ACA stone with an HCA score of about 1.0. I think I''m going to stick with stones that are H and above.

 

[yssie]

I start seeing colour at I in under 0.5ct, H in bigger stones.

The colour bothers me at J in both big and small sizes, though. J, K, L... not a huge fan, they seem sorta indistinct - too tinted to be colourless, not tinted enough to be "coloured", but go further down into M, N, O...

- esp. in a cushion or OEC!! Glitterata's S is gorgeous, but Us and Vs are too obviously yellow for me - I don't like yellow diamonds. It's the colourless, truly ivory, or pale pale golden shades that make my heart sing

 

[FB.]

I have F and H in 1ct - both are ideal-cuts (GIA excellent proportions).
As with the I colour, I find it very easy to see the difference when comparing the H to the F.

If your GF''s sister has an F colour, you''ll probably need to go up to G if you want it to be able to stand beside the F and not look tinted.

 

[elle_chris]

I generally start to see color in I''s, but the lighting has to be just right. And this is only after three years of really getting to know my stones.

Depending on the size of the stone, the cut, the setting, lighting, and who graded the "F", they "may" not really see a difference even when comparing side by side.

 

[hihowareyou]

If they are all unset sitting in a row then I can tell the G from the D just and the H and I look a little tinted.

If they are individual or set it becomes much more difficult. If they were also sitting on someone''s hand I imagine it would become near impossible.

I wouldn''t worry too much about what it looks like when compared to her sisters. I''ve never put my ring next to someone else''s to compare and only had one person do it to me

. That said if you think she won''t like an I colour then look higher.

 

[vespergirl]

I can see color in an H (if the diamond is over 1 ct) but for most people I think it''s not apparant until J color, especially in larger stones.

 

[Venice]

If her sister has an F, I would not go below G - especially if they have a close relationship.

 

[marcy]

I would not go below a G if they will be comparing diamonds. I can see a tint in G stones next to an E but to me F and G are very close.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think the question that you really want to know is where can you go safely so it will not look different than her sisters, right? I think you are safe with an H if the comparison matters.

How is tyhe cut on her sisters rock? This matters too, because if you get an ACA it will make her sisters rock look pretty crummy if it is your garden variety diamond. Seriously. I rocked a K for a while and it was a stunner, and many people compared their diamonds too it, all higher color but worse cut, and guess which diamond made them jealous?

Not that you are competing or anything, right?

 

[clgwli]

I agree I would not go below a G if you think they will compare side by side. I start easily seeing color in H on mounted stones. J is very visible to me though I do love the warmth of the colors. I have a J ring and to me it is very yellow.

 

[Bella_mezzo]

A G ACA will be fantastically white and sparkly. I will probably look very white and sparkly if its an ACA. Lower than that could have a slightly visible tint, but depending on flourescence and cut you could still have a gorgeous diamond. Dreamer's K is/was really, really stunning!

 

[chiquitapet]

I can start seeing colour in some larger H''s. I wouldn''t probably get her a stone below G, just to be safe.

 

[Luckyeshe]

I can personally see color at G, but that''s because I own a D and my eyes are use to comparing at that color. But if you want to make sure that there won''t be too much color or warmth when the sisters compares their rings, I agree with the other PSers and try to get a color grade higher or the same as your future sister in law''s ring. Good luck on your search!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I have a pair of diamond studs, one is an F and one is a G. I have no idea which is which.

I think H is the point where I start to notice a tint.

 

[Lorelei]

It also depends on size and shape, warmth can be more apparent in fancy shapes and larger stones. As for me, I can detect a slight breath of warmth in a J colour and around I colour in fancy shapes generally - but this doesn''t bother me in the least.

Colour perception and tolerance can vary, so for someone who is unsure of THEIR preferences it is much better for them to view some diamonds in person which are reliably graded and are of similar size, shape and cut quality to the stone they are thinking of purchasing.

 

[JulieN]

It won''t look obviously yellow. Her sister''s will look whiter, but hers won''t look yellow, just less white.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 12/22/2009 6:01:24 PM
Author:Kal-El in SLO
When can YOU start being able to see color in a round brilliant?

I''m asking because I found a really great stone, but it''s an I color. My girlfriend''s sister has an F color diamond and I don''t want hers to look OBVIOUSLY yellow compared to her sister''s.

Date: 12/23/2009 3:57:25 AM
Author: JulieN
It won''t look obviously yellow. Her sister''s will look whiter, but hers won''t look yellow, just less white.

Ditto, also is her sister''s diamond well cut and reliably graded by GIA or AGS? If not then this could make a difference.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 12/22/2009 6:01:24 PM
Author:Kal-El in SLO
When can YOU start being able to see color in a round brilliant?

I''m asking because I found a really great stone, but it''s an I color. My girlfriend''s sister has an F color diamond and I don''t want hers to look OBVIOUSLY yellow compared to her sister''s.

We need the size and cut shape and if possible some idea of cut quality for both the F and the I stone before you can have a meaningful answer.

 

[Stephan]

I won''t notice anything if it''s better than J.

But I often will prefer I color when compared to E color, without knowing the color grade of the diamonds.

 

[beechezz]

I have a Hearts on Fire stone that is an "I" color and I can definitely see the color. I cannot detect any color in my "H" color stone, but it has medium blue flourescence.

 

[jb0710]

I think Lorelei hit the nail on the head, I was thinking the same thing the whole time I was reading this post.

What if the sister''s stone is from a B&M? It''s most likely an EGL or IGI and that F could be more like an H or I compared to a stone purchased from a PS vendor, right?

 

[ts44]

I think a G would be fine for your average diamond and if it''s an ACA an H or I would be fine. You never know, have you asked your future intended how she feels about lower colors (assuming it isn''t a surprise)? I originally started looking at G and higher and ended up really falling in love with a J because I liked the pale candlelight brightness of it compared to the sharp white brightness out of a colorless diamond. I even had it set in a halo with G-H diamonds to emphasize the difference.

 

[BAM54321]

Unmounted- G. Mounted- usually H.

 

[Laila619]

I think an 'H' is still safe. 'I' color starts to be a bit noticeable to my eyes. BUT if it's a really well-cut stone, then it should still face up quite white.

 

[ACN]

I think this definitely depends on so many factors that it''s hard to say. In my personal opinion, I find it extremely difficult to tell the difference between D-J face-up. The colors towards the D end look a bit more "icy" but I wouldn''t call the other end more yellow at all.

But like I just said, putting a mounted D vs I right next to each other, all I could tell was a the D was "icier", but nothing of yellow in either stone. I was only comparing H&A (HOF) stones that were either AGS/GIA when I looked at colors.

Also, I think you should get a stone that YOU/SHE wants with the applicable colors/cut/carat/clarity that you guys can afford and not worry what her best friend has or her sister has. If you always compare stuff like that for the rest of your lives (cars, houses, clothes), you''re going to be miserable.