Will a pave setting make a K face up whiter?

[stook1]

I'm considering buying a K color stone for an ering. My dear GF is somewhat stuck on the carat size and going with a K color might enable me to get her a 2 carat stone (ideal cut, of course). I plan to get this pave setting (which can be made for a round brilliant):


The band uses G colored diamonds. Might this help make the center stone face up whiter? Or should I expect perhaps the reverse? ie. the contrast is more obvious between the K center and the G color on the band.

thanks!

 

[eac]

Unfortunately, a link to the setting is missing in your post.

If I wanted a diamond to look whiter, I wouldn''t set it with whiter diamonds, or in a pave setting. Instead, I''d put it in a white gold/platinum prong or semi-bezel setting, either as a solitaire or with azure-blue sapphire side stones.

Anyone else''s thoughts?

 

[iheartscience]

I would expect the reverse for sure. Whiter pave diamonds will make the center stone show more color for sure. If you get something custom made maybe you can request lower colored melee, though.

 

[mrssalvo]

well, there are some J''s around here that are set in pave settings and look gorgeous. that said, unless you are sure your GF isn''t at all color sensitive I wouldn''t go lower than a J in a stone that size. Just my personal .02.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 6/25/2007 10:04:55 PM
Author: mrssalvo
well, there are some J''s around here that are set in pave settings and look gorgeous. that said, unless you are sure your GF isn''t at all color sensitive I wouldn''t go lower than a J in a stone that size. Just my personal .02.

Ditto.

 

[InlovewithJHK]

What is your budget? I would rather sacrifice clarity over color any day. Maybe you can find some nice SI2s that allow you to go a little better in color. I also agree that the whiter contrast diamonds would make the center stone look more yellow.

 

[stook1]

To answer some of the questions and comments above...

I am already considering mostly SI1 & SI2. Would like to spend around 9k or less on the diamond. The setting below is about $900. I will find out if the vendor can use lower color stones in the band. I have seen some well cut K stones and honestly could barely tell the difference between the K and a well cut H. I am also considering some smaller I & J stones.

 

[stook1]

Photo is now attached... I realize now why the link was deleted (having reviewed forum rules).

thx

 

[eac]

That''s a nice, tasteful setting. Still, I don''t think the pave would do a K-colored stone any favors. If you could do that setting in plain white gold/platinum, I''d do that instead. And a plain setting might save you enough money to turn that K into a J.

Like another poster said, sacrifice clarity before color!

 

[snlee]

Date: 6/25/2007 10:04:55 PM
Author: mrssalvo
well, there are some J''s around here that are set in pave settings and look gorgeous. that said, unless you are sure your GF isn''t at all color sensitive I wouldn''t go lower than a J in a stone that size. Just my personal .02.

Thritto. So you said you aren''t color sensitive. What about your gf?

 

[stook1]

This is true, I can not be 100% certain on her color sensitivity.

thanks for the feedback.

 

[iheartscience]

If you don''t mind my asking, what kind of budget are you looking at? People here love to find stones for you to check out! Maybe start a new thread with the details of what you''re looking for in your diamond and all the PS pros will recommend stuff.

 

[stook1]

Sure, I have a list already from scanning through mostly virtual listings. Would much prefer finding something in house but I am just not finding "the one". Anyways, would ideally like an eye-clean J-SI2 that is around 1.75+ carats with an ideal cut. Ideally one that faces up larger (ie a shallower, but ideal cut). Hoping to spend under $9k but could go a bit higher for a bigger stone with a more standard setting than the one posted above.

 

[Jenn5504]

Just wanted to second the suggestion to let some of these amazing pricescopers help you find THE ROCK!

They are usually very willing to help spend other peoples'' $$

Fun!

I wanted to let you know that I am THRILLED with 1.59 my J/SI2 AGS000 I just purchased from WF. It is set in a platinum solitaire and the color isn''t bothering me a bit.

I glanced at WF''s stock and there aren''t any 1.75+ in their in-house inventory---meaning the ES and ACA stones. What I didn''t realize when I started looking that REALLY turned out to be a great thing for me was that the rest of the diamonds available to them are rated by a star system. Well, a 1 or 2 star does NOT mean a bad cut necessarially---it may just mean they don''t have the cert to have enough info to make a call on cut quality. Mine was listed as a 2 star when I found it on their site----because they didn''t have the details. They were QUICKLY able to obtain the cert for me and we pulled in the stone, they checked it out and I''m told that if/WHEN I upgrade down the road, it will go into their Expert Selection inventory! And WF is pretty darn picky about what they will call an ES even. ALL THAT TO SAY, do some poking around in the inventory of these great vendors PS recommends and you might find a WINNER!

I paid under $7k for my 1.59, so hopefully you can find you a 1.75+ for $9k!

 

[BigDiamonds]

The only one that I could find was this one from GOG, which I''m sure you''ve already seen. I doubt that it is eye-clean.

Just out of curiosity, what size diamonds do her friends have? Especially if you don''t live in NY or LA, you may be overdoing it size-wise. 1.5cts is pretty large by most standards, and I bet you would have more luck at that size...

 

[stook1]

Dang, that seems like a hot deal! Would you be willing to post the specs? Is it truly eye-clean? Or are you covering inclusions with prongs or something? 7k seems like a deal for an excellent cut stone of that size from what I have seen looking (and nearly pulling the trigger) over the last 2 months or so.

EDIT: WOW! that is a beautiful ring! Searched for your earlier thread. What a great find! There is hope for me!

 

[stook1]

Hah! That is funny that you found that stone at GOG. That was pulled for me actually... And NO, it is definately not eye clean unfortunately. Otherwise it would have been ideal.

As for the size... my lovely GF is from the northwest, although she lived in Manhattan for about 5 years till last year. I'd like to try to get the biggest stone possible so long as it is eye clean (obviously) and well cut. She has 3.25 ring size thankfully!

 

[Finding_Neverland]

Neil Beaty, aka DenverAppraiser, actually discussed lower color center stones with higher color melee accents in a webinar. He said the "darker" body color center accented by the lighter color melee is really a very attractive contrast. In his opinion at least. And he's an appraiser. He sees lots of combos.

If your gal isn't color sensitive, then a J/K color center stone with the higher color melee may make a beautiful ring for her.

Big Diamonds makes a really good point. Unless your gal's GF's all have big rings, hers might stand out in the crowd. I know here in the midwest, it's rare to see anything over a carat. The few 1.5's I have seen look HUGE. So that's definitely a consideration as well.

 

[sunshine14]

Date: 6/25/2007 10:14:05 PM
Author: stook1
To answer some of the questions and comments above...

I am already considering mostly SI1 & SI2. Would like to spend around 9k or less on the diamond. The setting below is about $900. I will find out if the vendor can use lower color stones in the band. I have seen some well cut K stones and honestly could barely tell the difference between the K and a well cut H. I am also considering some smaller I & J stones.

What about this one?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?cid=131&item=1027537

 

[MaryAlaina]

I have a K colored pear diamond, set with G color pave halo and split shank. I can see the difference, but I like the look. Here''s some pix...

 

[MaryAlaina]

Another.

I don''t think the G pave makes the center stone look whiter. It probably makes the color more obvious, if anything. But as I said, I like the look. Of course, if you are buying round, the color would be less, since fancy shapes usually show more color than rounds.

 

[stook1]

Date: 6/26/2007 12:54:48 AM
Author: sunshine14

Date: 6/25/2007 10:14:05 PM

Author: stook1

To answer some of the questions and comments above...


I am already considering mostly SI1 & SI2. Would like to spend around 9k or less on the diamond. The setting below is about $900. I will find out if the vendor can use lower color stones in the band. I have seen some well cut K stones and honestly could barely tell the difference between the K and a well cut H. I am also considering some smaller I & J stones.

What about this one?


http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?cid=131&item=1027537

Thank you! I just pulled the same listing off of WF to ask about tomorrow. Had not seen the photo on JA. This one looks like it could be eye clean.

 

[stook1]

Thanks for the photos, Mary. Can''t ask for more. It is definately different!

 

[InlovewithJHK]

Date: 6/26/2007 12:54:48 AM
Author: sunshine14

Date: 6/25/2007 10:14:05 PM
Author: stook1
To answer some of the questions and comments above...

I am already considering mostly SI1 & SI2. Would like to spend around 9k or less on the diamond. The setting below is about $900. I will find out if the vendor can use lower color stones in the band. I have seen some well cut K stones and honestly could barely tell the difference between the K and a well cut H. I am also considering some smaller I & J stones.

What about this one?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamond.asp?cid=131&item=1027537

Good find!