Would you buy an "M" or lower color diamond?

[Taylorbug!]

Tell my why or why you wouldn't? I have found a nice pear shape that is an "M"....is it going to look "dingy" or just warmer and more antiquey?

 

[LGK]

My M colored OEC is pretty much just a softer, steely white most of the time. Not yellow face up, at least in about 90% of lighting. Some odd types of lighting make it look more like a hint-of-cream color face up (usually very, very overcast days outdoors do that). It looked a lot more off-white / cream when it had a halo of J/K colored stones around it- now that it's bezel set, it typically appears white face up.

I like the color myself. I think that it is really truly personal preference here- I don't find the soft cream color ugly or unattractive when it looks it's most colored. YMMV! If you don't like seeing any color in your diamonds, or have a strong preference for colorless you may find an M is way outside your comfort zone. It's not gonna look like a D- also the lower color range tends to show many more "faces"- sometimes white, sometimes steely, sometimes cream... a lot more changeable.

For what it's worth in the current setting, most people who look at my ring don't notice the color- it really isn't obvious unless you look at it from the side (and in a bezel that's pretty tough) or put an icy white stone right next to it.

Later I'll see if I can dig up some pics of it in the new setting that show the color I see most of the time. I broke my laptop though so I don't know if I have any...

ETA: Also my stone is 3 1/2 cts, so it would show more color than a smaller carat weight too.

 

[Imdanny]

I don't know. M is a little white. I'd rather have O.

 

[clgwli]

I don't know. M is a little white. I'd rather have O.

I've seen a ton of M colored stones here and elsewhere online. I think it is a beautiful warm tone. Like you said very antique looking and beautiful IMO.

 

[panda08]

It depends. To me, not all lower color diamonds look the same, even when two of the same color are compared. I don't like lower color diamonds with a yellow cast but find the ones with steely or creamy undertones to be appealing.

 

[artdecogirl]

I want one! love them, all colors! Golden, brown, creamy, yellow.... I am hoping to buy one soon and after looking at them in person I think I prefer them over a white, white stone of course my jewelery box has room for all sorts of stones in it

 

[kenny]

No, I wouldn't.
I find that even our H bothers me in certain lighting.
Grey, brown, yellow are not what I like.

 

[stone-cold11]

Go for broke, either stay near the top or go way below.

 

[JellyFishMonkey]

Have you seen it? Let your eyes judge whether you like it enough to buy it.

 

[Circe]

I think it depends on the M ....

One of these days, I very much want to get a low-colored diamond. I have an E, and I have a J, and, all things considered, I prefer the changeability of the warmer stone. That said, it's a lot easier to buy a colorless stone online - colorless is colorless, right? With an M, and particularly in a pear-shape, you could be talking about a yellow, brown, or grey hue (just to name the most typical). I'd want to either see it in person, or purchase from a vendor with a very good return policy before I took the leap.

 

[Upgradable]

I have a really cool M old mine cut that Singlestone put into a chunky hammered 22k yellow gold mounting. I call it my Flintstone ring. I love it!!

 

[bright ice]

I bought an N RB by Infinity and it is beautiful. I do see some yellow tint from the side, in some lighting it is creamy, in others face up it is pretty white, although not stark white. I like the different colors that it exhibits.

It is all a matter of preference. Lower colors are quite beautiful, if it is a well cut stone they are gorgeous.

 

[Lula]

I have a really cool M old mine cut that Singlestone put into a chunky hammered 22k yellow gold mounting. I call it my Flintstone ring. I love it!!

Ah, yes, I know this ring well because I it's one of the rings on PS that I secretly covet!

I did own an M Infinity and I loved it, but the color did not work with my skin tone. I'd own an M or lower color diamond again in a heartbeat, but I'd set it in high-carat yellow gold, like Uppy did and wear it as an "art" gem rather than an engagement/anniversary stone.

But interestingly, when I was wearing my M in my current halo setting, most people either did not notice the color (well-cut M's look like a soft white in many lighting conditions) or if they did notice the color, they thought it it was beautiful and commented right away on the color -- they'd usually compliment me on my "champagne" color diamond. So I agree with Stone and some of the other posters -- if you want the color to be very obvious in most lighting conditions, you'll want to "go below" an M!

 

[redhead02]

I would! I want an OEC round that gives off a creamy hue, and put it in an antique setting. But I agree with those who say that it's best to see it in person before making the final decision.

 

[Jax172]

Yes, I have a radiant in an M color and it's really interesting. Looks downright yellow in some lights (pretty yellow not ugly) and in others it just looks like a warmer white color. It was a bargain and I'm glad we bought it!

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I think it depends on the stone and how you intend to set it...I love stones with chunky cuts that are lower in color like step cuts, antique cuts, AVCs and AV rounds, french cuts, that kind of thing. I prefer more brilliant cut stones like RBs, brilliant cushions, radiants, things like that to either be on the whiter side, which for me is Jish and higher in color, or on the more obviously yellow side.

But again, it all depends on the stone and if you like it, got any pics?

 

[betty6333]

Yes, but for a RHR only. For an engagement ring I would not. RHR's I wear many colors, and so a tinted yellow stone wouldnt bother me, as I would find a great setting to show it off.

 

[yssie]

I would buy an M or lower chunky cushion or OEC and it would be the most unique engagement ring I've ever seen IRL


I would probably not buy an L-N coloured brilliant, as I adore chunkier shapes in these warm ivory creamy colours, but below N the colour is clearly visible to me rather than ivory/warm again and we're a-go on all shapes!

 

[heliotrope]

I have one in my ering - and I am after another for a rhr...

still trying to decide if I will go even lower than M as "yellow" is not a colour I normally feel attracted to

I do feel that once you go past L there are different colour shades in the lower hues and that make it important to see the stone in a few lights

my rb BGD bezel studs are Js and I love them for what they are - but can't say I adore them like my M

(they are perfectly cut and pretty and look white and pretty etc etc but they don't make my heart flutter)

I have friends with Ds and friends with massive 2ct Fs and they don't rock my world - so I guess it's a personal thing

I tend to like antique jewellery and have a slightly eclectic style - so it suits me

people find my ring very intriguing - it catches their eye from a far and I get sometimes get stopped for a closer look

some of my friends have caught it flashing chunky rainbows and asked in a puzzled way why it does that (whilst looking strangely at their own rings!!) theirs flash white and sparkle - but don't have the personality mine does (but that may be the OMC cut too!!)

 

[Imdanny]

No, I wouldn't.
I find that even our H bothers me in certain lighting.
Grey, brown, yellow are not what I like.

Wow, I don't think my monitor's working because the diamond in your avatar looks green!

 

[JulieN]

Not a fan for a pear, the color will be more concentrated at the tip. In something without points, fine.

 

[Gypsy]

I love pears. I probably wouldn't do an M pear though. I'd either go down to H personally in a pear (the point shows color) or want something around an R to set into a yellow gold 'cup' setting to come off as a light fancy yellow.

I do think that for me, an M would be a bit dingy. Although... if you set in in the right setting with unplated whitegold, maybe.

 

[Isabelle]

No I would never buy an M. Just me.

 

[kenny]

No, I wouldn't.
I find that even our H bothers me in certain lighting.
Grey, brown, yellow are not what I like.

Wow, I don't think my monitor's working because the diamond in your avatar looks green!

It's been humid here and I think it's mold.

 

[arjunajane]

I would and I have - my AVC. Jon expected it to be an L but it came back from the lab an M - I didn't mind at all, it meant less cost for me I would likely only buy L or lower in vintage or vintage style diamonds though - I prefer an OEC with K to one with E colour, it adds dimension to these stones imho.


Kenny, I don't see any grey, brown or yellow in my photos - do you?

 

[littlemissmango]

Oh ArujaJane... how I love that dazzling ring!! (ETA: on second look, is that your Grace in the pic? The shank looks tapered, so perhaps not! I was just so mesmerized by the AVC!)

I think it is interesting that my two favorite rings (AJ's yellow, and Queen Mum's rose gold grace) were both set with an M colored stone. I absolutely LOVE the way they play off of the color of the gold in each. I am currently drooling over an M-colored AVC... I did not realize when I first began my search that colors beyond the near-colorless range could be a good choice for me. But for any OEC or vintage-looking cut, especially the chunky AVC, I absolutely love that warmth. I also agree that it adds an element of even greater depth to those stones. Plus they are so much less expensive -- bonus!

For a crisp RB, though, I think I do prefer a more colorless look. I'm also not sure that I would love that much color on a pear as it would be concentrated only on the tip and might look a little uneven, perhaps. But still, definitely pro-tinted diamonds here!

 

[Imdanny]

No, I wouldn't.
I find that even our H bothers me in certain lighting.
Grey, brown, yellow are not what I like.

Wow, I don't think my monitor's working because the diamond in your avatar looks green!

It's been humid here and I think it's mold.

A molded diamond! You poor thing!

 

[tyty333]

I would definitly do a lower color but for a pear it's all going to be dependent on the cut. I think there are more chances
of a pear not looking good in a lower color than in a lower color round due to the cut. Have you seen the diamond? Any
pictures to post? (You know we love pictures!)

 

[Taylorbug!]

I would definitly do a lower color but for a pear it's all going to be dependent on the cut. I think there are more chances
of a pear not looking good in a lower color than in a lower color round due to the cut. Have you seen the diamond? Any
pictures to post? (You know we love pictures!)

Here is is...M color VS2 clarity...what do you think???

 

[Frenchgirl]