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Advice Needed: Compromise Carat or Colour?

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MakiMan

Rough_Rock
Joined
Nov 12, 2022
Messages
8
I went too deep into the rabbit hole and what should have been a week of research has been prolonged too much and I need to make a decision. My girlfriend will be forever grateful if you can help me make up my mind about this:

Should I buy a D-G 0.82-0.84 Carat diamond or a J 1.00 Carat one? Which one do you think will look better?

Example 1:

0.837 ct D VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Diamond ($5,623)​

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 0.837 ct D VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4531968

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.837 carat D color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4531968
www.whiteflash.com www.whiteflash.com

Example 2:

1.028 ct J VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Diamond ($5,578)​

www.whiteflash.com

Diamond | 1.028 ct J VS2 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4483266

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 1.028 carat J color VS2 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4483266
www.whiteflash.com www.whiteflash.com

My budget for the stone is $5500 (pre-tax). I will be spending an additional $1000 in the simple solitaire 2.2mm setting (which has to be 18k rose gold, limiting a bit the options of retailers, as not all have that setting).

I have only been to local jewelers so far but wasn't really happy with the value. They did not have in-store hearts&arrows style diamonds so I haven't really had the opportunity to see one in the flesh and see if there's a noticeable difference. My close friends have all bought lab-grown diamonds (probably with average cuts) and I haven't been too impressed.

Thank you for the help and directions! I am open to any other suggestions for natural diamonds.
 
I don’t know what your fiancé’s color sensitivity is. J color can be pretty yellow. There are people that don’t mind the yellow tone..I have color sensitivity so a J would be too yellow for me. Have you asked her what her color preference is? How about going down in clarity and consider this one..It’s eye clean but I would do a chat so you can ask to confirm. If you go with Whiteflash you can upgrade the diamond to a larger size later..

Diamond | 0.801 ct G SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4531063

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.801 carat G color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4531063
www.whiteflash.com
 
No need for a D color and I wouldn’t drop down to J if either of you feel color sensitive. The stone listed above is a great compromise. A G color stone will be white and being well cut, you will have lots of sparkle!
 
If you are unsure if your girlfriend is color sensitive I wouldn't go with J. In the .8x range you can go D SI1 or G VS2/SI1 and be well under your budget.

I like this stone for maximizing color and still under budget. Saving a few hundred and dropping to G is a good option as well. My personal preference is the D. My fiancée and I are color sensitive. F is the sweet spot for us.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4543847.htm
 
crbl999 said:
If you are unsure if your girlfriend is color sensitive I wouldn't go with J. In the .8x range you can go D SI1 or G VS2/SI1 and be well under your budget.

I like this stone for maximizing color and still under budget. Saving a few hundred and dropping to G is a good option as well. My personal preference is the D. My fiancée and I are color sensitive. F is the sweet spot for us.

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4543847.htm
Click to expand...

I love this stone. It looks very clean and is great value for the money.
 
G/H are my own mind-clean colours.

I can only see a hint of colour when I put my G/H stones next to my E colour EC; otherwise they are fine even when set in Rhodium-plated White Gold.

D Flawless would be wasted on me.

Personal preferences and all that.

DK :))
 
you may not have to compromise either if you looked at an unbranded stone with other vendors
 
You need to ask her about color. It's a very personal preference.
I'm the dissenting voice, I'm a colored stone kid- I actually dislike icy colored stones so I'd want one with a slight tint to it.
But, I'm weird, so there's that :lol:

I also wouldn't write off labs totally: for your budget and a little help to select a well cut stone from the lab stone thread, you could get double the caratage for the money. She would have to be on board before embarking on that route, though.
Options, good to have them.
 
Hello and welcome to PriceScope, MakiMan!

0.8, E color, extremely clean since it's a VS1, $5600.
...$100 off may apply if you sign up on their site.

Diamond | 0.806 ct E VS1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4535603

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.806 carat E color VS1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4535603
www.whiteflash.com

But, at this price point, you may as well grab that gorgeous 0.837 D VS2 that you originally posted about.
 
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denverappraiser said:
I personally wear a 0.92 VVS2 K Super ideal in my wedding ring. Due to my job, a lot of people look at it and comment. Never once has anyone noticed the color until I point it out.
Click to expand...

@denverappraiser May we see your ring? Pretty please? :bigsmile:
 
I agree the color and clarity are 100% individual personal preference.
The only person who should select the compromise of those grades is the person who is going to wear it.

IMO it's so important that is far supersedes the whole surprise thing.
Sorry.
 
Yes, the ring in my avatar is a branded superideal K. I never thought I would ever buy a K but it’s gorgeous.

I wouldn’t buy that for your intended, given you don’t know her preference. I just wanted to point it out.
 
There's nothing inbetween at WF, is there? I agree that if she's not choosing a G or H with VS2 or SI1 at an inbetween size would be nice.

Of the two that you chose, I personally would go for the larger one, a J in rose gold isn't something I'd notice at all. Have you been able to see either colour in person?
 
thank you all for the helpful comments. We will be going to jewelers in the mall and specifically look at the sizes to see if the .8 vs 1.0 carat matter. Alternatively I can ask if whiteflash will have stock of diamonds in between colors and sizes. So far the .80 carat at around $4.1k someone shared here is the winner.
 
MakiMan said:
thank you all for the helpful comments. We will be going to jewelers in the mall and specifically look at the sizes to see if the .8 vs 1.0 carat matter. Alternatively I can ask if whiteflash will have stock of diamonds in between colors and sizes. So far the .80 carat at around $4.1k someone shared here is the winner.
Click to expand...

Most mall jewelers are not known for their quality; not all will carry GIA or AGS graded stones. You may want to research the jewelers before heading to the mall or you may be wasting your time. If you have a Jared's nearby, they have a wide selection of stones. This is where I took my fiancée when we were looking at sizes and colors.

Be sure to have mm x mm dimensions of ideal cut stones for each of the sizes you will be looking at (you can get this information from diamonds listed on Whiteflash. For size, GIA or AGS stones will be OK as long as the size dimensions are close to your reference sizes from Whiteflash. Some GIA XXX stones are cut steep and deep; a 1 ct stone can face up the same size as a .8 ct stone. AGS stones with a 0 cut grade is the easy button, they will have good dimensions. I would also recommend looking at GIA graded stones of various color grades to see if color sensitivity is a factor.
 
MakiMan said:
thank you all for the helpful comments. We will be going to jewelers in the mall and specifically look at the sizes to see if the .8 vs 1.0 carat matter. Alternatively I can ask if whiteflash will have stock of diamonds in between colors and sizes. So far the .80 carat at around $4.1k someone shared here is the winner.
Click to expand...

While you're there, if the gf is with you look at some different colour grades too! See if she can see a difference or if she has a preference
 
Make sure you are comparing GIA stones for color. A lot of mall stores carry stones from less reliable grading labs.
Also, if the stones at the mall are not well cut they may appear a different size than a Super Ideal stone. Look at the
lab reports to see the actual diameter of the stones for comparison.

Here is a 2D relative size difference of the stones on a size 6 finger with a 2mm shank...just FYI. Actually trying some on
with the same diameter will give you the real feel if the .8 is big enough or if you want to up the size and downgrade the color.
You can ask Whiteflash for side-by-side pictures of the G and the J. The pictures are usually pretty helpful.

snip 1.png
 
BTW, I've owned an A Cut Above 1.14 J/SI1 and yes, you can see some tint in it. I was fine with the color but you need to see
what your tolerance is for color vs. size.

Here is a pic. In most* lighting it looked just like a bright white stone. However, there were those lighting situations where
it showed off all its tint.


905996
 
Put on hold anything that’s a contender!
 
A rose gold setting will not make a diamond whiter but it will have less contrast with a warm stone than a white metal would. For that reason you may be able to go lower in color.

FWIW I have different color grades of diamonds in different metals and just based on personal experience, do not intend to pay for high color in the future for anything intended to be set in rose gold.

BUT the most important opinion on color is what the wearer thinks.
 
thanks again for all the help so far. a bit of an update: I went to the mall with her and looked at stones so that she can choose about the trade off. we tried a random mall jewelry store and tiffanys. In the jewelry store most of the stones were on the lighter side of the spectrum, but didnt have the color grade at hand or any 0.8, also the lights were weird and you couldn’t really see the diamonds
properly. In Tiffanys the rocks were noticeable brighter and looked like what I had in mind. they did not have any Js. we had the chance to try the 1.0 and 0.80 and she prefers the ring on the larger side, or at least was able to tell the difference.

(honestly i was hoping we found the 1.0 rather large, as we come from different countries were growing up most people would have a .3-.5 stone).

we learn a couple of things
1. 1.0 is better than 0.8, but not 100% convinced of that. we agreed that maybe a 0.90 would be a good compromise, although we didn't actually see that size.
2. she found the shape of the bands uncomfortable, her fingers are close together and she could feel the band pressuring the sides.
3. the colour is still up in the air.

i got back to Whiteflash to see their inventory and unfortunately there are not many .9 diamonds at that budget. i am able to stretch it to 6k if that would get us a .9x and a mid color and nice diamond, but I will just be starting to look at those diamonds.

I may ask help to the Whiteflash salesperson, but I don’t know how much help that would be.
 
MakiMan said:
thanks again for all the help so far. a bit of an update: I went to the mall with her and looked at stones so that she can choose about the trade off. we tried a random mall jewelry store and tiffanys. In the jewelry store most of the stones were on the lighter side of the spectrum, but didnt have the color grade at hand or any 0.8, also the lights were weird and you couldn’t really see the diamonds
properly. In Tiffanys the rocks were noticeable brighter and looked like what I had in mind. they did not have any Js. we had the chance to try the 1.0 and 0.80 and she prefers the ring on the larger side, or at least was able to tell the difference.

(honestly i was hoping we found the 1.0 rather large, as we come from different countries were growing up most people would have a .3-.5 stone).

we learn a couple of things
1. 1.0 is better than 0.8, but not 100% convinced of that. we agreed that maybe a 0.90 would be a good compromise, although we didn't actually see that size.
2. she found the shape of the bands uncomfortable, her fingers are close together and she could feel the band pressuring the sides.
3. the colour is still up in the air.

i got back to Whiteflash to see their inventory and unfortunately there are not many .9 diamonds at that budget. i am able to stretch it to 6k if that would get us a .9x and a mid color and nice diamond, but I will just be starting to look at those diamonds.

I may ask help to the Whiteflash salesperson, but I don’t know how much help that would be.
Click to expand...

Super-clean under the table:

Diamond | 0.907 ct H SI1 A CUT ABOVE® Hearts and Arrows Super Ideal Round Cut Loose Diamond AGS Certified | 4531069

This Whiteflash A CUT ABOVE® super ideal cut hearts and arrows 0.907 carat H color SI1 clarity loose diamond is graded by the American Gem Society (AGS) Laboratories. | 4531069
www.whiteflash.com
 
I would say .88 until right under 1 carat is highly desirable because you get basically a carat at a price break. They are always hard to find IMO
 
MakiMan said:
thanks again for all the help so far. a bit of an update: I went to the mall with her and looked at stones so that she can choose about the trade off. we tried a random mall jewelry store and tiffanys. In the jewelry store most of the stones were on the lighter side of the spectrum, but didnt have the color grade at hand or any 0.8, also the lights were weird and you couldn’t really see the diamonds
properly. In Tiffanys the rocks were noticeable brighter and looked like what I had in mind. they did not have any Js. we had the chance to try the 1.0 and 0.80 and she prefers the ring on the larger side, or at least was able to tell the difference.

(honestly i was hoping we found the 1.0 rather large, as we come from different countries were growing up most people would have a .3-.5 stone).

we learn a couple of things
1. 1.0 is better than 0.8, but not 100% convinced of that. we agreed that maybe a 0.90 would be a good compromise, although we didn't actually see that size.
2. she found the shape of the bands uncomfortable, her fingers are close together and she could feel the band pressuring the sides.
3. the colour is still up in the air.

i got back to Whiteflash to see their inventory and unfortunately there are not many .9 diamonds at that budget. i am able to stretch it to 6k if that would get us a .9x and a mid color and nice diamond, but I will just be starting to look at those diamonds.

I may ask help to the Whiteflash salesperson, but I don’t know how much help that would be.
Click to expand...

Call Whiteflash - sometimes they have diamonds in the pipeline coming in that are not on the website. They are very friendly and helpful and it doesn’t hurt to ask them - they would welcome your call!
 
MamaBee said:
PB1503462.png May we see your ring? Pretty please? :bigsmile:
Click to expand...
I apologize for the polish. Frankly, I like that there are signs of wear, sort of like me. It's a symbolic thing. It's also a bit different in that I rather like the color of unplated white gold. No rhodium and never has been.
The CAD was done by Wink. The manufacturing and setting was done by a now closed Pricescope jeweler in St. Louis - Summa Jewelers. The diamond came from CBI.
 
Last edited:
denverappraiser said:
I apologize for the polish. Frankly, I like that there are signs of wear, sort of like me. It's a symbolic thing. It's also a bit different in that I rather like the color of unplated white gold. No rhodium and never has been.
The CAD was done by Wink. The manufacturing and setting was done by a now closed Pricescope jeweler in St. Louis - Summa Jewelers. The diamond came from CBI.
Click to expand...

It’s beautiful! I also like that it has patina. The diamond is gorgeous!
I moved to Pa from Town & Country Missouri..very close to Summa Jewelers!
 
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