G vs F or SI1 vs VS2

[NewlyEngaged]

Okay, this group has been awesome and tremendously helpful. I am much more calm about this whole diamond purchase thing and I am just curious of people''s opinions. I am seeing my jeweler this week and he is showing me two diamonds and I am trying to figure out which is more important:

One diamond is a Princess cut, G color, VS2 and the other is a Princess cut, F color, SI1. I know there are many other factors, but my jeweler is someone I trust implicitly (I am not going through other sources unknown to me anymore, simply sticking with what and who I know)... That said, he is getting comparable diamonds as far as symmetry, polish, depth, table, cut, etc... So the only real variable I need to consider is the color vs the clarity. Oh, roughly a 1 carat size; I know clarity and color both make a bigger difference in much larger diamonds, etc.

So in people''s experience... Better to spend money to step up one in clarity or step up one in color? Assume if you will, that the SI1 is going to be a very good SI1 as my jeweler has very particular tastes. Also, both of these are GIA certified. Any and all feedback, thoughts and comments are appreciated.

 

[rbjd]

Ah, the old color versus clarity debate. I personally went for clarity over color. I would take a G VS2 over an F SI1, but that's just me. I guess it depends on the particular diamonds and the particular price difference. If I was going to buy a G VS2, I might just splurge and get an F VS2 instead.

 

[mike04456]

Do you have to decide now, sight unseen? Why not just set them side by side and see which one you like better?

The difference between F and G is pretty subtle. Some people can tell them apart, but most can't. I don't think you can separate a properly graded VS2 from a high SI1 without magnification and some training, even with a princess cut. So I think you should just trust your own eyes here.

 

[Hest88]

See which looks better.

 

[Mara]

You're splitting hairs IMO with the color, I think G is great...so I may go with the G VS over F SI esp since sometimes clarity is more visibly with fancy cut stones, but one stone may speak to you more...you may know it when you see it. Go with your eyes..definitely!

 

[jpdoane]

If it were me, I would buy an Idealscope ($25) and look at both of them through that. Even if diamonds are similar proportions, small differences can have a significant impact on cut. I know my girl wants a diamond to sparkle more than anything else.

Everything else being equal, though, I think that lower clarity would bug me more than lower color.

-Jon

 

[NewlyEngaged]

Thanks... No, I do NOT have to decide now, sight unseen. I am going to look at both this week. So far with other diamonds I have looked at, I seem to be one of the strange people that can tell a G from an F with the naked eye when side by side. However, I am pretty sure that once it is set, it will not be noticeable at all.

As far as price, I don't know the exact price differential yet. It won't be huge, but it will likely be the difference between me staying in budget or me stretching more than I would like and going over budget. I ultimately will decide once I see them both side to side, but wanted to get people's experiences with such a situation.

I am likening this, sort of, to when I was a teenager and sold TV's at an electronic's store part-time... You would easily notice a difference in the picture on the $1,000 TV versus the picture on the $500 TV. But, once in the living room at home, you couldn't tell that the $500 TV had a lesser picture quality. Hence, will I, or my girlfriend, or anyone else for that matter, notice a difference with either one once set in the ring and on her hand. Do I make any sense?

 

[rbjd]

I would say it is unlikely that anybody will notice the difference between either of the factors you've highlighted once it is set into the ring and she's wearing it. Unless her friends carry around loupes and color grading sets, it probably doesn't matter at all.

 

[Mara]

Ha Ha this reminds me of the Legally Blonde 2 Movie I saw last nite where the best friend pulled out a gold loupe and proclaimed Elle's pink diamond e-ring a VVS of excellent cut quality after a few seconds of peeking at it (and some other stuff I didn't catch).

In that case the friends DO carry the loupe around!

Hah. BTW movie was entertaining but VERY DUMB...not as much of a cute suprise as the first one.