Has one of the 4 C's spoiled you?

[Amys Bling]

Well, after seeing all the beautiful rings here on PS, I always secretly thought to myself that I would have been able to go down in color (I have a D) to a I, J, K and could have gone significantly higher in carat.... well, low and behold, I bought a .60 diamond off of Ebay, sold to be as a J/K (probably actually lower) and instantly I thought that although I have the warmth, I don't think I could actually go as low in color as I thought- I think the D has trained me to become color conscious.

How about you? Have you become spoiled by one of the C's?

 

[Circe]

In the opposite direction! My e-ring is a J, and I always wondered if I should have gone higher. Lo and behold, I bought an E ... and while I don't regret it, I don't think I'll ever go into the colorless range again. I like the variety the warmer hues bring! Ditto on clarity: having seen a good SI1 in a larger size, I don't think I'll be able to muster the fortitude to go higher.

I haven't gotten an ideal-cut yet, though ... we'll see how I feel once I dip into that territory! I have the sneaking suspicion that once you go premium light return, it's hard to go back ....

 

[Dreamer_D]

I am spoiled for carat and clarity. I have a 1.67ct J VS1 AGS0 H&A from Brian Gavin. It is totally a mind thing, but I adore the VS1 clarity -- I have owned VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2, and I1 diamonds and really love the VS and above clarity. I like knowing the diamonds is cleeeeeeeeean. And I admit, after getting used to a 1.67ct RB I see diamonds that are by all normal standards generous -- like 1ct even! --and think they look teensy

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Cara gives great massages
Claire is very sweet
Cassie blows my mind
Cynthis looks fantastic

 

[Venice]

I am spoiled by color. I got engaged with an F, VVS1, and have since had two @ E VS2. So I went up in color and carat, and down in clarity.
My saying is, "Once you go "E" you can never go back." With that said, I would take any color in an OMC or OEC.

I have a right hand ring with excellent, hand picked "H" color diamonds. It is sparkly and blingy, and I get loads of compliments on it, but I just cannot stand putting it next to my wedding set after I clean them. It looks so different next to my "E." I guess I am very color sensitive.

 

[Gothgrrl]

I like the higher colors. I tried to go lower, but did not like the warmth.

 

[bright&shiny]

I am definitely spoiled by cut. I just can't look at diamonds the same way - and it largely explains what I've liked about the diamonds that attract me. It is almost always cut. In fact, I have a pair of studs that I purchased shortly before I discovered PS - and although I wear them, every time I clean them, I am keenly aware of their shortcomings in cut. I can live with the clarity (too low to mention here without ridicule), the color, and the size. It is the cut and the lack of light performance that I notice and regret. Then, I get over myself and enjoy them because there are plenty of people out there without diamonds at all....

At any rate, I simply am a different kind of consumer - and cut is the determining factor in all of my selections now.

 

[Gypsy]

Just cut. Badly cut diamonds really bug me.

And bad workmanship.

And ridiculously high prices.

 

[bgray]

its tough because cut is so important that if a stone isnt cut well the others are irrelevant

 

[that_someone_special]

Yeah.. I think every diamond is a small diamond now. I thought for earrings 1.50ctw would be a good "forever" size. Now that I've been wearing them I am really self conscious about them and feel that they look terribly small and that 4ctw would probably be closer to what I would be comfortable with studs. Not in the budget though.

I also feel the opposite about diamond color- I LOVE warm colored diamonds now. I don't get why it's always look upon as a negative thing too. But anyways, I acquired a colorless stone recently and while it's bright and nice.. I really, 100% love warmer stones.

So.. carat and color.

ETA: I didn't mention cut because that will always be no. 1 to me! So I guess cut, carat, color.

ETA however I don't mind those wonky cut OEC or OMC stones. I find them endearing.

 

[blueiris]

Like most here, cut is #1 for me, followed by color. I prefer higher colors, at least for diamonds that are larger. I'm color sensitive though. Clarity is also important to me. Like Dreamer said, it's sort of a "mind clean" thing but I really like knowing that my diamond is quite clean. And carat size is important to me, to a point. So I guess I should say that I want it all!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I value cut, color, and clarity the most. Size is not all that important to me. I wouldn't have any desire for a large stone in a lower color and clarity while others love that. But that's good because all diamonds need a good home!

 

[kittybean]

My saying is, "Once you go "E" you can never go back."

For me, it's actually the other way around! I have an E as my e-ring stone, and while I think it's lovely, I really love my ideal-cut J pendant stone. I will definitely be purchasing "warmer" diamonds in the future.

I've absolutely been spoiled by well-cut RBs. I don't think I could buy anything but ideal-cuts at this point.

 

[swingirl]

I am spoiled by cut. I will never go down it that category. But after purchasing a VVS1 and an I1, I can honestly say I love a good low clarity stone with well positioned inclusions. I'll take the saved money and pump up the size.

 

[Andelain]

Of course cut, it has to be very well cut. After that, definitely color. I've always been very color sensitive, I see color in even 'E''s and 'F's. Of course having a 'D' on my hand 24/7 isn't helping that. I've gotten so bad that I'm even thinking of trading in my 'G' color Brian Gavin studs when they get some 'D's or 'E's in the same size. Clarity matters some. I have an I-2 that's beautiful, but that's an exception. Everything else is SI-1 to VVS1. Size is another matter. I like nice big stones on my hand, and would love to have about a 4 carat rock on my hand. But at the same time I dislike anything above about a half carat on my ears. I have larger studs that you'll probably never see me wear

 

[Venice]

My saying is, "Once you go "E" you can never go back."

For me, it's actually the other way around! I have an E as my e-ring stone, and while I think it's lovely, I really love my ideal-cut J pendant stone. I will definitely be purchasing "warmer" diamonds in the future.

I've absolutely been spoiled by well-cut RBs. I don't think I could buy anything but ideal-cuts at this point.

This is PS. I took it for granted that we are all about "cut" first! I have been an advocate for cut quality for thirty years. Cut, color, clarity for me, before carat.

 

[MarkBroumand]

I don't think I could buy anything but ideal-cuts at this point.

I'm on the same boat!

 

[b2cjewels]

For me Carat is first point of variable to determine the size I would like to go for once I am sure of the size( weight in carat) I am sorry to use the term size here. My next line of focus would be on Clarity -Cut--Color----- that is the order I would choose one after the other...this is the way I would like to be spoiled

 

[Autumnovember]

I think that the warm tones can look really beautiful but I don't think I could personally go down in color from my F, but thats just me!

My sequence is Cut, Color, Clarity and then carat size

 

[yssie]

My saying is, "Once you go "E" you can never go back."

For me, it's actually the other way around! I have an E as my e-ring stone, and while I think it's lovely, I really love my ideal-cut J pendant stone. I will definitely be purchasing "warmer" diamonds in the future.

I've absolutely been spoiled by well-cut RBs. I don't think I could buy anything but ideal-cuts at this point.

Me too - it's interesting how different peoples' preferences can be!

My first diamond ring had an F, now I'd never go above a J - and I, too, couldn't purchase any stones bigger than melee that weren't well cut, unless they have the charming wonkiness of antiques

 

[LGK]

My saying is, "Once you go "E" you can never go back."

For me, it's actually the other way around! I have an E as my e-ring stone, and while I think it's lovely, I really love my ideal-cut J pendant stone. I will definitely be purchasing "warmer" diamonds in the future.

I've absolutely been spoiled by well-cut RBs. I don't think I could buy anything but ideal-cuts at this point.

Me too - it's interesting how different peoples' preferences can be!

My first diamond ring had an F, now I'd never go above a J - and I, too, couldn't purchase any stones bigger than melee that weren't well cut, unless they have the charming wonkiness of antiques

Yeah, colorless stones just don't do it for me either. I suspect it has to do with the fact that stark white isn't the most flattering color to my skin tone- off whites and creams look best on me, and diamonds are no exception. I wore my mom's new uber-white diamond for a bit today and it just isn't a flattering color on me. Well, and the fact that lower color stones are soooo much cheaper doesn't suck either!

Cut, in old cuts, is also something I've discovered really is important to me too (not just in ideal RBs). I don't just love any antique cut out there- they have to have a particular look and excellent fire. I had a 2 ct transitional cut for a while as a RHR, and I barely wore it- I wore my 1.2something OEC all the time instead. The transitional cut had great light return and wasn't dark, by any means, but it returned way more white light than fire. Despite the size I much preferred the fiery OEC. That surprised me- I thought a smidge less fire and a much larger size would have been just fine with me.

Not really a "4C"s thing but I have also realized diamond studs of any size would be a total waste on me. With long hair 1. you don't see them and 2. I just can't keep them clean with my hair brushing against them all day.

 

[yssie]

Not really a "4C"s thing but I have also realized diamond studs of any size would be a total waste on me. With long hair 1. you don't see them and 2. I just can't keep them clean with my hair brushing against them all day.

Hmm. I don't seem to have made it to that realisation yet, which is too bad really

 

[autumngems]

Cut above all else for me. I used to be about carat and clarity but once I got my Whiteflash AGS Ideal cut I don't think I could go back.

 

[Amethyste]

Definately, the "C"olor has spoiled me...

I was drawn at first by high colors like in the D-E-F range... But then... WOW, my heart got swept by the lower colors and how they dress the light with such warmth... I got a W to X color pear and I am sooooo in love with it. I don't see the lower color to be inferior, just a different animal in itself... A beautiful animal at that!!!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

You know, in a way this question is almost nonsensical because everyone will just say that what *they* have is of course the best. We chose what we have, and so probably liked it a priori, then even if we did not, post-decisional rationalization kicks in and suddenly colorless/warm/high-clarity/whatever becomes the most important thing and we will never go back!! Until we do...

 

[Amys Bling]

Dreamer- yes and no... for instance I think many people here may have started with one idea- or one type of stone, and then switched to something else...like Yssie- she had an F (I am assuming because of the "idea" implanted into people's minds that high color is better and now she went to a J and will never go higher) When we (I) say, has one C spoiled you, I am asking what "c" is your go to search parameter...

sooo. yes and no. I think that some people just have their mind set on a certain "c" and their priority when looking at stones... of course by this point most people have found their "c" sweetspot and it is now what they have...