Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

How subjective is I1?

Mreader

Mreader

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Messages
7,145
I recently bought a pair of diamond stud earrings that were graded I1 (not GIA cert just from the jeweler) that were 4 ctw. I was told they had lots of sparkle, and was sent a video that seemed to confirm that. My studs that I have are I1 (not GIA cert again) and they are 2 ctw. They sparkle alot. THe cut of both pairs as VG. I got the earrings and I thought they looked terrible (pic attached). They reminded me of cloudy diamonds that you see in chain jewelry stores in the mall. I bought from a company that has wonderful reviews. I returned the pair, but just wondered what you guys might think about the grade. I would think I2 or 3 but again I'm no expert and just wondered how much leeway there might be. After getting these, I visited a store that has earrings this size (only one exists in my town) and they looked at a 3 ctw pair and two 4ctw pair and they were all dazzling and all graded I1.
 

Attachments

  • thumbnail.jpg
    thumbnail.jpg
    150.1 KB · Views: 26
Who is saying that these are I1? If there was no cert then it may as well be I2 or I3? Can you return them?
 
Mreader said:
The jeweler said they were I1 at the store that sold then to me. And yes I returned them.
Click to expand...

It may be true that they are I1, however it is very subjective. Not all I1's are created equally. Some present really good value and still sparkly tremendously and others look dull and included.
 
I1 is NOT actually subjective, but it is a broad range of clarity that encompasses borderline Si2 to borderline I2. There is a lot of latitude in the middle which is legitimate I1. However, when you are willing to buy from a retailer without a GIA report, you must remember that without a GIA or other respected major lab report, the I1 you are being shown might easily be really an I2.

If you like the looks and are willing to purchase uncerted I1 stones for I2 prices, then you are headed in a relatively safe direction. Give yourself the leeway of "subjectivity" and don't leave that on the table for the seller. That's what a dealer would do, and that is exactly what you should also try to do. None of this is easy to accomplish, but you need to have the correct mindset to go in the right direction.
 
oldminer said:
I1 is NOT actually subjective, but it is a broad range of clarity that encompasses borderline Si2 to borderline I2.
Click to expand...

Subjective that it did not have a GIA cert to verify. It was only based on the jeweller's appraisal.
 
I was just disappointed because the guy from the company told me (and I'm quoting here): "There are nice; really great sparkle and the inclusions are minor." This place has very competitive prices and a good reputation (also people on Pricescope have said positive things). When I got them I didn't find that they had much sparkle at all and the inclusions seemed far from minor. I lost a little bit of $ in the return, so that's why it bothers me too.

 
Mreader said:
I was just disappointed because the guy from the company told me (and I'm quoting here): "There are nice; really great sparkle and the inclusions are minor." This place has very competitive prices and a good reputation (also people on Pricescope have said positive things). When I got them I didn't find that they had much sparkle at all and the inclusions seemed far from minor. I lost a little bit of $ in the return, so that's why it bothers me too.
Click to expand...

Do you mean shipping costs? And what one person says Is sparkly can be very different from what another thinks. It’s an I1. Can you have them try again? This time send you a video first?
 
LLJsmom said:
Do you mean shipping costs? And what one person says Is sparkly can be very different from what another thinks. It’s an I1. Can you have them try again? This time send you a video first?
Click to expand...

Shipping and mountings I paid for. They did send the video first - they didn’t look that bad in the video.
 
Mreader said:
Shipping and mountings I paid for. They did send the video first - they didn’t look that bad in the video.
Click to expand...

They said I would probably need to spend 5K more to get the type of thing I’m looking for and much extra was far outside my budget.
 
Mreader said:
They said I would probably need to spend 5K more to get the type of thing I’m looking for and much extra was far outside my budget.
Click to expand...

Quite honestly, I'm just surprised that anyone would buy uncertified diamond studs of that size and expect that the seller wouldn't over grade them, since there was no accompanying GIA. Trust but verify.
 
@oldminer speaks wisdom.
I have seen i1 diamonds graded by gia that I was like wow is this an i1? when looking face up, then usually tilting it a bit oh that's why but they sure did look nice face up.
Then there are others you can practically see the inclusions face up from across the room and yep still gia i1.
 
I’m surprised no mentioned cut. Wouldn’t that be a factor slso
 
mdmc said:
I’m surprised no mentioned cut. Wouldn’t that be a factor slso
Click to expand...

In my original post I mentioned that the cut was said to be VG
 
LIGemzGal said:
Quite honestly, I'm just surprised that anyone would buy uncertified diamond studs of that size and expect that the seller wouldn't over grade them, since there was no accompanying GIA. Trust but verify.
Click to expand...

This is true. But I’m not as finicky about a GIA cert with earrings which tend to be more forgiving. I do have GIA certs for my three rings. All those diamonds were purchased online and my original non-certified diamond earrings also online (after talking with the sellers). This is the first time using this company and the first time I have had a less than great experience. Live and learn :)
 
I hear you. And quite honestly, even if they were "officially" I1 graded by GIA, doesn't mean they would have been more or less attractive, as you found out when they arrived. But at least you may have had peace of mind knowing that the clarity was what it was stated to be.
 
mdmc said:
I’m surprised no mentioned cut. Wouldn’t that be a factor slso
Click to expand...
Diamond have to be transparent for cut to help.
With higly included diamonds the inclusions make more difference than cut.
 
I don't think GIA would have given them an I1. They do look noisy in the pics and I'm sorry you had to have this experience. I have three I1 stones in my family and to the naked eye and in most photos, you can't tell they have inclusions to be graded I1 (one is graded I1 by GIA - the other two valued by experienced jewellers). If you take a photo of a diamond and you can immediately tell that it's not clear, it's not an I1.

I don't think the difference between SI2 and I1 is subjective, but between I1 and I2? That gets trickier I feel.
 
As much respect as I have for David- I kind of disagree. There is is a subjective nature to clarity grading- and the lower the clarity grade, the greater degree of subjectivity.
If we were to ask 20 qualified graders to examine a given borderline SI2/ I1 there’s little chance they would all agree.

Having said all that...in the case of stones with no GIA reports it’s truly interpretation. When a seller self grades I1 it’s kind of a giveaway that there’s a relatively substantial amount of imperfection. That doesn’t necessarily mean the stone will be dull. But it certainly would be appropriate for a potential buyer to ask for specifics.

Cut grading based on visual examination is far more subjective still.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top