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I or J diamond for an engagement ring?

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cluelezz

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 30, 2013
Messages
33
Hi everyone! :)

I've been lurking for the past few days over here and people seem to be very helpful in giving diamond advice to diamond newbies like me. I was just wondering if an I or J colored 1 carat round diamond ring would still look colorless in natural light? I've been meaning to buy this for my gf for sometime now and I've finally saved up for it! :D

These are my two options:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.00-carat-I-color-VS2-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-129471

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-J-color-VVS2-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-40888

The cost of the diamonds just go way up if it's a H or G, so that's why I'm wondering if going with an I or J is still acceptable as a "white diamond" in natural light.

Thank you for your help!
 
My vote is for the J. It scored a .9 on the HCA and I think it faces up pretty white. You'll only notice color when you look at the stone from the side. I love love those numbers! What will you be setting it in?
 
As long as you and your GF are not color sensitive then an I should be ok.
Do you have a Jared's near by? You can check out their Peerless line to see a well
Cut I or J. I cant check out your stones because I'm on my kindle. You might
also check out BGD Blue stones.
 
cluelezz|1359585758|3367844 said:
Hi everyone! :)

I've been lurking for the past few days over here and people seem to be very helpful in giving diamond advice to diamond newbies like me. I was just wondering if an I or J colored 1 carat round diamond ring would still look colorless in natural light? I've been meaning to buy this for my gf for sometime now and I've finally saved up for it! :D

These are my two options:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.00-carat-I-color-VS2-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-129471

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.01-carat-J-color-VVS2-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-40888

The cost of the diamonds just go way up if it's a H or G, so that's why I'm wondering if going with an I or J is still acceptable as a "white diamond" in natural light.

Thank you for your help!
Click to expand...

I didn't run the HCA tool for the second one, but the first one scores as 1.1, so worth considering. I think you'll find most people will say I will be ok, but J is starting to get iffy. Most people start detecting color around I so some people might be ok with a J and some people not.

Also, I think the I color range is the narrowest band of color grade and then J is larger, so depending on if the J tends toward the I side or down to the K side could also make a difference. I am sure the gemologist could let you know on that score. It's not really possible to tell just how much tint there is from a picture.

Assuming they both score under 2 on the HCA tool, you could put them on hold and ask for Idealscope images and a gemologist review and comparisn for color and performance.

Alternatively, fluorescence can help a stone with some tint face up whiter than its color, so you could also explore a stone with fluor in the same colro range. They could also give you an opinion of a face up color on them:

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.048-j-vs2-round-diamond-ags-bl-104062571020
http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamonds/diamond-details/1.038-i-si1-round-diamond-ags-bl-104062571004
 
Thank you, 04diamond :wavey: I'm thinking of these two options for settings.

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Three-Stone-Rings/18k-White-Gold-Three-Stone-Trillion-and-Pave-Set-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-item-5818

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Pave-Rings/18k-White-Gold-Princess-and-Pave-Accents-Engagement-Ring-item-8130

They are both in my budget... the other side stone settings are $1,000 more than these. I was surprised by the difference in price, actually as I wanted to get her all round diamonds in a 3 stone setting.

Will the side stones also have to be the same color? :)
 
Diamond color is graded from the side because the light return masks the color too much. That is also why we say well-cut diamonds hide their color more.

The I is cut to return more white light than the J, so it hides the color well.

The J isn't cut to be as bright, so the body color should be more apparent.
 
Mixing princess and round is asking for trouble. Don't like trillions either. There is a pear version of that setting, that is the best option.
 
Thanks bastetcat and JulieN!
Would the I be a better choice then? If the side stones have a better color will it help the setting look whiter?
 
cluelezz|1359586460|3367857 said:
Thank you, 04diamond :wavey: I'm thinking of these two options for settings.

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Three-Stone-Rings/18k-White-Gold-Three-Stone-Trillion-and-Pave-Set-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-item-5818

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Pave-Rings/18k-White-Gold-Princess-and-Pave-Accents-Engagement-Ring-item-8130

They are both in my budget... the other side stone settings are $1,000 more than these. I was surprised by the difference in price, actually as I wanted to get her all round diamonds in a 3 stone setting.

Will the side stones also have to be the same color? :)
Click to expand...


The stones are F/G in color on the round with trillion sides (which would be my pick over the one with princess) so then (since the I stone scored a 1.1 on the hca), maybe that's the one you should go with. The J I think would have been fine in a solitaire but since you'll be having white (and bigger, not pave) stones next to it, then I'd go with the whiter stone.
 
thanks 04diamond,
That information really helps... I guess having bigger sidestones would make the j color more noticeable if the sidestones are whiter than the center diamond.
 
cluelezz|1359586945|3367869 said:
Hi JulieN,

This one would still be in my price range.
http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Pave-Rings/18k-White-Gold-Pear-and-Pave-Accents-Engagement-Ring-item-8132

The other one is $1000 more but I don't really see any difference.

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Three-Stone-Rings/18k-White-Gold-Three-Stone-Pear-and-Pave-Set-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-item-2005
Click to expand...

I like the pears best of them style-wise. Wish the shanks were a little daintier, but that's just my personal taste.
 
thanks for the link, bastetcat... I'm now looking at the site to compare prices and such. What is the Brian GAvin signature? Is it a different cut from the hearts and arrows?
 
yes, the more expensive one with the pear shaped setting looks better but is above my budget... unless I get her a smaller center diamond. Her ring size is 4 1/2 would a less than 1 carat be too small for her finger?
 
What is your budget? I didn't see..
 
cluelezz|1359587475|3367883 said:
yes, the more expensive one with the pear shaped setting looks better but is above my budget... unless I get her a smaller center diamond. Her ring size is 4 1/2 would a less than 1 carat be too small for her finger?
Click to expand...


You could get away with a .75 or .80ct on her finger! They're tiny! That's a big plus. Brian Gavin signature is a special cut that Brian Gavin does. They're gorgeous!
 
cluelezz|1359587330|3367879 said:
thanks for the link, bastetcat... I'm now looking at the site to compare prices and such. What is the Brian GAvin signature? Is it a different cut from the hearts and arrows?
Click to expand...

No- H/A is a symmetry feature on a diamond which comes about in precise cutting. Pretty much every major vendor here has their own "signature" H/A stone. It's not a special cut per say that only one place can have, it's more about how the symmetry of all the cutting in a diamond lines up to reflect the H/A pattern. (One of the big gurus could probably explain better, and there's probably tons of threads on it if you search).

The BGD Blue line is ALL fluorescent stones. He picks them specifically for that feature and then they are cut to his usual parameters. I suspect each vendor has their own pet preferred "specs" and if you look at the measurements on any of the BG ones, you'll see there is very little variance. His parameters for all his stones are very tight. You don't need to run the HCA tool on them, because they are already evaluated and cut for performance. (But if you do, I suspect you'll generally get a score of around 1.5). :)
 
How about just plain pears...? I'm sure they can do it with diamonds. http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Gemstone-Settings/18k-White-Gold-Three-Stone-Pear-Shaped-Blue-Sapphire-Engagement-Ring-item-1643

I prefer this over the first I, $100 more for a big jump in size: http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.11-carat-I-color-VS2-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-173568

This one, could be a stunner: http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.04-carat-I-color-VS1-clarity-Excellent-cut-sku-188507

Here's a cheap option: http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/loose-diamonds/round-cut/1.02-carat-I-color-VS2-clarity-sku-183095
The pear setting in platinum would be in budget with this. http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Three-Stone-Rings/Platinum-Three-Stone-Pear-and-Pave-Set-Diamond-Engagement-Ring-item-1442
 
My budget for everything... diamond and setting would be more or less around 8k.
 
cluelezz|1359588500|3367900 said:
My budget for everything... diamond and setting would be more or less around 8k.
Click to expand...

I think if it were me, I'd put the first I on hold (it's free).

The second and third I show some promise, however, running them through the HCA I get 1.4 EX EX VG VG and then 2 EX VG VG VG respectively. The first I got a 1.1 (?right?) and it was EX EX EX EX, I think. So, I'd find 3 good contenders, and then put them all on hold and get Idealscopes and gemologist review. Or, choose your 2 favs and make the request. They only offer 3 reviews so it might not be a bad idea to save one for backup if you decide to go the JA route.

when the images and reviews come, post it here on PS (probably a new thread) for commentary.

Good luck! I think you've made a good start!
 
Thanks so much for your advice.. I have to go through all the pictures again as I'm getting a bit confused. :loopy:
 
Personally I don't like three stones with pave. A three stone is so classic and beautiful the pave just seems like guilding a lilly.
I'd get a plain one and a pair it with a pave w band.
Plus with her small fingers it wouldn't really be seen.
I'm in love with this and I bet there's a bg stone that'll be perfect. Even if yoi jabe to wait for them to find one. And I'm sure they canatch the side stones to your center

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/grace-3-stone-pears-18k-white-gold-5557w18
 
These videos are so magnified, you can see girdle inscriptions on the diamonds that have them.

Bastetcat, the image looks great. Just guessing from the table reflection, the PA on that is 40.7, not 40.8, GIA rounding is not that great for HCA. Images>HCA.
 
JulieN|1359589153|3367918 said:
These videos are so magnified, you can see girdle inscriptions on the diamonds that have them.

Bastetcat, the image looks great. Just guessing from the table reflection, the PA on that is 40.7, not 40.8, GIA rounding is not that great for HCA. Images>HCA.
Click to expand...

The image is very pretty, which is why I was a little shocked at the score. Bringing it down to 40.7 took it to something like a 2.7 HCA. Maybe it's a beauty though. Couldn't hurt to have it looked at.
 
That's a great setting... thank you for sending me the link... so now do I buy the diamond from James Allen and then have it set at Brian Gavin? Or just buy everything from Brian GAvin? This whole proposal business is a bit tricky, eh. Thank you for your help... all of you have been amazing! (Though I don't really understand some of the numbers and terms here). LOL
 
I think the image is great, but he might be able to get 6.5mm with less depth. I didn't realize it was 62.5.

I suggest narrowing down the diamonds and let us help you maybe start over with settings. James Allen has some nice looking settings but I am just not crazy about any posted so far. The style you chose looks good with rounds, but the price is higher:

http://www.jamesallen.com/#!/Engagement-Rings/Three-Stone-Rings/Platinum-Round-Brilliant-and-Pave-Accents-Engagement-Ring-item-8151

At $2275 that leaves you only $5725 for the diamond.
 
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