Just curious, but why don’t we see a lot of Q-R, S-T, & U-V stones?

[caolsen]

It was your ring that made me curious! I was admiring what a lovely yellow it is.

Thank you. I’ll give you a comparison - the OMC is the lowest of the low, drill dodging lower color. Here is my just a wee bit more yellow light fancy (per the GIA).

It’s like saying a golden retriever is objectively better than a golden retriever - I don’t buy that as an absolute.

 

[caolsen]

Oddly enough....my experience in the secondary market for antique stones is that the colors from about L, through S-T, are far more common than higher color OMB, OEC, or CB's.
The reason is that so many of the high color antique stones were recut in the '60's and '70's. it didn't make financial sense to recut an M color, but a D was a no brainer.

Totally agree. My nearly 3 carat transitional pear only survived a recut because it’s a L!

 

[bright ice]

Can you believe this is an O-P?

It’s an antique OMC!

 

[mrs-b]

Cool stone @mrs-b !!!

I must assume the seller added the label claiming the stone faces like a K-L...
It looks quite more yellow than that to me.....
There are indeed well cut K color emerald cuts that face up more like colorless stones

Hi @Rockdiamond -

The dealer estimated the color of the stone before he sent it off to the GIA. He guessed K-L. When it came back it was an S-T and he was very surprised, but unfazed. I don't believe he's trying to 'talk it up' - he's very up-front about his stones and sells many warm, beautiful diamonds.

 

[Demon]

Can you believe this is an O-P?

It’s an antique OMC!

I love that, and the setting too!

 

[glitterata]

Here's my S color CBI 1.45 ct with strong blue fluorescence, which some of you may remember from way back when. For comparison, I'm showing it with a c. 1920s transitional cut that the seller estimated at .55 ct. I don't know what color the .55 ct trans cut is, but it looks pretty white to me--maybe in the G-H range somewhere? I'm just guessing. I tried to pick a range of photos that show how the Infinity S can look pretty yellow or relatively white. I had it set in silver. Its clarity is I1, which along with the S color made it very affordable for an almost 1.5 ct super ideal when I bought it a decade or so ago. @John Pollard can probably say more about why CBI cut it at all, but as I recall they estimated that it would grade as a higher clarity and color grade--more in the O SI2 range, I think. I love the warmth and the inclusions, which are not eye visible to me, but I find them fun to look at through a loupe. (And I wouldn't mind if they WERE eye visible. I like the idea of little diamonds inside my diamond. I1 is my favorite clarity.)

 

[caolsen]

@bright ice That’s lovely - such yummy warmth.

 

[stonewell]

Sooo enjoying everyone’s stunning, lower color gems - such buttery goodness!! What I have come to love about them is how they can look so different in different lighting... they’re never look the same. After having the good fortune of acquiring @msop04’s stunning U/V, I was convinced that many folks are simply missing out on a whole range of gorgeous stones. However, I can’t say I mind that - leaves more to choose from an already limited inventory.

 

[Rockdiamond]

@mrs-b and @caolsen No offense intended to any of the sellers!
Trying to gauge the color of an emerald cut in that range is one of the most difficult color grading tasks. Plus, there's just not enough of these stones on the market to give meaningful experience.

The only reason I asked about GIA was to get an idea of the basis of the grade. Not having the report does not dimish the beauty at all! In a color like this, lack of GIA really does not diminish the value all that much either.
But for the purposes of a discussion like this- we really don't know what color GIA would grade the diamond.

 

[Dancing Fire]

[USER=8220]@Dancing Fire there is a very delicious 3.75 D-VVS2 CBI available currently but we would need to move to a state with no sales tax first

I told Wink that you'll wire the money to him and then I can fly to Idaho to pick up the stone to save a few % on the sales tax since it is cheaper in Idaho than in Ca. Let me know after you wired the money to Wink so that I can book my flight to Idaho.

 

[caolsen]

@mrs-b and @caolsen No offense intended to any of the sellers!
Trying to gauge the color of an emerald cut in that range is one of the most difficult color grading tasks. Plus, there's just not enough of these stones on the market to give meaningful experience.

The only reason I asked about GIA was to get an idea of the basis of the grade. Not having the report does not dimish the beauty at all! In a color like this, lack of GIA really does not diminish the value all that much either.

But for the purposes of a discussion like this- we really don't know what color GIA would grade the diamond.

You’re right & zero offense. The GIA could say it’s anywhere from a lemon to a kumquat for all we know. But when I compare this stone to my FLY which is GIA graded, I am pretty confident of the range being darn near U-V. I really wish GIA was not so darn stingy about the cuts on pre modern cutting era stones - sending them off is asking for a beat down.

I can’t pick a smell from a boil but , I can match paint from memory or mix my own at home from base colors if I don’t have what I need. Seeing color is my one and only super power. I can match a Pantone like nobody...#useless

As for emeralds, I can’t NOT imagine color grading a big one in this range. The contrast of the open body versus the corners where they can concentrate any color - yikes.

For what is worth, here is my small, VVS2 F (graded by a GIA graduate with a calibrated set of master stones) emerald in 18K WG next the drill doger just out of the steamer.

Point is color and cut are such close bed fellows.

The little .5 Asscher is a Colorless/If (GIA cert) in a deep YG bezel and it’s still a shining little white star. Even with pink nail polish behind in.


My guess is if the OMC were to be recut as a radiant, I bet it would be darn near a Z.

Not helpful for you - but I think illustrative that beauty and color is in the eye of the beholder. We fixate on it - way too much if you ask me.

 

[caolsen]

@stonewell That’s a thing to behold lovely ring.

 

[stonewell]

@caolsen thank you! I’m drooling over your beautiful jewel. It’s absolutely divine!

 

[hobbitfancier55]

Here is my new U-V OMC, I love warmer stones and this stone and setting hits so many of my sweet spots.

I think of the four C’s, color is the one area where the traditional Brick and Mortars have made an exclusivity plan. Perhaps a buyer can’t buy a 2 carat center stone (carat being an area where one can be exclusive) but they can be exclusive in color and color is easy to understand.

Many folks sell, and folks by, that a higher color (just listen to that word - ‘higher’), is more exclusive.

There are so many cultural connotations with purity and ‘whiteness’ that I won’t even go into as well...

I'm seriously so jealous of this ring!!! I'd been drooling over it for months on Instagram wondering why nobody had bought it. I was quite sad when I saw someone had Golden deliciousness. Glad to see a PSer got it!

 

[caolsen]

@caolsen thank you! I’m drooling over your beautiful jewel. It’s absolutely divine!

I’m drooling over that amazing target ting with the inlay - is that onyx?

 

[stonewell]

I’m drooling over that amazing target ting with the inlay - is that onyx?

It is! The center is also an N color - never imagined I would feel comfortable with such a stone, but it’s perfect in my eyes. Color and all.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

@AV_ Thats true I have seen a couple lower colored diamonds from both vendors online.

Brilliance.com has quite a few if you search brown diamonds. I have a .70 oval UV and a .40 S-T radiant from them. Both were very affordable.

 

[jbkhere]

I am very much enjoying this discussion AND all the gorgeous stones. Thought I'd add mine jff
GIA 0.58 OEC FY

 

[AV_]

I am surprised to see this at Lang - www their reply to the question in the title of this thread.

Ice melting

 

[caolsen]

I'm seriously so jealous of this ring!!! I'd been drooling over it for months on Instagram wondering why nobody had bought it. I was quite sad when I saw someone had Golden deliciousness. Glad to see a PSer got it!

I’m sooo happy with it - I had been such an Insta stalker that I just had one of those “take a s**t or get of the pot” moments and took the plunge, do please forgive the crass metaphor.
Very glad I took the plunge - and beat you to it

 

[caolsen]

I am surprised to see this at Lang - www their reply to the question in the title of this thread.

Ice melting

That’s a really beautiful ring and a hell of a steal!

 

[caolsen]

I am very much enjoying this discussion AND all the gorgeous stones. Thought I'd add mine jff
GIA 0.58 OEC FY

That’s just a bezel’ed beauty - lovely.
I feel like all of us bevel lovers need to form a gang and go all West Side Story The Sharks vs The Jets with the prong people

 

[sunandsky]

Two reasons I can think of....
One reason is that we're trying to calibrate the presence of color. Whereas in the higher colorless grades, it's calibrating the absence of color. Much easier, and more precise declaring how little color a diamond has as opposed to how much.
Second- the color grades increase in "width" as we get darker.
That is to say, the difference between a D and an E is exponentially smaller than the difference between a J and a K.
This grade widening continues and expands as we go down the scale.

@Rockdiamond @John Pollard I’ve been looking for years for the chart that shows how “wide”each band is (I saw it once, didn’t save it, assumed I’d find it when neeeded and have never seen it again) - do you have this info anywhere, or know where I could find it?

 

[AV_]

That’s a really beautiful ring and a hell of a steal!

I am falling for this combination of colors - much more Summer & Winter than White & Yellow

 

[m1918]

just saw this posted to RC’s instagram

most of the comments are about the middle ring which she said in her story was U-V... maybe we will see the lower colors become more popular!

 

[Mreader]

Sooo enjoying everyone’s stunning, lower color gems - such buttery goodness!! What I have come to love about them is how they can look so different in different lighting... they’re never look the same. After having the good fortune of acquiring @msop04’s stunning U/V, I was convinced that many folks are simply missing out on a whole range of gorgeous stones. However, I can’t say I mind that - leaves more to choose from an already limited inventory.

I’m in love with the pattern of this stone!

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

A few weeks ago someone posted that Brilliance.com has lower alphabet color diamonds and I have looked through them a few times.

This is a particular favorite, because the cutting is so... concerning.... someone was clearly trying to do SOMETHING here, but what!??!?



Depth 77.4%

1.01 Carat Diamond, Round, W Color, VVS2, IGI, D110229441

This Round shape, W color,VVS2 clarity, and Good make (cut) certified loose diamond comes with a report from the IGI

www.brilliance.com

However if anyone wants a 1 ct diamond for only $835, there it is! Of course the face-up size is only 5.7mm, but you've gotta sacrifice something I guess.

That post may be from me. I bought 2 low color diamonds from them a few years ago, one a .70 U-V oval that I just love. But they have a range, that's for sure. A very what, catholic database?

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

This is my dream color range.
I just hope there is one antique cut of some kind in this color range floating around when I actually have some funds in a couple of years to buy one. I'm not even looking for more than a 1-1.5ct. Fingers crossed...maybe I'll get lucky.