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Thoughts on my whiteflash diamond

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Yes I am being stressy. I was actually worried about the inclusions since it''s an SI1 and I have a diamond currently with an inclusion that drives me crazy. I had no concerns about the color with it being an F. So I guess I freaked out. I don''t really have high expectations. I researched this and made a decision that was informed. I wanted good color and gave some on the clarity and I suppose on size. So I am stressed with what I saw today. Did I expect a flawless diamond? No. But I expected one much more white than what I saw today. That''s honestly the reality.

Honey - thanks for the encouragement. This being Round 3 is causing a lot of stress. I went to Thanksgiving and all the fam wanted to see the ring. I lied and said it was being sized. Some people saw the original one. So it''s kind of . . . no not kind of - it IS a tough position to be in. To be announcing your engagement without a ring. To be worried that the future MIL will notice the different ring and think I cried and wanted a bigger diamond. Cause a bigger diamond means more $$$$. People view that the wrong way it seems. So this is quite a bit of stress in all honesty and I think seeing yellow today just pushed me over the edge. I apologize for stressing to the extreme to you guys. I didn''t know where else to turn.
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No worries.... So I was right about something else going on and you are just taking it out on that poor diamond :) Your diamond sounds like it is stunning and people will love it!!!
 
Beach - well I said it was the 3rd ring in the OP. I thought you were driving at something else. I probably wouldn''t have been nearly as upset if the lady hadn''t said she didn''t think it was an F. If she hadn''t said that I would have thought it was reflecting something. For example - Kay''s (at least my local one) has yellow walls. ALL diamonds look yellow in there. How retarded is that. I don''t remember seeing anything yellow in my store today. So I''m concerned and there''s nothing I can do right now. I will just have to wait and see I guess. It helps that others like Honey have had similar experiences. :)
 
Date: 11/29/2008 8:22:57 PM
Author: hoofbeats95
Beach - well I said it was the 3rd ring in the OP. I thought you were driving at something else. I probably wouldn''t have been nearly as upset if the lady hadn''t said she didn''t think it was an F. If she hadn''t said that I would have thought it was reflecting something. For example - Kay''s (at least my local one) has yellow walls. ALL diamonds look yellow in there. How retarded is that. I don''t remember seeing anything yellow in my store today. So I''m concerned and there''s nothing I can do right now. I will just have to wait and see I guess. It helps that others like Honey have had similar experiences. :)
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We''ve all had those experiences. And think about it, the reason stores like Kay''s have walls like that is because ALL diamonds look equally sparkly...even crap stones.
 
I have learned that about 90% of the jewelers or people that work at them really do NOT know what they are talking about. How can they judge color under those lights and not in controlled/unaltered conditions? They often make these absolutist statements with no data at all to work from and to scare clients. Kinda sad becasue people trust them and think that they are honest, informed. and acting in their best interests. This is a good example of how people misuse their power....Forums like this can help counter that power differential and make it even. I was helped by others on the forum (like neatfreak)too and presently getting my diamond appraised by an Indep. appraisor. If you want an unbiased opinion go get one. You will NOT get one at a jeweler.
 
Your diamond sounds lovely and I would totally trust WF and the AGS report saying it is a F stone. I notice a lot of jewelry stores have yellow lighting. I have an E diamond and it does pick up surrounding color. If your diamond looked white again paper I believe it is colorless. I can''t wait to see the finished ring.
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If I wanted an appraisal I don''t know I won''t have time to do it before my 10 day decision period. I highly doubt I will return the stone though. But if I wanted to get it appraised later, can someone suggest a person for me? Taking into account my StLouis location. Thanks.
 
Date: 11/29/2008 7:26:05 PM
Author: beach
I am just being honest when I say this but your expectations seem to be the problem and set you up for continual disappointment. SO the only way IMO for you to get over it is to get the best on paper so you have no wiggle room to make yourself go nuts. So buy the best so you won''t be asking yourself for the rest of your life ''what if''.....Your diamond is white, your expectations are the issue. That is the real problem IMO.
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I think the point of the forum is to address the questions posed by the OP, not make assumptions regarding their intentions, relationships etc. If the OP wanted that, I am sure she would be happy to pay you by the hour.
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I grew up in Town and Country :) Dunno about appraisars in the area though...
 
Honey.....are you finished yet? sheesh... We all make assumptions and share opinons on here last time I checked....I was honest unlike alot of the people on the forum who sugarcoat things... It does not make me rude all because my comment may be difficult to hear....
 
One of the questions I did want addressed was how mounting the stone might change the appearance both in reflecting color and otherwise. I''ve never dealt with a loose stone before, so I was really wondering about that.
 
Date: 11/29/2008 9:06:56 PM
Author: hoofbeats95
One of the questions I did want addressed was how mounting the stone might change the appearance both in reflecting color and otherwise. I''ve never dealt with a loose stone before, so I was really wondering about that.
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It''ll look bigger. But it doesn''t change the color IMO. It does make it a bit harder to judge color though, but that isn''t a bad thing for you.
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Unless you have yellow gold prongs, the color won''t look much different in a mounted stone generally. However, you won''t be able to inspect it upside down, or probably in profile anymore, so that can make it much tougher to judge color.

If you thought the diamond looked colorless on a white piece of paper upside down, the F color isn''t the issue. It has to be the lighting, or a reflection of surroundings or something.

This was a jewelry store employee saying she didn''t think it was an F, correct? A free opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it, plus, she also had an agenda in trying to make you displeased with an outside purchase. Judging grades of colorless stones (DEF) even unmounted is quite difficult for most of us... unless she was a certified appraiser giving her professional opinion, I''d just forget about it. Though I see quite a bit of diamond jewelry every day at work, I can''t guesstimate a colorless stone''s grade easily. Lower grades, sometimes... colorless, nope.

It''s normal to freak out a bit after spending $$ on a tiny rock. It''s OK. Just take a deep breath and remember how sparkly it looked!

I''d say your two options are: 1. forget that conversation about it not being a true F and believe the AGS grade, and enjoy your purchase, or 2. get an independant appraisal to verify the color. I''d get the appraisal within the return period, if you''re doing it. That way if it comes back other than F you have recourse. (Doubt it would, but just in case.) There''s a link up top somewhere to independant appraisers... very useful.

You also need to factor in your fiance''s feelings; that would also make me lean towards saying you should just let it go. If you weren''t seeing yellow upside down on the paper, the diamond''s actual color wasn''t what you were seeing anyway. Unless you had that diamond next to the F you remember as colorless at Kay''s you have no way to really compare them... lighting environments can be wildly different.

Oh, and FYI. Don''t get a colorimeter reading done by an appraiser- it doesn''t work on princess cuts, just rounds.

Good luck!
 
Date: 11/29/2008 9:38:55 PM
Author: LittleGreyKitten
Unless you have yellow gold prongs, the color won''t look much different in a mounted stone generally. However, you won''t be able to inspect it upside down, or probably in profile anymore, so that can make it much tougher to judge color.

If you thought the diamond looked colorless on a white piece of paper upside down, the F color isn''t the issue. It has to be the lighting, or a reflection of surroundings or something.

This was a jewelry store employee saying she didn''t think it was an F, correct? A free opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it, plus, she also had an agenda in trying to make you displeased with an outside purchase. Judging grades of colorless stones (DEF) even unmounted is quite difficult for most of us... unless she was a certified appraiser giving her professional opinion, I''d just forget about it. Though I see quite a bit of diamond jewelry every day at work, I can''t guesstimate a colorless stone''s grade easily. Lower grades, sometimes... colorless, nope.

It''s normal to freak out a bit after spending $$ on a tiny rock. It''s OK. Just take a deep breath and remember how sparkly it looked!

I''d say your two options are: 1. forget that conversation about it not being a true F and believe the AGS grade, and enjoy your purchase, or 2. get an independant appraisal to verify the color. I''d get the appraisal within the return period, if you''re doing it. That way if it comes back other than F you have recourse. (Doubt it would, but just in case.) There''s a link up top somewhere to independant appraisers... very useful.

You also need to factor in your fiance''s feelings; that would also make me lean towards saying you should just let it go. If you weren''t seeing yellow upside down on the paper, the diamond''s actual color wasn''t what you were seeing anyway. Unless you had that diamond next to the F you remember as colorless at Kay''s you have no way to really compare them... lighting environments can be wildly different.

Oh, and FYI. Don''t get a colorimeter reading done by an appraiser- it doesn''t work on princess cuts, just rounds.

Good luck!
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Ditto. If AGS says it''s an F, it is not yellow. You saw it against white paper and it did not look yellow. Certain lighting has a yellow cast to it. Other lighting such as in Home Depot will make the stone sparkle and look really white. Diamonds do look different in different environments. You''ll adjust to this in time. Enjoy your ring and understand that you have a colorless stone that will appear different in different lighting and environments.
 
I''m a little late to the discussion (been traveling for the last few days), but I''m sorry to hear about your anxiety! I know how excited you were about this diamond! All I can do is echo what the other posters have said. AGS is extremely reliable on grading, and your F is probably at the very worst a G (and that''s a fairly liberal estimate). The color you saw was certainly a reflection of the walls/lighting, especially since it was white when viewed against a white background. I think an independent appraisal may go a long way for you.

Alternatively, you could exchange the diamond for a D colored stone from Whiteflash. Keep in mind that even a D will show color reflected from walls and lighting, and it may not be any better for you. But you may feel better knowing you have the best possible color. WF does have a nice looking D in your size/price range (you''d have to ask about the very thin girdle of course). Also note that this stone has strong blue fluorescence, which is desirable for some people and undesirable for others. I personally would jump at a chance to get a D with strong blue, since I think fluorescence is the coolest thing since sliced bread. If this becomes an option for you, be sure to ask WF if the flour is causing any hazy/oily appearance, which it can rarely do. I''d bet that the strong blue is the only thing that kept this stone from being an ACA (and also keeps the price a few hundred below stones of comparable size, color, and clarity).
 
I really don''t want to spend the money on an appraisal. How much do those cost? Nor do I want to go through the hassle of shipping the stone somewhere.

Why does the stone have to be upside down on white paper? I think we just held it in the tweezers over white paper. I don''t really remember if it was upside down. The stone will be at the store till 10Am tomorrow morning. I could try and go back and play with it some more - put it upside down on the paper. They will think I''m nuts, but they probably already do.

Jstar - I agree that in all likelihood the worse it would be is a G. And trust me it looked more yellow than a G. Which makes me really think it was the lighting or the clothing or something.

I had dreams last night that it was fabulous. I remember it in the blue diamond paper it came in and it was sparkly white. I''m sure I''m just stressing. This ering was way more trouble than it was ever suppose to be. My fiance and I were joking the other day that it would have been less trouble if I had said no. Ring #1 would have been went back and that was it! Much easier! At least we can joke about it. ;)
 
Date: 11/29/2008 3:53:17 PM
Author: beach
the diamond color is not the problem. The issue is that your diamond is so nicely cut that it takes in/absorbs wall color, yellow shirts etc.... Your diamond is not an issue so enjoy it. Does it look yellow when you take it outside? I highly doubt it and bet it is icey white....My diamonds look yellow in our house because we have taupe walls everywhere :) Just means the diamond is doing its job...
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Big ole ditto to that, I have an E coloured diamond and sometimes it looks yellow other times it is pink, purple, orange, blue depends on what colour I am wearing or what colour the walls are. A lot of the time it so darn sparkly and blinding I can''t tell what colour it is becayse the rainbows are blinding me :D.

Get an INDEPENDENT appraisal if it is really worrying you rather then listening to the SA that probably wants to hit target and put doubt in your mind about the stone :).
 
Excuse me for asking the obvious, but have you checked the AGS grading number on the diamond with the number on the DQD? Unless you have received the wrong stone, I would also advise you to see an independent appraiser. As other posters have said, color grading is done from the side of the stone. I'm sorry you're having such a difficult time finding a diamond that you love.
 
Date: 11/30/2008 6:54:40 AM
Author: hoofbeats95
I really don''t want to spend the money on an appraisal. How much do those cost? Nor do I want to go through the hassle of shipping the stone somewhere.

Why does the stone have to be upside down on white paper? I think we just held it in the tweezers over white paper. I don''t really remember if it was upside down. The stone will be at the store till 10Am tomorrow morning. I could try and go back and play with it some more - put it upside down on the paper. They will think I''m nuts, but they probably already do.

Jstar - I agree that in all likelihood the worse it would be is a G. And trust me it looked more yellow than a G. Which makes me really think it was the lighting or the clothing or something.

I had dreams last night that it was fabulous. I remember it in the blue diamond paper it came in and it was sparkly white. I''m sure I''m just stressing. This ering was way more trouble than it was ever suppose to be. My fiance and I were joking the other day that it would have been less trouble if I had said no. Ring #1 would have been went back and that was it! Much easier! At least we can joke about it. ;)
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You have an ACA from Whiteflash. You don''t need an appraisal to know that the F graded stone is white. I agree that you can safely save your money. I would take the time, when you pick it up, to match the inclusions in your stone to the certificate and satisfy yourself that it is the correct stone. That should help to ease your anxious mind.

The stone color is the color of the body of the stone, not the color of the light being reflected from it. I have an F in my ring and J''s in my earrings, and sometimes I compare them in different lighting. Most of the time they look identical. It is only when looking through the sides of the stone that you can detect the difference. It''s like comparing two flashlights, one which has a red case and the other is blue. When they are on, and pointed at you, shining their lights in your eyes, its hard to tell which flashlight has a red case, and which has a blue case. But, if you look at the flashlights from the side, it''s pretty obvious which is red and which is blue.

Hang in there. Looking forward to seeing how happy you are when you have your beautiful diamond back.
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When you go back to the store, maybe you can ask them to show you a bunch of other F stones so you can compare. I would also take the stone home to play with it instead of using the store lighting.

If you followed any of my threads, I have anxiety over my stone and my setting .... most of it is probably unfounded so my advice to you and myself ... sit back and breath. I am sure it will be great and if it is not .. you can always upgrade again down the road.
 
Date: 11/29/2008 4:20:09 PM
Author: beach
You are joking that an F looks yellow right? Your skin will not make it yellow either. Relax... you are making me anxious just reading your posts lol. You have a gorgeous diamond!
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Ditto.
 
Sounds like you''re stressed and paranoid. F is colorless and beautiful. I think we all "see" stuff that''s not really there. I have a G and I thought it looked green to me...um, the carpet in my bedroom is green. Guess what? It''s not "green" in any other room. I think when we spend so much time trying to get just the right stone that we end up not being pleased with hardly anything. Our minds can be our own worst enemy.

Get that puppy set and just enjoy it and relax. Also people in small local jewelry stores DO NOT KNOW anything. I had my diamond ring tested to make sure it was real when I received it. Our local place said they couldn''t find the gold marking on setting but that the diamond was real, however, they thought it was weird that the setting had no marks. When I got home it clearly said "14k solstice" on the ring!!!! How stupid were they that even with their equipment they couldn''t find it? Also they thought it might be an "I" in color. Suuure, I''m going to take the opinion of someone who can''t find a halmark on the ring over GIA. Let me just say I wouldn''t ever go there again. I also believe they may have chipped my last diamond when making my ring smaller.

I''d take the opinion of Whiteflash and the diamond grading paperwork that came with the diamond over your local yocals anyday! Enjoy your new diamond and ring,I''m sure it''s gorgeous.
 
double post
 
I thought diamonds were graded from the top? Of course that''s what the people in the store told me.

I''m not sure why anyone answered me as to why I have to put the stone upside down on the paper. But I went to the store today with my mom to drop of her wedding ring to be replated. I asked them to bring out my diamond so I could show my mom along with the mounting. Mom loved the stone and didn''t see much other than a LOT of sparkle. I put it upside down on the paper. It looked a little yellow to me but only at certain angles. I took it in my little tweasers out in the hallway of the mall and it looked better. But there''s a lot of yellow lighting out there. I will say that the baby sparkles like nothing I''ve ever seen! It''s amazing. I can really tell how much better cut it is than what they have in the case. But the ones in the case look a lot whiter to me I think. I didn''t ask to compare to stones they have. The same ladies were there and they told me it''s gorgeous and colorless. They thought it looked yellow yesterday but when they pulled it out of the lighting it didn''t. The one lady put in in a piece of folded paper. She creased the paper so that the diamond sat upright and took it out of the lighting. It looked pretty good. I still thought I saw yellow. But I''ve pretty much decided that I''m keeping this stone. This is a done deal. I picked it. And like someone said above - I went through so much choosing this thing - down to every detail that it is almost impossible to please. At least with anal picky personalities like mine!


As to this question: Excuse me for asking the obvious, but have you checked the AGS grading number on the diamond with the number on the DQD? What is a DQD? The AGS report says the diamond is inscribed and we checked and it is. It says "A Cut Above" followed by numbers. It matches. DO I need to compare to something else?
 
Date: 11/30/2008 2:16:39 PM
Author: hoofbeats95
I thought diamonds were graded from the top? Of course that's what the people in the store told me.

I'm not sure why anyone answered me as to why I have to put the stone upside down on the paper. But I went to the store today with my mom to drop of her wedding ring to be replated. I asked them to bring out my diamond so I could show my mom along with the mounting. Mom loved the stone and didn't see much other than a LOT of sparkle. I put it upside down on the paper. It looked a little yellow to me but only at certain angles. I took it in my little tweasers out in the hallway of the mall and it looked better. But there's a lot of yellow lighting out there. I will say that the baby sparkles like nothing I've ever seen! It's amazing. I can really tell how much better cut it is than what they have in the case. But the ones in the case look a lot whiter to me I think. I didn't ask to compare to stones they have. The same ladies were there and they told me it's gorgeous and colorless. They thought it looked yellow yesterday but when they pulled it out of the lighting it didn't. The one lady put in in a piece of folded paper. She creased the paper so that the diamond sat upright and took it out of the lighting. It looked pretty good. I still thought I saw yellow. But I've pretty much decided that I'm keeping this stone. This is a done deal. I picked it. And like someone said above - I went through so much choosing this thing - down to every detail that it is almost impossible to please. At least with anal picky personalities like mine!


As to this question: Excuse me for asking the obvious, but have you checked the AGS grading number on the diamond with the number on the DQD? What is a DQD? The AGS report says the diamond is inscribed and we checked and it is. It says 'A Cut Above' followed by numbers. It matches. DO I need to compare to something else?
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Not for colour, clarity is graded face up.

And I think RisingSun asked if you had checked the # matched with the DQD which is the type of AGS report you have, the Diamond Quality Document, you are fine.
 
Yeah, color is graded face down on white in flat non-directional lighting. Clarity, however, is graded face up only. Perhaps they were refering to clarity grading at the store; if not, then I''d doubly say they don''t know what they''re talking about.
 
Oh she was talking about color all right! She said "this is how they do it" and proceeded to put it in the paper like I mentioned above.
 
Date: 11/30/2008 2:56:25 PM
Author: hoofbeats95
Oh she was talking about color all right! She said ''this is how they do it'' and proceeded to put it in the paper like I mentioned above.
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Even more of a reason not to listen to her then.
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Date: 11/30/2008 2:58:19 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 11/30/2008 2:56:25 PM
Author: hoofbeats95
Oh she was talking about color all right! She said ''this is how they do it'' and proceeded to put it in the paper like I mentioned above.
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Even more of a reason not to listen to her then.
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http://diamonds.pricescope.com/color.asp

See this thread as it explains the process.
 
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