Diamond color d - h

SDC2003

Member
May 20, 2018
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Hi everyone! I am in need of some help deciding on a diamond color. I will be upgrading an ering. Budget wise h seems so much better but when I look at diamonds online the h and sometime some of the gs look a little too yellow for me even though they didn’t look that yellow in the stores I visited recently. I plan to have a platinum setting. So do I save a bit by going with an h or g or go for something like an f? Can people tell the difference? If any of you can post photos of f g and h diamonds that would really help also. Thank you!
 
Everyone has different tolerance for color in diamonds. Certain cuts (emeralds and other step cuts) tend to show color more than modern round brilliant diamonds, cushion, etc., as do larger sizes (you are likely to see more of a tint in a larger diamond than a smaller one of the same color grade). Also, color grading varies lab...GIA is known to have the tightest/most consistent grading, AGS is generally regarded as a close second (some actually prefer AGS), and anything other than that is a crap shoot, so basically stick with GIA or AGS graded diamonds for the most accuracy. I would suggest finding a reputable jeweler with GIA and/or AGS graded diamonds in the sizes and shapes you are interested to get a better feel for what you are comfortable with. GL!
 
Everyone has different tolerance for color in diamonds. Certain cuts (emeralds and other step cuts) tend to show color more than modern round brilliant diamonds, cushion, etc., as do larger sizes (you are likely to see more of a tint in a larger diamond than a smaller one of the same color grade). Also, color grading varies lab...GIA is known to have the tightest/most consistent grading, AGS is generally regarded as a close second (some actually prefer AGS), and anything other than that is a crap shoot, so basically stick with GIA or AGS graded diamonds for the most accuracy. I would suggest finding a reputable jeweler with GIA and/or AGS graded diamonds in the sizes and shapes you are interested to get a better feel for what you are comfortable with. GL!
Thanks! I am looking at round diamonds In the 2 carat range and only Gia certified. I have visited some jewelers but have discovered they have significant markups when comparing comparable diamonds on rarecarat and blue Nile. So I will likely buy on through one of the online retailers but I hate buying sight unseen.
 
Thanks! I am looking at round diamonds In the 2 carat range and only Gia certified. I have visited some jewelers but have discovered they have significant markups when comparing comparable diamonds on rarecarat and blue Nile. So I will likely buy on through one of the online retailers but I hate buying sight unseen.

My e-ring is 1.85 ct, G, VVS2 (purchased sight unseen from a reputable online retailer with a great return policy) and I can't detect any warmth or tint in it. I am all for purchasing online. Just make sure you are working with reputable retailer with a great return policy. And if you want exceptional, detailed advice on diamond buying, check out the rocky talk forum on pricescope.com.

Personally, I think a GIA graded G is a perfect sweet spot for those unsure about color sensitivity, and H is still a very safe bet and as low a color as I would go in a MRB of aprox. 2 ct. Very few people will have issues with tint in the G-H range. D-F is overkill, IMO, unless necessary for cultural reasons or for those who are extremely color sensitive. Of course there are plenty of people who are perfectly happy with I color and lower for the cost savings, preference for warmer diamonds, aren't color sensitive, etc. But if your preference is for a crisp, white diamond with no detectable tint G-H at the lowest is probably what you should be looking at. GL!

626876-202627fefd09d168fc24fc9ab5233db4.jpg
 
I agree that G is the perfect color. When I purchase online, I have the diamonds sent to my appraiser so that I can compare a few in real life. Most reputable sellers (i.e. Whiteflash, Good Old Gold, etc. will do this for you). I usually choose either F or G to compare... for some reason, I always blindly choose G! An ideal cut G just sparkles like crazy. I just chose a new necklace from Tiffany and looked at the specs after. Of all the diamonds that I saw, I ended up choosing a G. It's so weird how that happens. My friend has a D e-ring but it doesn't sparkle (likely not ideal cut). I'm clarity-sensitive, though, so I can't go below VS1 for clarity.
 
My e-ring is 1.85 ct, G, VVS2 (purchased sight unseen from a reputable online retailer with a great return policy) and I can't detect any warmth or tint in it. I am all for purchasing online. Just make sure you are working with reputable retailer with a great return policy. And if you want exceptional, detailed advice on diamond buying, check out the rocky talk forum on pricescope.com.

Personally, I think a GIA graded G is a perfect sweet spot for those unsure about color sensitivity, and H is still a very safe bet and as low a color as I would go in a MRB of aprox. 2 ct. Very few people will have issues with tint in the G-H range. D-F is overkill, IMO, unless necessary for cultural reasons or for those who are extremely color sensitive. Of course there are plenty of people who are perfectly happy with I color and lower for the cost savings, preference for warmer diamonds, aren't color sensitive, etc. But if your preference is for a crisp, white diamond with no detectable tint G-H at the lowest is probably what you should be looking at. GL!

626876-202627fefd09d168fc24fc9ab5233db4.jpg
Simply beautiful! Looks so very white. This is helpful. I am very color sensitive which is why I have been so unsure.
 
G, H and even I are all near colorless. With a little bit of fluorescence they will appear even more colorless and with the highest grade of cut will reflect so much light the color is not noticeable to most people. You can still get an excellent diamond in that color range and much larger for the money if that is your goal when upgrading.
 
I always thought AGS had the tighter scoring since it is on a points system (0-10 if I’m not mistaken), which is double the units available versus GIA.

Anyway, I’m pretty sensitive to color but we chose cut being the most important and it turns out I’m not as sensitive to color as I thought! Below is my AGS 0 ideal cut diamond in I color. It faces up extremely white, very bright and sparkly in all lighting conditions but especially dark/poor lighting for some reason. I do agree that if I stare intently at the bottom (the pointy part of the diamond) I will see some color but that’s if I stare and stare and compare it to a pure white background like a piece of paper. Obviously I only did this to see if I could see a color difference and I could but a normal person would probably not see the color without a white background behind the ring. Hope this helped!
 

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I always thought AGS had the tighter scoring since it is on a points system (0-10 if I’m not mistaken), which is double the units available versus GIA.

Anyway, I’m pretty sensitive to color but we chose cut being the most important and it turns out I’m not as sensitive to color as I thought! Below is my AGS 0 ideal cut diamond in I color. It faces up extremely white, very bright and sparkly in all lighting conditions but especially dark/poor lighting for some reason. I do agree that if I stare intently at the bottom (the pointy part of the diamond) I will see some color but that’s if I stare and stare and compare it to a pure white background like a piece of paper. Obviously I only did this to see if I could see a color difference and I could but a normal person would probably not see the color without a white background behind the ring. Hope this helped!

Your ring is gorgeous! [emoji7][emoji7] Do you mind me asking how many carat your center stone is?
 
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