Can you set a J color diamond in platinum?
“I’ve really boxed myself into a corner. I started dropping hints about diamond engagement rings to my girlfriend, in an attempt to figure out what she might like. The other day she mentioned that she was out trying on rings with her girlfriends at lunch, and thinks that a 1.50 carat round looks perfect on her hand. I was planning on spending about $8K on the diamond, and have researched diamonds to the extent that I know the importance of cut quality. I really can’t spend more than $9K on the diamond, and don’t want to sacrifice on cut. Originally I was thinking of buying a one carat Brian Gavin Signature round diamond, something like a G-color, VS-2 clarity, which I understand will face-up eye clean and white. Realizing that her primary focus is on the size of the diamond, and mine is on diamond cut quality, I’m trying to find suitable middle ground. You have a few options in the range of 1.30 – 1.50 carats, SI-1 / VS-2 clarity, which are J-color. Can you set a J-color diamond in platinum? How would that look?”
Setting J-color diamond in platinum:
Of course you can set a J-color diamond in platinum. We do it all the time. People tend to be obsessed with paper grades, especially when it comes to diamond color. Understand that diamonds are actually graded for an absence of color, not a presence of color as people seem to believe. Diamonds are crystals, and as such, they are translucent. As such, diamond color is not a solid subject. The actual color of the diamond is going to be influenced by everything that is around it.
Not the least of which is going to be the color of the prongs that touch the diamond. Set the J-color diamond pictured above in white gold or platinum prongs, and it’s going to face-up about one color grade lighter. Set the same J-color diamond in yellow gold or rose gold prongs, and it’s going to face-up about one color grade warmer.
But I’ve got to ask you. Does the J-color diamond pictured above actually look yellow? When evaluated from a top-down perspective, all people really see is the sparkle factor of our diamonds. Add in all the different colors that will be present in the room while the diamond is being worn, and it becomes even more difficult to ascertain the actual diamond color.
This is the reason why in order to accurately determine the color grade of a diamond, we evaluate it while unmounted, from a side-profile, while it is sitting upside down on a white tray. Because if we were to try to evaluate it from the face-up position, the sparkle of the diamond would prevent us from doing so. And the room is pitch black by the way, illuminated only by whatever little light is provided by the GIA diamond light.
Effect of blue fluorescence on J-color diamond:
Another factor that can influence our perception of diamond color, is the presence of blue fluorescence. One of my friends in the diamond business, likes to refer to blue fluorescence as “nature’s white wash” for diamonds. Because it can improve our perception of diamond color by as much as one full color grade. Note that I’m not saying that it will improve the color of a diamond by one color grade, only that it can improve our perception of color by up to that amount.
So you find yourself in a bit of a quandary. Your girlfriend has tried on rings and determined that a 1.50 carat diamond looks best on her hand. You initially decided that something in the range of G-color, VS-2 clarity provided the best combination of characteristics, and would buy you something in the range of one carat. You’re actually off by about fifteen hundred dollars by the way, that diamond will set you back about $9.5K in the range of diamond cut quality that you desire. Regardless, I think I have a solution for you. This 1.523 carat, J-color, SI-1 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond is the ticket.
It provides the carat weight that your girlfriend desires. She’ll be able to tell all her friends that the diamond is 1.5 carats. It provides the cut quality that you seek, it is going to deliver the highest volume of light return, and display a virtual balance of brilliance and dispersion! The type of light performance that people tend to notice from across the room. The medium blue fluorescence is a definite plus, and our perception of diamond color will be improved by setting the diamond in white gold or platinum prongs.
Also checkout: Should I buy a J color diamond for an engagement ring?
