Diamond colour

[OrangeLady]

Hello,

This is my first time posting, but I've been reading everyone's thoughts on Gemporia for a few months.

I've recently bought a pair of diamond stud earrings. It's taking longer than usual to dispatch this order so I went wandering around the Internet to see if I'd got a bargain or if I'd been lured in.

If someone was trying to sell you "VSI blush diamonds" what colour might you associate with the word 'blush'? Pink maybe? The Argyle mine website uses "blush" to mean very pale pink. They have an in-house grading system for coloured diamonds which apparently has been adopted by the industry.

Tucked away in the description section on the website for these earrings is the colour "J-K". Absolutely not pink! Industry description for "near colourless/ faint yellow".

I've emailed customer services to ask if these diamond earrings are pink or yellow. First reply gives me a non-committal answer and a screen shot of their system behind the scenes where the info is entered.
Prefix = blush
Colour = (blank)
Diamond colour = J-K

So, I've replied with my links to the standard diamond colour grading and the Argyle website colour grading. And pointed out their own information is conflicting - blush cannot be J-K, pink cannot be yellow.

What do you think?

VSI Blush Diamond 9K Gold Earrings

VSI Blush Diamond 9K Gold Earrings

www.gemporia.com

 

[TheManWithNoName]

The biggest giveaway that they'll be yellow diamonds is that they're set into yellow gold.

Gemporia's so-called pink diamonds barely have any colour - and they're almost always set into rose gold, so that the pink from the rose gold helps to make the pink diamonds look pinker than they actually are.

My opinion? They're likely to be murky off-white diamonds with perhaps a slight pinkish secondary hue from impurities.

The problem with the term 'blush' diamonds is that it's not an industry standard term - so it's open to interpretation as to what colour is 'implied' from the term 'blush. Gemporia could say "Well, we didn't actually say that they were pink".

If Gemporia actually felt that they were actually pink, then surely they'd use the industry name - which is pink diamonds. People will type that into Google - whereas i'd be surprised if anyone actually Google's 'blush diamonds'.

 

[AndyW]

I think that this is one where you'll have to see what they are like in the flesh. They're a reasonable size at 3.66mm and the clarity is declared as VSI.

A "blush" or hint of colour (perhaps not actually pink - TMWNN is right, they're not set in rose gold, which is standard for Gemporia when they use the word "pink") might be to your advantage. An unheated zircon I have is "brown" but not really. It's a soft brown/pink/faded rose colour. Not unattractive and the dispersion is lovely. The "blush" colour really softens the dispersive flashes. See what they're like in the Spring sunshine, both morning, afternoon (say about 4pm) and in candlelight. As earrings, where people who are looking at you where your head will be moving a lot, they may be quite nice.

"Experts" always bang on that diamonds should be IF/D colour for "the best" but often that's because that's what they're selling. If I subscribed to that view, I wouldn't love unheated "white" zircon, Sphene, andradite garnets, Sphalerite etc.

 

[historymystery]

The biggest giveaway that they'll be yellow diamonds is that they're set into yellow gold.

Gemporia's so-called pink diamonds barely have any colour - and they're almost always set into rose gold, so that the pink from the rose gold helps to make the pink diamonds look pinker than they actually are.

My opinion? They're likely to be murky off-white diamonds with perhaps a slight pinkish secondary hue from impurities.

The problem with the term 'blush' diamonds is that it's not an industry standard term - so it's open to interpretation as to what colour is 'implied' from the term 'blush. Gemporia could say "Well, we didn't actually say that they were pink".

If Gemporia actually felt that they were actually pink, then surely they'd use the industry name - which is pink diamonds. People will type that into Google - whereas i'd be surprised if anyone actually Google's 'blush diamonds'.

If I remember rightly from golden days gone by, the line that the presenters always trotted out when flogging 'pink' diamonds was that they were set into rose gold to 'show off/set off' the diamonds. In my case, it made me shove off, as I never bought any.

 

[OrangeLady]

Thanks all, I appreciate your perspectives.

I've now got them in hand. Tricky to ascertain an exact colour when I'm looking in artificial light and they're tucked away in those hygiene-sealed bags...

They seem very sparkly, but not a hint of pink that I can see. I'll look again in sunlight.

I did try to find prices online for a similar carat weight and colour diamonds, but a quick search only bought up loose diamonds at Blue Nile.
Any suggestions for reputable sites selling diamonds/ diamond jewellery where I can do price comparisons?
TIA.

 

[OrangeLady]

I have a reply from the Gemporia Help team:

"We have received a response from Cherry Cavill stating that these are blush pink diamonds and should not have "J-K" written in the colour column. This information will be updated on our system..."

I've not had chance to look at the earrings in daylight yet. If they are pink, they're the merest hint of a hint of pink.

But I'm glad I queried it.

 

[AndyW]

Any suggestions for reputable sites selling diamonds/ diamond jewellery where I can do price comparisons?
TIA.

How about trying this site. Very hard to get the same mm diameter & carat weight & metal but these are close...and probably key, similar clarity.

Diamond Stud Earrings 3.4mm 18K Gold - 0.30CT - F-G/VS

Diamond Stud Earrings 3.4mm 18K Gold - 0.30CT - F-G/VS

www.thediamondstore.co.uk

Not pink or even "blush" but diamonds are diamonds are diamonds (mostly) and gives you an idea for price comparison. Then the rest is up to you if the differences matter.

(I started off with searching for "0.38 ct diamond earrings")

 

[TheManWithNoName]

I have a reply from the Gemporia Help team:

"We have received a response from Cherry Cavill stating that these are blush pink diamonds and should not have "J-K" written in the colour column. This information will be updated on our system..."

I've not had chance to look at the earrings in daylight yet. If they are pink, they're the merest hint of a hint of pink.

But I'm glad I queried it.

I think the person that colour grades Gemporia stones is colour blind.

Their 'Pink' Morganite is almost colourless.
Their 'Rose' Danburite is almost colourless.
Their 'Pink' Diamonds are almost colourless.
The majority of their so-called 'Indicolite' is green.
Their 'Padparadscha' Sapphires are pink.

The best one is when presenters describe opals: "Look at the pinks, the blues, the greens, the oranges, a whole rainbow of colours" - in reality, you can see flashes of green, or, if you're really lucky, you might see a bit of red too.

 

[Ant7t]

I think the person that colour grades Gemporia stones is colour blind.

I find myself between jobs at the moment and I'm partially colour blind. So maybe I should apply to Gemporia for a job

 

[OrangeLady]

How about trying this site. Very hard to get the same mm diameter & carat weight & metal but these are close...and probably key, similar clarity.

Thanks Andy,

I paid £299 for the Gemporia pair, which are 9k gold and no longer graded for colour (as per the response from the help team). So seems like a reasonable price.

I did manage to wiggle one stud out of the bag far enough to get a better look at the stone. Not even a hint of pink to my eyes, and almost identical to a pair I've already got. They're very sparkly, but I'll be returning them.

I appreciate all your replies.

 

[Marietta]

I think the person that colour grades Gemporia stones is colour blind.

Their 'Pink' Morganite is almost colourless.
Their 'Rose' Danburite is almost colourless.
Their 'Pink' Diamonds are almost colourless.
The majority of their so-called 'Indicolite' is green.
Their 'Padparadscha' Sapphires are pink.

The best one is when presenters describe opals: "Look at the pinks, the blues, the greens, the oranges, a whole rainbow of colours" - in reality, you can see flashes of green, or, if you're really lucky, you might see a bit of red too.

Even their gem 'expert' Troth is colourless!