“I’m looking for an engagement ring and have about $12k to spend, including the diamond. My girlfriend is traditional, so I’m leaning towards the Brian Gavin Tapered Tiffany style solitaire. It is exactly what comes to mind when I think of an engagement ring; thus, I am sure she will love it. I’m wondering what your thoughts are on J-color diamonds. I’ve been looking at Brian Gavin Signature round diamonds in the range of 1.30 – 1.50 carats.”
“Both of us have sharp eyes, so VS-2 and higher clarity is preferred. I’m considering J-color diamonds because that seems to fit my budget. I’m concerned about how a J-color diamond will look in a white gold setting. Is a J-color diamond going to look yellow in a white gold setting? I’ve read mixed reviews on this subject and am wondering your opinion. Please feel free to respond by blog post since we’re still in the research phase. Thank you.”
The BGD Tapered Tiffany is a Great Option:
I fully agree that the Tapered Tiffany style solitaire by Brian Gavin is the picture-perfect engagement ring. The ring style seems to be featured in every movie where an engagement ring is involved.
It features a beautifully designed six prong crown. It is much more elegant than the standard straight prong structure featured on most engagement rings.
The ring shank tapers from about 2 millimeters at the bottom, down to about 1.8 millimeters at the base of the head configuration. It’s a modern twist on the classic six-prong solitaire. People seem to love it.
I’ve had quite a few clients order the Brian Gavin Tapered Tiffany style solitaire. Everybody gives it rave reviews. Of course, if you decide that you don’t want the ring to taper in at the top, there is the classic six prong Tiffany style solitaire from Brian Gavin, which is pretty much 2 millimeters all the way around. Both ring styles provide that timeless, classic look. I’ve got a Brian Gavin coupon that will help with the setting.
Brian Gavin Tapered Tiffany with J-color diamond:
Diamond color grades are kind of a tricky thing. When we grade diamonds for color, what we’re actually doing is grading the absence of color. The color grading scale for diamonds begins with D-color, which exhibits almost no color. The color scale runs all the way out to Z-color, considered light yellow or brown.
When I was taking the GIA Diamond Grading course, one of the questions that I missed on the exam was “What is the average diamond color sold in America?” To which I answered G-H color because that is the average diamond color purchased in our store.
Apparently the correct answer was N-color, which is very light yellow or brown. The majority of those diamonds are probably set in white gold or platinum.
Generally speaking, setting a J-color diamond in white gold or platinum prongs will improve the perceptible color by about one color grade.
Thus most people would judge a J-color diamond set in white metal prongs as an I-color diamond. Setting a J-color diamond in yellow gold prongs will have the opposite effect, making it face-up more like a K-color diamond.
The color of the ring itself has little if any effect. Thus the odds are that if you set this 1.385 carat, J-color, VS-2 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round diamond in this 18k white gold Tapered Tiffany style solitaire engagement ring by Brian Gavin, the diamond is going to face up closer to I-color.
That is not to say that a little warmth won’t be visible within the diamond if you’re looking for it. But it won’t be glaringly obvious either. The difference between diamond color grades can be very subtle unless you happen to specifically be looking to see color in a diamond.
One of the benefits of purchasing a Brian Gavin Signature round diamond is that the super ideal proportions and a higher degree of optical precision will produce a higher volume of light return and broad-spectrum sparkle.
That tends to make it significantly more difficult to judge body color. The increased volume of light return and higher intensity of sparkle will help mask the true color of the diamond. All you’re going to see is the edge-to-edge sparkle from a top-down vantage point.
Diamond color is more easily assessed from a side profile. But that is not how we tend to look at an engagement ring. We tend to focus on them from a top-down perspective, because that is where all the sparkle is. Another thing to keep in mind is that engagement rings are kind of a moving target.
People take notice of them while they are in motion. Once you set the diamond in the Brian Gavin Tapered Tiffany, it will catch and reflect light in all directions. People will be viewing it while it is in motion, being waved all over the place. The last thing they’re going to notice is the color grade.
Brian Gavin Signature diamond review: AGS 104081959001
Let’s take a moment to talk about the diamond you’re going to set in the Brian Gavin Tapered Tiffany style solitaire. One of the options that looks interesting to me is this 1.385 carat, J-color, VS-2 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round hearts and arrows diamond.
It has an overall cut grade of AGS Ideal-0. This means that it received the grade of AGS Ideal for polish, symmetry, proportions, and light performance.
That is the highest cut grade possible. The 40.8 degree pavilion angle will produce a high volume of light return. The 34.9 degree crown angle will produce a virtual balance of brilliance (white sparkle) and dispersion (colored sparkle).
The combination of the 76% lower girdle facet length and the higher degree of optical precision that produces this hearts’ pattern will produce broad spectrum sparkle.
That is the sparkle that is larger in size, and bolder, brighter, and more vivid than what the average ideal cut diamond will exhibit. This diamond will be outstanding. It will leave her breathless.
BGD Signature round diamond review: AGS 104083953033
Now, if for some reason, the thought of setting a J-color diamond in a white gold or platinum Brian Gavin Tapered Tiffany style solitaire still gives you pause, then you might consider spending just a few hundred dollars more and purchasing this 1.358 carat, I-color, VS-2 clarity, Brian Gavin Signature round hearts and arrows diamond.
It is cut to the exact same standards as the previous diamond. It’s going to deliver the same high volume of light return and incredible sparkle.
The only difference is that it is I-color instead of J-color. So it’s going to face-up even whiter when set in a white gold or platinum Brian Gavin Tapered Tiffany style solitaire.
Regardless of whether you choose the I-color or J-color diamond from Brian Gavin, you’re going to get the same incredible light performance! The same great sparkle factor! This is one of the benefits of buying a Brian Gavin Signature diamond. The brand delivers a consistency of excellence that you can count on.
Free Diamond Concierge Service:
If you enjoyed reading this article and want help finding the diamond of your dreams, please take advantage of my free Diamond Concierge Service. Doing so will free up your time and enable you to get back to whatever you do best.
I’ll put my 35+ years of diamond buying experience to work for you, and help you find the best options available within your preferred range of price, carat weight, color, and clarity.
Be sure to let me know what shape diamond you are looking for. The price range you are working with. And whether you’re open to diamonds with blue fluorescence or not.
