Dear Abby and diamond rings: What affects cost?

Well, you probably already know that for a gold, diamond solitaire engagement ring, the biggest cost swinger is the diamond itself (unless it is a very small diamond). And, diamond cost goes up as the quality goes up. One big measure of quality in a diamond is its color. It is well-known in the jewelry trade that in a yellow-gold setting, a diamond can be a little less white (that is, a J color rather than F color, for instance) and still look white. That's because the yellow gold color is very similar to the slight brown tint in an off-white diamond, so the gold "conceals" the diamond's tint. The savings could be realized because a 1/2 carat SI1 diamond with a good cut could retail for around $3,000 in an F color, but around $2,200 for a J color--a difference of about $800! The two diamonds would appear identical in a yellow gold setting, so that would be a huge savings for the fiancé if he opted for the lower-quality diamond, hoping she would not notice! Our Diamond Solitaire Engagement Set, #1230, pictured here in white gold with a 1/2 Carat diamond, is also available in yellow gold (with white gold setting).
At Viridian Gold, you can see the diamond quality right on the item's page. And, most of our diamonds are mounted in white gold settings, even if the rest of the ring is yellow gold, so that we can show off the whiteness of our diamonds!
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