DIAMOND HANDBOOK - COLOR

SOMETIMES LESS IS ALWAYS MORE

1. WHAT IS DIAMOND COLOR

Diamonds are available in a variety of colors, ranging from colorless to various tints of yellow. Despite the fact that most diamonds appear colorless to the untrained eye, many have minor yellow or brown tones that reduce their value. The closer a diamond comes to being colorless, the rarer and more expensive it becomes.

2. GIA WHITE DIAMONDS COLOR-GRADE SCALE

The industry standard for diamond grading is done using the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) color scale. The GIA color grades for diamonds range from D (colorless) to Z (colorful - light yellow or brown). Many people are perplexed as to why the GIA diamond grading scale begins with D. Grades A-C, 1-3, and I-III, for example, were utilized in arcane systems. Hence to simplify these diverse systems, The GIA set out a standard grading scale beginning with a D.

Here is How The Diamonds Are Graded

• D: Absolutely colorless. The most rare and valuable. Less than 1% of diamonds mined worldwide are graded as color D.
• E - F: Also considered colorless, even though it is a minimal trace of color that can only be detected by an expert gemologist. Less rare than D, and more valuable than G - H.
• G - H: Near colorless. To the naked eye these diamonds appear clear and colorless, although they also contain minute traces of color. Less rare than E -F, but more valuable than I - J.
• I - J: Near colorless with a faint tint of yellow. Less rare than G - H, but more valuable than K - L.
• K - L: A faint yellow tint that is visible to the eye. Less rare than I - J, but slightly more valuable than M - N.
• M - Z: A very light-yellow tint, easily identified by the eye. Least valuable of the diamond color grade.

3. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DIAMOND COLOR BASED ON SHAPE AND SETTING

Certain fancy-shaped diamonds are better at concealing the color than others, where they also cost up to 25% less than round-cut diamonds. In addition, choosing an accurate color precious metal for setting the diamond, in turn, complements the color grade. Yellow gold, for example, has a warm glow and looks best with diamonds that are light in hue, while a white gold or platinum setting will appear icier when set with near-colorless diamonds.

4. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE DIAMONDS AND FANCY COLORED DIAMONDS

Diamonds come in diverse colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, and more, which are called colored diamonds. These are Naturally occurring colors wherein only one out of every 10,000 diamonds, and the more vivid the color, the rarer and more precious the diamond. These Fancy-colored diamonds are graded on a different color scale than white diamonds, and they can be much more precious.