Diamond Color

Color is one of the four key features that determine the value of a diamond (along with cut, clarity, and carats) and is perhaps the first thing we observe in a diamond after its glow.

In recent years, colored diamonds (known as Fancy Diamonds) have come into fashion, like blue, green, pink and even black. Fancy diamonds, however, are extremely rare and expensive, as it is difficult to find great, good-quality diamonds in a fancy color.

Diamonds used in jewellery are nearly colorless with hues of yellow, brown and grey. The color of the diamond refers essentially to the absence of color and the lower the color content of the diamond, the higher its position in the color-based ranking. The existence of color in diamonds is mainly due to foreign elements incorporated into the gemstone at its creation or to structural defects in its molecular structure.

The color scale of GIA (Gemological Institute of America), which is the most widespread, begins with the letter D, which symbolizes the completely colorless diamond and reaches up to Z, indicating a diamond with a visible tinge of yellow or brown. Intermediate colors indicate how distinct the diamond color is.

GIA has created a master set of diamonds, that is, guiding stones, with all the shades of the scale and each diamond under evaluation is contrasted with the diamonds on the master set to make its proper ranking on the scale. The comparison of a diamond with the master set is done under a special white light, allowing the gemologist to distinguish even the smallest differences between the categories.

A D graded diamond indicates an absolute absence of color and usually also indicates the absence of foreign elements and defects in its composition. Diamonds in this category are scarce.

E and F diamonds are also considered colorless. The color differences between these three categories are so small that only an experienced gemologist can make the distinction.

G and H diamonds are almost colorless. The presence of color and hue can only be detected by comparison with other higher ranking diamonds. For the non-specialist, diamonds of this category look colorless.

In I and J graded diamonds, there are traces of color that can be discernible even by a non-specialist.

Diamonds graded between K and Z have a distinct color of yellow or brown, but it is not intense enough to place them in the Fancy Diamond category.

In bigger diamonds, the absence of color is even more important. In bigger diamonds, even the lightest color is more visible.

In addition, the ring setting can affect the color perception of the diamond. D, E and F diamonds are usually set in platinum or white gold so that their color purity is not affected. On the contrary, J colored diamonds appear whiter when set in yellow gold.