Diamond Color Guide And Grade Chart

Choosing the right diamond with perfect color without hurting your wallet can be a tough task. Having the right understanding of diamond color can help a lot.

So what exactly is diamond Color?

Diamonds are found in almost any natural color like Grey, White, yellow, green, brown, and pink.  But today here we are not going to talk about these colors, what we going to talk about the absence of color in a diamond. The diamond with no color, no hue just like a drop of a pure water is considered to be the best. Based on this diamonds are graded on the scale of D(Colorless) – Z(Light Color). True fancy colored diamonds such as yellow, pinks, and blue are graded on a separate color scale

How does diamond get its color?

Almost no gem-sized natural diamonds are absolutely perfect. The color of a diamond may be affected by chemical impurities and structural defects in the crystal lattice. Depending on the hue and intensity of a diamond’s coloration, a diamond’s color can either detract or enhance its value.

History of Diamond Color Grading

Initially color grading of diamonds was performed as a step of sorting rough diamonds for sale. As the diamond trade developed, early diamond grading was introduced. Without any co-operative development, these early grading systems lacked standard nomenclature and consistency. Some early grading scales were; I, II, III; A, AA, AAA; A, B, C.

Since the early 1950s, GIA’s D-to-Z scale has been used to color grade the overwhelming majority of colorless to light yellow gem-quality polished diamonds on which laboratory reports have been issued. While the use of these letter designations for diamond color grades is now virtually universal in the gem and jewelry industry.

Grade Color Scale

• Colorless (D – F)

While there are differences in color between D, E, and F diamonds, these differences can be detected only by a gemologist in side by side comparisons, and hardly by the untrained eye. D-F diamonds should only be set in white gold or platinum.  Yellow gold & rose gold reflects color, negating the diamond’s colorless effect.

• Near Colorless (G – J)

While containing traces of color, G-J diamonds are suitable for a platinum or white gold setting, which would normally betray any hint of color in a diamond. Because I-J diamonds are more common than the higher grades, they tend to be a great value.

• Faint Color(K – M)

Beginning with K diamonds, color (usually a yellow tint) is more easily detected by the naked eye. Set in yellow gold, these warm colored diamonds appeal to some and are an exceptional value. Others will feel they have too much color.

• Very Light Color (N- R)

Diamonds in the N-R color range have an easily seen yellow or brown tint.

• Light Colour (S-T)

Diamonds in the S-t color range have an easily seen yellow or brown tint these diamonds have too much color for a white diamond.