Contrary to how it sounds, diamond color is determined by the absence of color. The less color present in the diamond, the more color is returned.
Think of how a clear triangular prism refracts light: white light enters and gets bent around the angles inside the shape, and it exits in a brilliant rainbow display. A colorless diamond works in the same way, and will flash a dazzling spectrum of color.
The highest color grade for a diamond is “D”. “D” color diamonds are very rare and not commonly found in traditional jewelry. Most diamonds used in jewelry have a slight presence of color.
It is possible for diamonds to have a very high concentration of desirable color. These diamonds are known as “Fancy” and can be found in a wide variety of colors including yellow, green, pink, blue, and the rarest of all, red.
Diamond color rating is the one aspect of diamond grading that is done exclusively with the naked eye. Using a colorless lightbox, gemologists grade the color of a diamond by comparing the stone to other stones in a master set of diamonds of known qualities. For example: if a stone is to be graded G, it is compared to an F, a G, and an H color diamond to find the stone it most closely resembles.
Since diamond colors are graded by the unaided eye, it stands to reason that color is one of the primary concerns you should have when buying a diamond. It is a lot easier to forgive a diamond clarity grade with inclusion that is only visible under magnification than it is to forgive a brown or yellow stone.
D color diamonds are the benchmark for quality. When cut well, they are clearly the most beautiful diamond you can own. The larger the D colored diamond, the more expensive it is. They are very rare and collectible.
If you are able to afford a stone with the diamond color E, you will never regret it. So close in appearance to absolutely colorless, most people would love to own one. If you want the best, but diamond pricing makes a D color just out of reach, E color diamonds can trade at significantly lower prices than their “D” counterparts.
All F color diamonds will appear colorless unless they are viewed as loose diamonds alongside of a D or E. There is no question that any fine jewelry set with F color diamonds is exceptional and well above average.
For most people seeking a high gem color diamond, G is the benchmark for quality. The stones are pleasing and white and generally exceed the standards of most diamonds used in the traditional fine jewelry marketplace.
Diamonds in the H-I color range are highly sought-after in fine jewelry. When the diamond cut grade is high, H-I diamonds perform like colorless stones. H-I color diamonds mark the breaking point for near-colorless performance in diamonds and are highly respected in the fine jewelry world.
J-K colors mark the top end of commercial jewelry. They are affordable and provide a ‘big look’ within the slight yellow and top light brown categories. They afford a significant reduction in price from the gem colors D through I and are used extensively in the mid-range jewelry marketplace.
Stones that are colors L and lower cannot be disguised. Yellow and brown are obvious in this material especially when compared to fine jewelry. Used for commercial and low-end jewelry they account for the majority of diamonds used in today’s jewelry.
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