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Diamond Color Grading Simplified.
In diamond color grading the absence of natural body color is a major factor in determining the value of a diamond. The most expensive are colorless and are graded downward by the amount of yellowish or brownish tint they have.
It is only possible to accurately color grade a diamond if it is unmounted, placed on a white background and compared with a set of standard grade diamonds.
A mounted diamond picks up the color of the metal, so always looks better set in white gold or platinum. Even then, one can only approximate the color of a mounted diamond within a range of a few grades.
A diamond grading report will specify one of the following classifications:
D, E, F: Colorless. Loose diamonds appear colorless.
G, H, I, J: Near Colorless. When mounted in a setting will appear colorless under normal light conditions.
K, L, M: Faint Yellowish Tint. Smaller diamonds look colorless when mounted. Diamonds of 1/2 carat or more show traces of color.
N - R: Very Light Yellowish Tint and
S - Z: Tinted Light Yellow. These diamonds show increasingly yellow or brownish tints and appear very "off-white".
(NOTE: To better understand Diamond Color Grading use the form at the bottom, from time to time, to do a trial search of our 60,000+ Diamond List and compare the pricing of various diamond grades.)
Diamonds with distinct natural body colors other than brown or black are considered "fancy color diamonds" and some bring higher prices than the finest colorless diamonds.
A bright red diamond of less than a carat weight brought almost a million dollars at auction in 1987.
Discerning the difference in color from D down to H in a mounted stone without diamond color grading equipment is very difficult. Yet a large D stone may cost three times an H stone of the same weight.
An I (or even J) color grade diamond will look colorless under every-day lighting conditions if mounted correctly, and will save you a lot of money on a good looking diamond.
Because of other factors that contribute to diamond beauty, there are also attractive stones below an M diamond color grade such as a very light yellow called "champagne" and a darker yellow/brown called "cognac".
In diamonds over one carat, the color grade effects the value more than in smaller stones as it is more visible.
But choosing a slightly lower color grade will reduce the price, and there will be little, if any, visible difference when the stone is mounted.
Now that you completed Diamond Color Grading, go next to Diamond Clarity Grading by clicking on this link.
If you have any questions, email them to us at Diamond Search , or telephone 800-498-7302.
To find the best diamond bargains on the Internet use our Diamond Search Engine. below.
Search Instructions:
1. Click on a diamond shape.
2. Adjust the bars with your cursor or type in the high and low ranges for price and desired characteristics below.
3. Click "Search".
4. If no results or too many results, re-adjust price and/or characteristics ranges.
5. If having trouble,email Diamond Search, or telephone 800-498-7302.
Most of the data on this page came from the book, Jewelry & Gems, The Buying Guide by Antoinette L. Matlins, PG & A.C. Bonanno, FGA, PG, ASA, published by GemStone Press, Woodstock, Vermont.
