White Diamond Color Grading
In my personal opinion, diamond color is one of the most difficult qualities to judge. The graduations of color in the grading scale are so slight that it is easy to be off by as much as two grades. In fact, if you have a diamond graded by three professional gemologists, you can expect the diamond to be reported as at least two different color grades, but those grades will be within a couple of letters of each other.
The following table is a simplified version of the official color scale, intended to inform our customers what they should expect to see when they receive a diamond from us.
Diamonds are not limited to the White diamond color scale shown above. Fancy Colored diamonds have always been with us, and have been gaining popularity in recent years. They can come in Champagne, Yellow, Blue, Green, Red, Pink, Orange, and even Black. All of these colors occur naturally, but they are quite rare compared to White diamonds.
As far as I know, Champagne and Yellow diamonds are most frequently natural and untreated. The other colors can also occur naturally, but to get even, saturated colors they are usually treated with radiation or heat. This is especially true of Blue, Green and Red diamonds. These colors are fantastically rare in nature, but can be easily produced by radiation treatment.
Diamonds that have been color enhanced with radiation can be worn with confidence, but should be stored away from bright lights. Over a period of years, exposure to direct sunlight can cause these diamonds to fade.
The following table is a simplified version of the official color scale, intended to inform our customers what they should expect to see when they receive a diamond from us.
| Grade | Standard | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| D, E | Colorless | Stunning white fire seems to erupt from the gem. Flashes of pure prismatic colors can be seen as the stone is moved. Lit from the side, no color can be seen through the table or from the sides. |
| F, G | Very Near Colorless | Brilliant white fire, with flashes of pure colors. Lit from the side, there may be an indistinct impression of off-whiteness, but no color is definitely seen. |
| H, I, J | Near Colorless | The fire is still white, but under magnification, and lit from the side, hints of yellow can be clearly seen in parts of the stone. These diamonds will be magnificent set in yellow or pink gold. |
| K, L, M | Distinctly Tinted | A decided brownish tint can be seen with the naked eye. When setting these diamonds in jewelry, colored stones, antiquing, and other techniques should be used to distract the eye from the diamond, or to enhance its appearance by contrast. |
| N-Z | Discolored | These are just plain ugly. The obvious unpleasant yellowish brown color makes these stones unacceptable for any purpose. |
Diamonds are not limited to the White diamond color scale shown above. Fancy Colored diamonds have always been with us, and have been gaining popularity in recent years. They can come in Champagne, Yellow, Blue, Green, Red, Pink, Orange, and even Black. All of these colors occur naturally, but they are quite rare compared to White diamonds.
As far as I know, Champagne and Yellow diamonds are most frequently natural and untreated. The other colors can also occur naturally, but to get even, saturated colors they are usually treated with radiation or heat. This is especially true of Blue, Green and Red diamonds. These colors are fantastically rare in nature, but can be easily produced by radiation treatment.
Diamonds that have been color enhanced with radiation can be worn with confidence, but should be stored away from bright lights. Over a period of years, exposure to direct sunlight can cause these diamonds to fade.
