A diamond’s color refers to its clarity or the clarity of its yellow hue. Generally, the highest quality diamonds are completely colorless, while lower quality diamonds possess a slight yellowish tint.
A diamond’s color is measured based on the GIA (Gemology Institute of America) coloring scale, running from D (the colorless variant) to Z diamonds. D – Z is the normal coloring range, Wholesale Jewelry, but between them exist numerous other color grades. These grades range from the near-colorless variant to the variant with a slightly yellow tint. Diamond Color
Before making a purchase decision, considering the diamond’s color is crucial as diamond prices differ based on their color. You can potentially save a lot of money by selecting a slightly low-quality diamond that will also look adorable for your engagement ring. In this article, we’ll review the color grades for diamonds according to the grading scale of the GIA. Diamond Color
Diamond Color Grades
1. Colorless D-F Diamonds
Diamonds in the D, E, and F color scaled are colorless diamonds. They have no visible yellow tint, and they are the highest quality diamonds. The prices of the D-F diamond vary, but don’t expect a regular price, as these diamonds are relatively rare. While E and F diamonds have more color tints than D diamonds, the difference is almost invisible to the human eye. With everything else equal, a D, E, and F graded diamond will cost $9,500, $8,250, and $7,500, respectively. However, if you want to purchase a diamond from the colorless grade with a friendly budget, an F-graded diamond is your best bet, as it’s the least expensive among the trio. Diamond Color
2. Near Colorless G-H & I-J Diamonds
According to the Gemology Institute of America, diamonds that fall into the G-J grade are near colorless diamonds. However, while most people wouldn’t notice the difference compared to one another, Jewelry manufacturers, there is a visible difference between G-H and I-J diamonds under careful observation.
3. Faint Color: K to M diamonds.
These diamonds have a yellow tint, visible to the naked eye without careful observation, even if you aren’t a gemologist. These diamonds are less expensive than their colorless counterparts, Wholesale Silver Jewelry, and they’re also less desirable. It’s easier to manufacture these calibers of diamonds, leading to a significantly higher supply than the demand. While they’re not the best type of diamonds that money can buy, they’re also not the worst. Diamond Color
4. Very Light Color: N O P Q R Diamonds
These diamonds have a very visible yellow or brown tint. Some of these diamonds are called the “top light brown” in the gem industry. There is a low demand for these diamonds, as they constitute some of the cheapest diamonds in the gem sector. Diamond Color
5. Light Color: S-Z U-X and Y-Z Diamonds
These diamond color groupings (S-Z) are known as light-colored diamonds. While they may have a lower quality than the very light-colored diamonds, surprisingly, they have a higher demand.
We can attribute the high demand to the fact that these diamonds are closer to the fancy diamond spectrum. This article will explain the concept of fancy diamonds in more detail. Diamond Color
How does a Diamond’s Color Affect Its Value?
A diamond’s color is a part of diamond grading, and diamond grading goes beyond the famous 4C’s of diamonds. However, the importance of the 4C’s cannot be downplayed and the significance of a diamond’s color. For every step down the color scale, there is also a reduction in the price of the particular diamond. There is no fixed number or percentage that you can reduce, but it can be significant. Some steps in the grading process are more meaningful than the others. This is an added advantage for you as a buyer, but only if you know how it works. Diamond Color
For example, when you downgrade from a D-colored diamond to an E, you will be saving a lot of money on the engagement ring for a change that is barely noticeable unless you reveal the certificate.
Although, switching from color K to L is unnecessary because there are only insignificant changes between diamonds in these color grades, including their prices. Since you don’t wear the grading certificate, you can always get a slightly lower quality diamond to reduce the price without compromising on apparent quality. Diamond Color
Fancy Colored Diamonds
Some diamonds possess a color different from regular yellow or brown. These diamonds have deeper yellows than diamonds with the Z color grading. These diamonds are known as fancy diamonds.
The probability of coming across a fancy diamond is very low because only one in ten thousand diamonds are fancy diamonds. Factors like the intensity, coloration, or hue can either detract or enhance a diamond’s value. Naturally occurring fancy diamond colors include gray, white, blue, yellow, orange, red, green, olive, pink, purple, brown, and black. Red stones are the rarest of fancy-colored diamonds. Diamond Color
Determining Fancy Colored Diamonds
A fancy colored diamond is graded by comparing it to master stones of prearranged color. This process is similar to the process involved in grading a colorless diamond. However, fancy diamonds are graded face up as opposed to colorless diamonds. The principal factor in knowing the value of a naturally colored diamond is its color strength. Fancy-colored diamonds increase with the intensity of the most crucial hue within the stone. Diamond Color
Conclusion
So, there is the perfect guide to selecting the best diamond color for your engagement ring or whatever you might want it for. If you are well educated and familiar with the different diamond coloring grades, you can save a lot of money without compromising on the apparent quality of the diamond. To do that, you must learn about the different color grades of diamonds. This way, you’ll know what diamond color is next on the color scale to understand how to save money by choosing a slightly inferior stone. Diamond Color
