How to Buy an Engagement Ring? - Part 5: What is Diamond Color?
How to Buy an Engagement Ring - Part 1: Basics and Budget
How to Buy an Engagement Ring - Part 2: Why buy a diamond?
How to Buy an Engagement Ring - Part 3: What is diamond cut?
How to Buy an Engagement Ring - Part 4: What is diamond clarity?
How to Buy an Engagement Ring - Part 6: What is diamond carat?
What is diamond color?
Color in diamonds is a matter of personal taste. The grading scale goes from D to Z, starting with D as the whitest possible grade. The scale describes the presence of any nonwhite colors (gray, brown, yellow) in the diamond. With 23 possible grades, GIA has simplified the scale into 5 groups for consumers:
- D-F is Colorless
- G-J is Near Colorless
- K-M is Faint
- N-R is Very Light
- S-Z is Light
The industry standard for a “white” looking diamond goes from D to H. Anything less than H color will appear nonwhite to the untrained eye. Fancy colored diamonds (red, purple, pink, blue, green, orange, and yellow) are graded on a different scale.
My Opinion on What is Diamond Color
I think that color is the one “C” you compromise if you run into a tight budget. I would give up a grade or two in color to get a larger diamond. If you’re looking for a “white” diamond, then stay within the G-H range. All the fancy jewelry houses like Tiffany’s and Cartier also don’t go below H color to sell as white diamonds. I think that D-F are unnecessary and not worth the money. That range does have a level of superficial prestige, if you’re into that.
