If you’re talking about perfection, it’s the colorless diamond. You will find several diamonds that are colorless but that doesn’t mean it’s completely devoid of impurities. Yes, a diamond that is both naturally formed and lab-grown will have some or the other impurity percentage.
In reality, the color of a diamond is affected by the presence of chemical impurities that occur as a result of its formation. depending on the formation temperature and environmental conditions of the diamond, different colors get associated with it.
It does not always have to be that the colorless or the white diamond is the most sought of one. If that was the case, blue diamonds such as the Hope diamond and other intense pink diamonds wouldn’t have been sold for such large prices as history tells us. Out of all the color diamonds, red diamonds are the rarest and exotic ones and are cherished for their exquisite beauty.
Diamond color grading by GIA
Well, as much as it seems that red or blue diamonds are the more attractive ones, in reality, a diamond is graded by its colorlessness or lack of color. The more colorless a diamond is, the higher the color grade.
The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) has accordingly classified diamond color grading on a scale from D to Z. Studying this diamond color scale will tell us the qualitative value of a diamond. The diamond colors gradually go from colorless to a tinge of yellow as they proceed down the alphabetical order.
Diamond colors are evaluated by professional gemologists who compare the diamond color to a GIA-verified set of Cubic Zirconia. The body color of the diamond is evaluated and compared with the pure white reference sample. Accordingly, the GIA classifies the diamond based on its colorlessness.
Briefly understanding the diamond color scale
The letter D (colorless) takes the top position when it comes to the diamond color chart. If you are looking for that ultimate diamond of the best diamond color grading, then all you need to look for is a diamond of this label. It stands for utmost purity. Now let’s take a look into the different classifications when it comes to the diamond color chart.
Diamond Color D-F: The diamonds that fall in this diamond color scale are colorless. They are the most purest form of diamonds and do not have any trace of other colors or impurities. Trained gemologists identify these diamonds based on their purity and on comparison with other diamonds belonging to a different diamond color chart. A diamond that ranges between D to F is a very rare one and will be very expensive to afford.
Diamond Color G-J: The diamonds that fall in this diamond color scale come next in line and are very popular for the immense value they bring into your diamond purchase. These diamonds are almost colorless and can only be distinguished by trained eyes. They will have minor traces of color, but that does not affect its purity as they are invisible to the naked eye. The diamonds that fall in this diamond color chart yield optimum shine and brilliance as well as help you balance your costs.
Diamond Color K-M: You will find a slight tinge of faint yellow or brown in the diamonds that fall in this diamond color scale. The shine and sparkle of the diamond becomes slightly dull as the diamond moves from K to M. The diamonds that fall in this diamond color chart are the most available ones in the market and you can profitably buy a quality piece.
How to choose the perfect diamond color?
You don’t necessarily have to go for the purest diamond color and sacrifice your budget to keep the purity at point. Almost always it depends upon multiple factors. Let’s take a look at the factors that influence what color you should be going for your diamond.
1. Based on metal color
When it comes to choosing the perfect diamond color there are a lot of factors that play in. First of all, the diamond color scale that you choose has to go hand in hand with the metal color. Yes, the metal for your engagement ring’s band when contrasted with the right diamond colors will bring the real elegance of the ring. If you have a white gold setting for an engagement ring, then you must look out for the most purest form of diamond color which can be anywhere in the range between G and H.
Well, the same does not apply if you are choosing a yellow gold setting for your ring. In this case, a diamond color of lighter or lower diamond color chart will be more suitable. A diamond color falling in the range of G-J will be perfect for a rose gold engagement ring. Now that you’ve looked into the color of the metal, you also need to be aware of the type of setting that you are choosing for your engagement ring. According to the setting, you need to go for a higher or lower diamond color scale which can be experimented and settled.
2. Based on the shape and size of your diamond
You might not have thought about this but different diamond shapes and types of diamonds look good in different diamond colors. That is why you need to be aware of the kind of diamond shape you are looking for. Keeping that in mind you can go for the perfect diamond color. Depending on the shape of the diamond, say for instance, an oval diamond exhibits more or less color at different parts of the diamond’s structure.
An oval diamond exhibits more color at the points and edges. Whereas in a princess or radiant cut diamond, more color is reflected in the body. That is why you need to choose a different color scale for each diamond shape. The color you choose will also depend on the carat weight of the given diamond. For a larger carat weight, higher diamond colors are preferred.
Now let’s take a look at the individual shapes and the typical diamond color that is needed to bring elegance from each diamond shape. You will also find a ranking (1-10) for each diamond shape which signifies the color grade that you need to look for. For instance, 1 – lower color and 10 – higher color or colorless.
- Round (4/10) – The perfection and pure elegance of the round diamond give you the option to go for or a minimum color grade. The facets in a round diamond work in a manner such that optimum light is already yielded. You can look out for other factors like cut, carat, and clarity while going for a minimum color.
- Princess (5/10) – Owing to the depth and square cut figure of this diamond shape, the color is kind of evenly balanced. That being said, you need to look for a color grade that falls somewhere in between.
- Oval (7/10) – The typical oval-like shape of this diamond allows the color to be displayed near the edges and the points when compared to the color in the body. By taking close consideration of the depth of this diamond, you can go for a higher color in the diamond color chart (F-I).
- Asscher (6/10) – The popular step cut feature in this brilliantly faceted diamond makes it a must to look for higher diamond colors in the diamond color scale especially if you’re getting a big diamond.
- Emerald (6/10) – Small rectangular facets in emerald diamonds give it a more open and deeper body. This is why an emerald diamond shows more color. So you need to look out for an above-average diamond color.
- Pear (8/10) – Owing to the elongated shape of the pear diamond, more color is exhibited at the points of the diamond. You also need to take into account the technical dimensions of the diamond to choose the perfect diamond color.
- Marquise (8/10) – Very similar to the pair Diamond the marks diamond which is also an elongated shape showcases color along the points.
- Heart (8/10) – The heart-shaped setting of this diamond allows it to showcase color at the tip as well as along its edges. The bigger the shape of the diamond, the more color it showcases, and you need to look for a pure color in the diamond color chart.
- Radiant (9/10) – The symmetrical cut of these diamonds makes them stand out when it comes to showcasing color. That is why you need to consider a higher color grading in the diamond color scale.
- Cushion (9/10) – You need to be aware of the inner dimensions of the particular cushion diamond that you want to choose a diamond color for. Depending on the size and type of faceting of the diamond, you must look for a suitable color in the diamond color chart.
Balancing price and quality
When going for the perfect diamond color, you will be tempted to place your bet on a diamond color of a higher diamond color scale. But that’s where you know that the diamond color also depends on the type of base metals, the shape of the diamond, and the setting in which the engagement ring is made. Another quality aspect that you should be thinking of is the price.
One might think that the price difference between each color grade won’t make much of a difference. But the truth is that the price range differs greatly when you shift to the higher diamond colors in the diamond color chart. If you are looking for a value driven purchase, then you need to consider buying a diamond in the color range between I-K. If you are looking for at most purity and perfection, then D-F is the ideal range for you.
You can save tremendous amount of costs by going for a lower Diamond color in the range from G-F. Just make sure that these diamond colors offer the right contrast when matched with your engagement ring bands.
The choice is ultimately yours, what shines in your eye is ideally what you should be going for.