DIAMOND COLOR

After selecting the cut that gives the fire you desire, it is now important to consider color. Nuances in the color of a diamond can dramatically affect the diamond's value. In fact, it is the rare diamond that is considered colorless. Diamonds are graded on a scale that ranges from colorless through yellowish and covers a spectrum of shades in between. Although increasing shades of body color reduce the value of a diamond, they do not necessarily reduce its beauty. If a diamond is well cut, refraction and dispersion will often disguise certain degrees of coloration.

Technical Information on Color

As a beam of light passes through a diamond’s crystal structure, the presence of one (1) nitrogen atom per 100,000 carbon atoms will cause a slight yellow appearance. The nitrogen atom acts as a sponge, absorbing some of the light waves in the blue part of the color spectrum. This creates a visually opposite reaction. Since yellow is the complementary color of blue, yellow becomes more visible. It is very rare that a diamond is so pure that it contains no nitrogen. Totally colorless diamonds (D color) contain no nitrogen whatsoever and are therefore chemically pure.

GIA Color Grading Scale

D,E,F - Considered colorless.
G,H,I - Nearly colorless, not distinguishable from colorless when mounted.
J,K - Faint yellow body color. When combined with fine cut grade, color can be masked.
L through Z - Diamonds in these grades will display a yellowish tint even when mounted.