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The GIA uses a specific color grade for each of our diamonds. At first look, inexperienced diamond shoppers describe a regular, colorless diamond as white or transparent. However, there is much more to a diamond’s color than you may think. Determining the color of a diamond is a very difficult task which requires a specific environment. The setting in which this process takes place is structured to eliminate light and color from surrounding surfaces. It is practically impossible to notice any differences in the diamond color when the gems are observed outside this limited environment. To determine the correct color, there is the GIA color scale. This is the most popular scale and commonly used by all the major diamond shops.
Determine the precise color of a diamond is a daunting task. Moreover, it is even harder to determine the real color of a diamond once it is in the crown of a ring. One of the reasons why it is such a baffling task is because the diamond enters an environment in which it is affected by the light and the different colors surrounding it. An example of this: an H-graded diamond placed in a ring crown. Under regular circumstances, it appears as colorless as a D graded diamond. This is how some organizations will unfairly sell an H-graded diamond as a D-graded diamond. This is not always intentionally of course, but a lack of proper evaluation equipment.
The mounting or the metal used to prepare the ring itself also plays a crucial role when addressing different aspects that determine a diamond’s hue. For instance, a diamond’s yellow nuances in a yellow gold ring will not show as strongly as they would in combination with a whiter metal.
Additionally, on a value-related note; color gains more significance as the carat weight expands.
GIA Diamond Color Grades
The GIA color scale for diamonds ranges from D through Z. The D stands for colorless and Z and describes light colored diamonds. All diamonds within the D-Z range carry the label "white", however, varying hues are somewhat apparent. The colorless (D) diamonds are rarer than the yellowish diamonds all the way to Z. The closer the color of the diamond comes to white (or transparent) the more unique, rare and expensive the diamond becomes. The table below shows the different nuances and grades (D-Z) diamonds can have:
Determine the precise color of a diamond is a daunting task. Moreover, it is even harder to determine the real color of a diamond once it is in the crown of a ring. One of the reasons why it is such a baffling task is because the diamond enters an environment in which it is affected by the light and the different colors surrounding it. An example of this: an H-graded diamond placed in a ring crown. Under regular circumstances, it appears as colorless as a D graded diamond. This is how some organizations will unfairly sell an H-graded diamond as a D-graded diamond. This is not always intentionally of course, but a lack of proper evaluation equipment.
Fancy Colored Diamonds
Yellow, red, pink, and blue colored diamonds belong to a separate group. Therefore, there is a different color scale for their grading. These diamonds are so-called Fancy Colored Diamonds. The terminology also differs from that of white diamonds. For instance, a red or pink colored diamond has three different variants: the Fancy Red, Vivid Red, and Fancy Deep Pink. Blue diamond’s different nuances entail the Faint, Very Light and Light Blue, as well as Fancy, Fancy Light, Fancy Dark, Fancy Intense, Fancy Deep, Fancy Vivid.
The mounting or the metal used to prepare the ring itself also plays a crucial role when addressing different aspects that determine a diamond’s hue. For instance, a diamond’s yellow nuances in a yellow gold ring will not show as strongly as they would in combination with a whiter metal.
Additionally, on a value-related note; color gains more significance as the carat weight expands.