Diamond Colors – In Plain English
When analyzing a diamond’s quality and value, four major features are considered; included in this is the diamond color. To complete the Four C’s are clarity, carat weight and cut. Once you understand these four diamond features and how they interrelate, you would be able to decide on the stone that best fits your price range and tastes.
Diamond Color Variants
Sometimes called “white” diamonds, the colorless diamonds are the basis for which all other hues are assessed.
To score diamond color, a set of guidelines has been made by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The color of graded diamonds is contrasted with preselected gems of a particular color or what is known as control stones.
Diamond Color Grading Procedure
* Metal can affect the diamond’s color; so in order to be graded, the diamond must be loose and not attached to metals.
* Placed table-down, pavilion-up and seen with a 10x loupe – that’s the way the diamonds are set.
* To identify the amount of color present in each stone, a lettering method from D to Z is used, with D for the unusual and totally clear diamonds.
