All You Need to Know About Diamond Colour

Jan 20, 2020

All You Need to Know About Diamond Colour 

If you are in the market for an engagement ring, then you’ll need to know some information about diamond colour in order to make the best decision for you and your partner. Equipped with an understanding of diamond colour, you’ll be able to understand the quality and how it is valued. 

A Diamond’s Value Is Partially Based on the Absence of Colour

When shopping for the perfect diamond engagement ring there are many factors to consider, one of them being colour. A colourless diamond is associated with rarity, and that uniqueness is reflected in the price of the diamond.

The GIA Organizes Diamond Colour In Five Categories

  1. Colourless (D-F): These diamonds are the rarest, and therefore, the most valued. 
  2. Near colourless (G-J): Colour is unnoticeable unless examined by trained graders with special equipment. 
  3. Faint (K-M): Colour is not noticeable to an untrained eye.
  4. Very Light (N-R): Some colour can be noticed by an untrained eye.
  1. Light (S-Z): Colour is visible in small and large stones. These diamonds may appear to have yellow or brown tints, but do not have enough colour to be considered a “unique” stone.

Unique Coloured Diamonds Vs Colourless Diamonds

Unique coloured diamonds are graded and valued differently than colourless diamonds. Coloured diamonds are diamonds that are noticeably red, green, or purple, among many others. 

The GIA grades coloured diamonds on a different scale than colourless diamonds. While the D-Z grading system for colourless diamonds is based on the absence of colour, the grading system for coloured diamonds is based on the presence of colour. Terms used to grade coloured diamonds include, but are not limited to Faint, Light, Fancy, Fancy Intense, and Fancy Vivid. 

What Should You Look For In A Coloured Diamond?

The more intense the colour of the diamond, the better it is. Fancy Vivid diamonds will have more colour than Light diamonds, which means that they will be more valuable.

Certain Diamond Treatments Can Improve the Colour of A Diamond

The colour of your diamond can be altered by treatments. Diamonds that haven’t been treated are more valuable than those that have been treated. High pressure, high-temperature processing is one of the most commonly used techniques to alter and remove colour in diamonds. This treatment can make brown diamonds colourless or make them other colours like yellow or green.

If you are shopping for coloured diamond jewellery, at Diamonds for Less, we offer our clients a wide array of options that meet both their jewellery preferences and their budgets. With over 30 years of experience, you can rest assured that if we don’t have what you are looking for, we can certainly help you make it.