When you are shopping for diamond jewelry, you will notice that there are many different factors to consider.
Two important factors are diamond color and diamond clarity.
Diamond color is judged on a scale from D (no hue) to Z (a yellow hued diamond). The closer a diamond is to being colorless, the more valuable it is.
Similarly, clarity is judged on a scale from IF (flawless) to I-III (included).
A diamond with no inclusions is more rare and therefore, more valuable. However, most diamonds fall somewhere in the middle of these two scales.
In this article, we will explain the differences between diamond color and diamond clarity, and how they affect the price and quality of a diamond.
We will also provide tips on how to choose the perfect diamond for your needs!
Table of Contents
What Is Diamond Color and Diamond Clarity?
When we say color, generally we are actually hoping for no color at all.
Unless of course, we are after a colored diamond.
But when we say no color, we are speaking about a diamond that is clear like water.
When people say “white diamond,” they mean “colorless”. White is a color and if you think about it, would you want a diamond that looks like MILK?
Further, when we speak about diamond clarity, this means that the clearness is not being blocked by “junk” or inclusions that are typically found inside of a stone.
Clarity can be best described as looking through your living room window. If the glass has a ton of fly droppings, bug splats and water spots, you will then find it to be hazy and will not be able to see through it as clearly.
Diamonds are graded by using what is known in the trade as the “Four C’s”.
Color and Clarity are two of those, and perhaps Clarity is the more important of the two if you had to choose between them, because there are a lot of people who would actually prefer some warmer color in their diamonds and will go for the clarity instead when price is an issue.
Not everyone is impressed by diamonds that are totally colorless, especially if they are full of inclusions that obstruct the brilliance as a result.
How Diamond Color Is Graded
Diamond color is graded by using a diamond color chart.
GIA has a standard industry chart that is used throughout the world for representing colors found in diamonds and really, all colored gemstones too.
When speaking about diamonds, the scale begins with the alphabetic letter of “D”. This color represents the most colorless of all colors.
The scale then continues with the increasing presence of color and goes all the way to the letter “Z” or light yellow or brownish.
Each letter has a clearly defined range of appearance.
We then move to colors, such as “fancy” diamond colors, much the same way that there are “fancy” shapes and cuts of diamonds.
Fancy colors may be those that have been injected deliberately, such as the blue diamonds we commonly see nowadays, or else they can be colors found in nature, such as green diamonds or the elusive pink diamonds.
Either way, the color of a diamond will have an impact on the price because the jewelry trade simply has decided that it should be colorless despite peoples personal preferences.
The difference from one grade to the next, say, going from colors “D” to “E” or sometimes even to “F” is usually imperceivably to most jewelers and their customers.
This is because diamonds are graded face down rather than face up, unless they are already in a mounting. Because of this, a well cut diamond will often appear more colorless than its grade when worn in a piece of jewelry.
One factor when selecting your diamond for color is to ask yourself what color of gold you will be setting it in, or if you will be using platinum.
The reason for this is because the mounting and setting is going to add a reflective color which contrasts with the diamond.
- If you put a yellow tinged diamond, say, a color “J” or “K” into a platinum or white gold setting, you will be able to see that it has that warm color and you may not like it, all other qualities aside.
- However, if you put even a color “L” to “P” into a yellow gold mounting, you won’t be able to see the warm color as easily because the contrast in color vs metal is the same.
We often suggest that, unless you like seeing a contrast between your metal as opposed to the color of your diamond, to stick with diamond colors that are nearest to the colors of the metals.
We would mount a “D” through “H” in white gold, but we would then switch from colors “I” to “Z” and mount those into yellow gold (unless we actually wanted to see the diamond color better).
One of the most expensive rings we sold was a large 3+ carat diamond with great clarity that happened to have the color of “M”.
It was set in two toned gold and the warm champagne color was complemented by both the contrast of the white gold as well as the complementing yellow gold.
What Causes Diamond Color?
Diamond color is caused by trace elements that interact with the carbon atoms during its creation.
- The presence of chemical elements such as sulfur, boron, radiation and nitrogen will create shades of yellow, green and blue, whereas, pink or red diamonds are colored that way due to intense heat and pressure.
- Black diamonds are so full of carbon that they appear to be solid black, and there are even polka dot diamonds that are well peppered with black carbon.
- Brownish diamonds are caused by internal graining which is a distortion of the crystal formation.
- Lastly, diamond color can be added synthetically by the intervention of man. Most common are the yellow and blue diamonds.
Regardless of a diamond color grade, the cut of a diamond can highlight color more than another cut will.
Different shapes of diamonds will show color differently and may even cause tinges to show more readily which actually reduce the price regardless of its grading.
Round cuts have a tendency, like emerald and cushion cuts, to face up as being more colorless than their grade indicates when mounted.
Emerald, radiant, and oval cuts tend to show color more readily, and will even seem tinged more easily when mounted in the wrong color metal.
Diamond Color Chart
| Diamond Color | Description |
|---|---|
| D. E. F | Diamonds will appear totally colorless face up. You will have to look closely at the diamond in person, or under a microscope to see any possible tinges of yellow or brown. |
| G. H. I | Near Colorless. These diamonds will also appear totally colorless when worn, but may show tinges of yellow or brown when examined very closely by an expert. |
| J. K. L | Faint Yellow. These diamonds will show tinges of yellow when examined face up, but they will not usually be noticeable to the untrained eye. |
| M – R | Noticeable Yellow. These diamonds will show noticeable tinges of yellow when examined face up. |
| S-Z | Strong Yellow. These diamonds will have strong tinges of yellow, and may even appear to be light brown in color when examined face up. |
| Fancy Colored Diamonds | All other colors including, but not limited to: pink, blue, green, red, etc. |
How Diamond Clarity Is Graded
Since natural diamonds are created deep in the earth by carbon being exposed to tremendous heat and pressure, we can understand that the result of this process will create a variety of natural characteristics called “blemishes” or “inclusions”.
To evaluate and grade a diamond, the examiner will determine the number, size, nature, relief and position of these characteristics, as well as how these affect the appearance of the stone.
There are 6 categories of grading scale that are standardized in the diamond trade and for which some are divided to further assist.
GIA is the gold standard for grading:
Diamond Clarity Chart
| Clarity Rating | Description |
|---|---|
| Flawless (FL) | These stones are found to have no blemishes or inclusions under 10x magnification. |
| Internally Flawless (IF) | No inclusions visible under 10x magnification. |
| Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) | Inclusions are so slight that they are difficult to see under 10x magnification. |
| Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) | Inclusions can be seen with 10x magnification, but they are minor. |
| Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) | These have inclusions that are noticeable under 10x magnification. |
| Included (I1, I2, and I3) | Inclusions are obvious to the naked eye and under 10x magnification, and they will usually affect brilliance and transparency. |
What Causes Inclusions?
Small crystals that become trapped as a diamond is being formed under pressure.
These are present at “birth” and are like a tiny variety of fingerprints styles that will actually help to identify your diamond if graded and charted should it ever be stolen.
A grade without a chart is unhelpful for identification because the chart will only specify the different types of inclusions and the position they are found in each stone.
Most jewelers have never seen a flawless diamond, but have seen internally flawless diamonds now and then. Maybe.
Tips For Choosing The Perfect Diamond Color and Clarity
Now that you have an understanding of diamond color and clarity grades, here are some tips for finding the best stone for your needs:
Diamond Color Is Personal
Choosing your diamond color is personal.
You may be someone that prefers your diamonds as colorless as possible due to media hype, or you may want something that is warm or has distinctive color.
Whichever it is, you will then have to decide what your budget can handle because the more colorless you go, or the fancier the color, the higher the price will be.
Be sure to shop around and see these colors with your own eyes in contrast with different colors of gold or platinum.
Sometimes a colored stone, while impressive when loose, will not impress when set in a particular color of metal mounting.
We would also strongly advise finding out if the color has been heat enhanced or is synthetic in any way.
This will drop the value of the diamond significantly, but will also allow you to have a larger stone for the same budget price if you do not plan to buy it for trading up or reselling it.
Choose Clear Diamonds
Choosing your diamond for clarity is probably more important than the color will be.
The reason for this is because the clarity will have a huge impact on brilliance, and poor clarity will turn even the best colorless diamond to milk.
Inclusions found in diamonds come in many forms, but the one thing that they all have in common is that they stop light from reflecting and refracting, that is, bouncing around throughout the stone.
It is our opinion that buying a diamond with a clarity lower than SI1 or SI2 will disappoint, unless the inclusions are positioned inside the stone in such a way that they block the least amount of light.
It happens and we have been surprised by it.
Generally speaking though, these stones simply cannot do what a diamond does best, and they will look dull and dirty even when clean.
Get A Third Party Appraisal
If you are buying a diamond engagement or wedding ring, always remember to make sure that the diamond you buy has been properly graded by a third party Graduate Gemologist and that you will get this certificate of Appraisal.
You will want to choose a third party because the jewelry industry is not regulated and anyone can open a diamond business with no experience or expertise, and these jewelers will often do their own appraisals to hike up the price.
A third party appraisal will protect you from being overcharged, and it will also help you get an insurance policy for the diamond should anything happen to it.
FAQ’s About Diamond Color & Clarity
Is Color or Clarity More Important?
If you are buying a diamond for investment purposes, which we don’t recommend, then you will want to focus on clarity because it will have the most impact on the resale value.
For color, as close to “colorless/white” as possible.
However, if you are buying a diamond for an engagement ring or other piece of jewelry, then you should focus on the diamond color that you personally like because it will have the most impact on how sparkly and beautiful your diamond looks.
How Diamond Color & Clarity Affects Price
The discrepancies in prices can be astounding when diamond prices are being determined.
Because there are “Four C’s” to be considered, and because some of those C’s are determined to be more critical than others, you will have to choose in your own order which is going to be the most important to you.
Your choices can be the difference between paying from $1000 to $15000 more or less for the same weight of stone!
For more info, check out our article on Cut Clarity and Price.
What Does Color Have To Do With Price?
Colorless diamonds are very rare, and because of this, they are the most expensive, second to natural fancy colors such as pink diamonds.
As you move down the color scale starting from “D” and then going along to “Z” you will notice the price of a diamond decreasing. This changes the price of course, when marketing the colors of “M” and going down towards “Z” as being sold as “champagne”.
People seem to like how that word sounds, especially since they envision their wedding day as flowing with champagne toasting the happiness and success of the union.
The most common diamond colors for the price range that people can afford to buy diamonds will be “G” and go on down from there.
These are also the most plentiful diamonds mined.
The rarest color occurrences are red, blue, pink and green and are incredibly expensive. Also, consideration for these colored stones in price will be their saturation and depth of hues.
What Clarity & Color Is Best For Diamonds?
If you want the diamond to appear as large as possible and don’t mind some inclusions, then go for an “I” color diamond with a VS or SI clarity rating.
The inclusions will be hidden to the naked eye, but you will be able to get a diamond with a larger carat weight for your money.
On the other hand, if you want the diamond to appear flawless and perfect, then go for an “E-F” color diamond with a VVS or FL clarity rating. The diamond will be beautiful and almost perfect, but it will cost you a lot more money.
How Different Settings Can Mask a Diamond Color
The diamond setting can make a big difference in how the diamond color is perceived. For example, if you set a yellow gold diamond in a bezel setting, the metal will reflect off the diamond and make it look whiter.
If you set a white gold or platinum diamond in a prong setting, the metal will not reflect off the diamond and the diamond will look more yellow.
The best way to see how different settings will affect diamond color is to go to a jewelry store and try on different diamonds in different settings.
What Is The Lowest Color & Clarity Diamond You Should Buy?
The lowest diamond color you should buy is an “I” color diamond. Anything lower than that on the color scale will start to look yellow.
The lowest diamond clarity you should buy is an SI clarity diamond. Anything lower than that on the clarity scale will start to have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye.
Is VS1 or VS2 better?
We like them equally.
Why?
Because either one will require a loupe to even be able to see the inclusions inside them.
But more importantly, the inclusion differences between those two particular grades will only really affect the appearance of the stone based on light refraction.
This means that your price point can move towards a different size or color of diamond if you can’t tell any difference between one grade up or down.
Final Thoughts
When choosing a diamond, you should always go for the best quality that you can afford.
A diamond is a lifetime investment that can be passed down from generation to generation.
Keep in mind that the diamond color and clarity grades are only a guide. The best way to choose a diamond is to see it in person and decide if it looks good to you.