Diamond & Color
Acting as a prism, a diamond can divide light into a spectrum of colors and reflect this light as colorful flashes called fire. Just as when looking through colored glass, color in a diamond will act as a filter, and will diminish the spectrum of color emitted. The less color in a diamond, the more colorful the fire, and the better the color grade.
The Diamonds graded D-J are colorless or near-colorless — their color is typically undetectable to the unaided eye. The color in diamonds graded K-Z detracts from the beauty of a diamond. It's especially noticeable set in platinum or white gold.
| D | Absolutely colorless. The highest color grade, which is extremely rare. |
| E | Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist. A rare diamond. |
| F | Colorless. Slight color detected by an expert gemologist, but still considered a "colorless" grade. A high-quality diamond. |
| G-H | Near-colorless. Color noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but these grades offer excellent value. |
| I-J | Near-colorless. Color slightly detectable. An excellent value. |
| K-Z | Noticeable color. |
What Color Grade is The Best ?
For the purist, look for a colorless diamond with a grade of D-F and a fluorescence rating of faint, inert, none, or negligible.
For an excellent value in a diamond with no noticeable color to the unaided eye, look for a near-colorless grade of G-I, and a fluorescence grade of medium or strong blue.
Or, if you'd rather not compromise on color but would like to stay on budget, choose a diamond with a good cut, SI1–SI2 clarity, and consider going with a strong fluorescence. It will still be beautiful to the unaided eye and you may prefer the unique effect of a strong fluorescence.
What is Fluorescence ?
Fluorescence is an effect that is seen in some gem-quality diamonds when they are exposed to long-wave ultraviolet light (such as the lighting frequently seen in dance clubs). Under most lighting conditions, this fluorescence is not detectable to the eye. While most gemologists prefer diamonds without this effect, some people enjoy it.
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