Diamond Colour: Understanding Colour Grades
What is diamond colour?
Diamond colour refers to the amount of colour present within a diamond. In most white diamonds, the ideal is a stone that appears as colourless as possible.
Small traces of colour can occur naturally during the diamond’s formation. These traces typically appear as subtle tones of pale yellow or brown and are caused by elements such as nitrogen being present as the diamond forms.
The less colour that is visible within a diamond, the higher its colour grade will be.
How diamond colour is graded
Diamond colour is assessed using a grading scale that ranges from D to Z. This scale was created by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and is now the most widely recognised standard used by diamond laboratories worldwide.
Diamonds closer to D contain the least amount of visible colour, while diamonds further down the scale show increasing levels of colour.
Because colourless diamonds are rarer in nature, diamonds with higher colour grades are generally more valuable.
Diamond colour grades available
At Lorel Diamonds, the diamonds available typically range from D to H colour.
Diamonds graded D, E and F are considered colourless or white diamonds. The visual difference between these grades is extremely subtle and is usually only noticeable to a trained gemmologist using professional grading equipment.
Diamonds graded G and H may contain a very slight hint of colour. In many cases, this is difficult to detect without directly comparing the diamond with one of a higher colour grade.
Choosing the right diamond colour
Selecting the right colour grade often depends on both personal preference and budget.
Some buyers are comfortable with diamonds that have a slight hint of colour, while others prefer a diamond that appears completely colourless.
Diamonds graded H colour can offer good value for those who do not mind a faint hint of colour. However, many buyers prefer diamonds that appear bright white, which often leads them to choose higher colour grades.
It is also worth considering that colour can become slightly more noticeable in larger diamonds, particularly those weighing more than 1.00 carat.
Recommended diamond colour grades
For many buyers, F colour offers an excellent balance between appearance and value. At this grade, the diamond will still appear white while often being more accessible in price compared with higher colour grades.
Another factor to consider is the metal colour of the ring setting, as this can influence how the diamond appears.
Yellow gold settings, for example, can complement diamonds with slightly lower colour grades because the warmth of the metal reduces the contrast between the diamond and the setting. Rose gold settings can have a similar effect.
In contrast, designs that include additional diamonds, such as shoulder diamond rings or halo settings, often benefit from a higher colour grade. This is because the surrounding diamonds are typically bright white, which can make any colour in the centre diamond more noticeable.
