The Four C’s of a Diamond – Color November 13, 2008
Posted by Jill Renee in : Buying Diamonds , trackbackFor a diamond, color, is one of the four major qualities that is used to determine the overall value of the stone. Color is grouped with carat weight, clarity, and cut to create the Four C’s of a diamond. Unlike the remaining C’s, however, the color of a diamond is one that is often hard to determine and is not measured on a firm, quantifiable scale as several of the others are. Rather, color is judged on a gradient scale ranging from letter D to letter Z.
The Diamond Color Scale
D through F – Colorless
G through J – Nearly colorless; requires a loupe to determine color when unmounted
K through M – Possesses a faint yellow tint, usually requires a loupe to detect
N through R – Possesses a slight yellow tint which can be detected with the naked eye
S through Z – Obviously tinted yellow even when mounted
Color and Price
As one would expect, the closer a diamond gets to color grade D, the more expensive that particular gem is going to be. The jump in price per carat per color grade can easily be a thousand dollars. This means that a diamond can get expensive in a hurry.
Match Your Setting with Your Color Grade
Perhaps the most important factor in determining what color grade is the best for a particular shopper is what type of metal on which the diamond is going to be mounted on in a diamond ring, earrings, or other pieces of jewelry. Yellow gold can seem to amplify a lower grade diamond’s yellow tint. Platinum or white gold can help by removing that yellow frame of reference. This means that, unlike carat weight or clarity, the buyer has a little wiggle room when deciding on diamond color. However, for most buyers, a diamond in the range of J or K is usually fine especially when setting on a whiter setting. For yellower settings, a H or an I can be considered ideal.
Determining Factors
Obviously every diamond is unique. So, when you’re shopping for diamonds, color has to be weighed as a determining factor, and not necessarily a deciding one. Color must be considered along with the rest of the Four C’s to create a list of requirements for the perfect diamond based on the needs of you the shopper.
We know that most people do not make a habit of shopping for a diamond, so feel free to contact your diamond specialist here at Danforth.
Comments»
[…] Danforth Diamond Blog » The Four C’s of a Diamond – Color […]