What is the Best Diamond Color?

Color is one of the 4Cs in a white diamond and is graded on a scale of D to Z. In white diamonds, the absence of color or yellow tint would qualify the diamond as colorless, thus qualifying it for a colorless grade. The higher the intensity and presence of the yellow tint/reflection, the higher the color grade and the lower its value. Please note that color in fancy colored diamonds is entirely a different topic.

GIA’s color grading scale is used as the industry’s standard for determining the color of a diamond. In white diamonds, D-F is considered Colorless, G-J is considered Near Colorless, K-M is Faint, N-R is Very Light Yellow, and S-Z is Light Yellow. Color in white diamonds is often considered the second most important diamond price determinant after the Cut of a diamond.

Nature is full of colors, and every color reflects beauty. Even if a colorless substance has a color, e.g., water may look colorless, but in reality, it has its own color. Color is the possessive quality of an element that leaves a physical, mental, emotional, and/or psychological effect on us when we look at it.

Like anything else, diamonds also possess unique colors that can be seen and described. This property of a diamond is an important price-determining or price-ruling factor. In the diamond market, the second most important and influential factor in a diamond after its Cut is often its Color. The sparkle in a diamond attracts an eye, and the whiter the sparkle, the more attractive a diamond will be!

There are various colors of diamonds; each carries its own significance and beauty, and based on that, we determine their market value. A pure diamond will have no hue. At the same time, the impurities in diamonds’ color may be affected.

There are many possible colors of diamonds, including white, steel gray, blue, yellow, orange, red, green, pink, purple, black, and brown. Fancy diamonds have rare colors and are more expensive as their demand is high in the fashion industry. Intensely colored diamonds are also more expensive than other diamonds.

In white diamonds, the purest diamonds are colorless, a reference point to the color grade of a diamond. A higher color grade of a diamond means lesser color in it or how close it is to being colorless. A color grade of D is the highest, whereas Z is the lowest.

You have a 3-4K budget and want to 1-carat diamond. In this situation, what would be your best options? What would you compromise on?

The good news is that you have many options even while on budget. Before we outline some options, we want to share how dealers prioritize the diamond selection process. They look for the balance of all 4Cs in addition to consideration for good fluorescence. They would also look for a stone highly in demand;  round shape diamonds are popular in today's market round shape diamonds are popular. However, fancy-shaped stones are also popular and in demand, so having the right balance in them is important.

Option one would be to get a one-carat eye-clean SI2 clarity, H color, Very Good to Excellent cut, and up to medium blue fluorescence, and GIA graded. In this scenario, you are compromising on clarity slightly. Therefore, you must get the right SI2 clarity. It should be an eye-clean stone. Clarity is tricky, so you know what types of inclusions to avoid. On the other hand,  getting a slightly smaller stone, say .98ct, might also boost your budget/chances, as the price difference could be significant.

Option two would be to get a one-carat VS2 clarity J-K color, Very Good to Excellent Cut, up to medium blue fluorescence, and GIA graded. I recommend sticking to the J color even though the K color could be an excellent choice (it will be discussed below).

Option three would be to get a 1.3 carat SI1+ eye-clean clarity, K color, Excellent cut, up to strong blue fluorescence, and GIA-graded diamond. Here you're compromising color for carat weight in case you desire a bigger diamond. Get a high-clarity and cut-grade diamond if you compromise highly on the color.

Hint: getting a rose gold or yellow mounting for a higher color grade diamond could make the diamond look whiter due to the reflection of the metal. Something to consider for J-M color range diamonds.

You have a budget of 15-20K and want a high grade large beautiful diamond that is also a good investment. What color grade would you consider? What of the four Cs would you compromise on?

A large budget certainly increases your options, but it is equally important to pick the right stone if you're also considering it as a major investment.

Option one would be to pick a close to two-carat VS2 clarity, G-H Color, Very Good to Excellent Cut, None to Medium Blue Fluorescence Diamond, and GIA graded. In this option, you maximize all four Cs while keeping an optimal balance.

Option two would be to buy a half-carat VS1 clarity, D-F color, Excellent Cut, No Fluorescence, and GIA-graded diamond. In this scenario, you are going for total brilliance and excellence of all four Cs (looking for a pure investment-grade stone) while slightly compromising carat weight or size.

Option three would be a two-and-a-half carat VS2 (eye-clean) clarity, H-I color, Very Good Cut, medium blue fluorescence, and GIA-graded diamond. In this case, you are aiming for a large stone while not overly compromising on the brilliance of the diamond. Cut and clarity would be important in this scenario, so ensure these two factors are thoroughly reviewed before going for this option. Clarity can be tricky, so make sure the stone is eye-clean VS2 as large stones with VS2 grade could sometimes be not eye-clean if the inclusion is a large black carbon on the table.

You have a  10K budget and want a diamond with at least a two-carat weight. Size is important, but you do not know what C to comprise to get your desired size.

This is a tricky situation that demands careful analysis and research before purchase because you could easily end up with a large diamond that no one cares for.

Option one for you would be to get a two-carat+ VS1 clarity, J-K Color, Excellent Cut, medium blue fluorescence, and GIA-graded diamond. In this scenario, you are compromising on color, but you are maximizing size, clarity, and cut. While the stone might have a slight yellow tint, it would still be a beautiful diamond full of brilliance and fire.

Option two would be a slightly smaller than two-carat SI1 clarity, I Color, Very Good Cut, Medium Blue Fluorescence, and GIA-graded Diamond. In this scenario, you maximize your budget to get the best of all four Cs in a budget range diamond while not overly comprising on size.

Option three for you would be to get a two-carat SI2-SI1 clarity, H-I Color, up to Very Good Cut, up to strong blue fluorescence, and GIA-graded diamond. In this scenario, you are trying to get a better color-grade diamond while compromising clarity and fluorescence grade slightly. Ensure the clarity and fluorescence do not affect the stone’s overall appearance. Please note that an extremely high fluorescence grade diamond does not have high resale value if you're considering an investment perspective.

Ideally, going for a slightly smaller size, better color, clarity, and cut might be a bad idea; however, if the size is not negotiable, then compromising on color might not be a bad idea, as shown in option one in this scenario.