If you’re wondering what there is to know about the different types of diamond colours, this guide is for you.
Diamonds come in various colours that play a significant role in determining their appearance and value. An interesting fact about diamonds is that even if most of them look alike, not all types of diamonds are the same. Depending on their physical and chemical properties, gemologists can divide them into different categories. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know to help you discover which diamond is right for you.
General Categorization of Diamonds:
- Natural Diamonds: As soon as you hear the word ‘diamond,’ an image of a colourless, sparkling rock pops into your head, right? That is exactly what natural diamonds are. Diamond is the hardest substance on earth and is made up of a single element – carbon. These naturally occurring gemstones are mostly colourless.
- Treated Diamonds: Diamonds that cannot be sold in their natural form and have to undergo an artificial process to improve their appearance are called ‘treated diamonds.’ Treatments like colour enhancement and inclusion filling help to manipulate the attributes of these gems and make them worth selling. These treated diamonds are usually sold at a much cheaper price than natural ones.
- Man-Made Diamonds: This variety is also known as ‘lab-grown diamonds.’ They are made in a controlled environment in labouratories under expert supervision. They are as real as natural diamonds but come for much lower prices because of technological innovations. Also, they are ethical and eco-friendly.
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Scientific Categorization of Diamonds:
Diamonds are made up of pure carbon, but almost all of these gems contain impurities or trace elements like boron or nitrogen in their basic structure. These trace elements are either acquired during the natural formation process or added as a result of labouratory treatments. Based on the presence of these elements and impurities, natural diamonds can be segregated into the following categories:
- Type I: These diamonds contain the trace element of nitrogen in their composition. They are further classified as below:
- Type Ia: Approximately 95% of natural diamonds fall in this category. Their structure shows the presence of nitrogen atoms in clustres. They vary in colour from nearly colourless to light yellow.
- Type Ib: These diamonds also contain nitrogen, but as isolated atoms rather than clustres. They are extremely rare and often bright yellow in colour.
- Type II: These diamonds do not have or show the presence of very few nitrogen atoms in their structure. They are further classified as below:
- Type IIa: These diamonds do not contain measurable nitrogen or boron impurities. Of all the diamonds, those belonging to type IIa are the most chemically pure. They are usually colourless but can also be found in grey, light yellow, light pink or light brown hues.
- Type IIb: They are known to be the conductors of electricity. They contain the trace element boron, which is responsible for most of them having a blue or greyish-blue colour.
GIA Diamond Colour Chart
Apart from being graded based on the presence of trace elements, diamonds are also graded based on their colourlessness. The less colour a diamond has, the rarer and more valuable it is. This is why colourless diamonds are highly coveted.
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) developed a colour grading system that assesses a diamond based on the amount of colour present in it. Its D to Z diamond grading scale is the industry gold standard and has five categories featuring 23 grades of diamond colours:
D-F (Colourless)
- Colour D diamonds are completely colourless and have the highest colour grade on the scale. This means they appear colourless when viewed under magnification and to the naked eye.
- Colour E diamonds and colour F diamonds have slight traces of colour that are invisible to the naked eye.
G-J (Near Colourless)
- Colour G diamonds and colour H diamonds contain traces of colour that can only be noticed when compared to colourless diamonds in the D-F range.
- The colour I diamonds and colour J diamonds have a faint colour that’s slightly noticeable.
K-M (Faint)
Colour K diamonds, as well as L and M diamonds, have a faint yellow hue.
N-R (Very Light)
N to R colour diamonds have a more noticeable light yellow hue than faint diamonds in the K-M colour range.
S-Z (Light)
S to Z diamond colour grades have a brown or light yellow hue.
Fancy-Coloured Diamonds
Fancy-coloured diamonds don’t fall within the GIA diamond colour scale. They are graded based on three main criteria: hue, tone and intensity. These diamonds come in a variety of hues, including yellow, pink, blue, brown, purple, orange, green, black and grey, with red being the rarest colour.
Hue: This refers to the actual colour of the diamond, for example, brown, pink, and yellow, among others. Sometimes, the hue can be represented by a dual tone like brownish-pink or bluish-green. A fancy colour diamond’s value depends on these combinations of colours, varying on how desirable or rare they are.
Tone: Tone refers to how light or dark the hue is. For instance, a light tone with a reddish hue will be called fancy pink, while a darker tone will be considered red.
Intensity: The intensity of colour represents how strong or contrasting it is. The intensity of fancy colour is graded from fancy faint to fancy vivid (with a low to high intensity).
Fancy-Coloured Diamonds at Angara
At Angara, our fancy-coloured diamond jewellery collection features enhanced black, brown and blue diamonds. Enhanced diamonds are basically natural diamonds that have undergone colour enhancement treatments and cost significantly less than natural stones. It’s perfect for those who want to flaunt these alluring diamonds without breaking the bank.
- Black Diamonds: Black diamonds symbolize fidelity and reconciliation. They get their colour from large quantities or clouds of minute mineral inclusions, such as graphite, pyrite or hematite, present throughout the stone.
- Blue Diamonds: Blue diamonds symbolize security, devotion and loyalty. They get their colour from minute quantities of boron present in them. Our collection features enhanced blue diamonds with a greenish-blue hue and a teal-blue hue.
- Coffee Diamonds: Brown diamonds, also known as coffee, toffee and champagne diamonds, symbolize unity, stability and reliability. They are formed due to the presence of hydrogen, nitrogen and nickel within the diamond’s structure.
Explore coloured diamonds at Angara today.
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Factors That Affect a Diamond’s Colour
There are a number of key factors that affect the intensity of a diamond’s colour. They are:
Cut
The cut of a diamond plays a major role in its brilliance (white light reflected by a diamond), which can be diminished with the presence of colour. For example, the more colour a diamond has, the less its brilliance will be. But when a diamond with traces of colour is cut perfectly, it can reflect light beautifully, detracting from the diamond’s colour. For example, a round brilliant-cut diamond has the ability to conceal colour better than an emerald-cut diamond.
Fluorescence
Diamond fluorescence refers to the intensity of a coloured glow when a diamond is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. Diamonds with a higher colour grade on the colourless diamond scale (within the D-F range) have a milky appearance due to strong fluorescence. This makes them 15% less expensive than diamonds of the same colour grade without fluorescence. On the other hand, diamonds with lower colour grades (I colour and below) lose some of their yellow hue due to medium to strong fluorescence. This makes them slightly more expensive than non-fluorescent diamonds in the same colour range. However, this is limited to blue fluorescence only.
Metal Colour
The metal colour in which a diamond is set can either enhance or diminish the colour present in a diamond. For example, rose and yellow gold have the most impact on colourless diamonds because the stone reflects some of the metal’s colour. This can make the diamond appear slightly yellow, and 1-2 grades lower than their actual grade.
If you’re looking for a more affordable option, you can opt for lab-grown diamonds, which are 100% as real as natural diamonds: they are chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds. However, they are around 80% cheaper than their counterparts and a better option, especially if you’re opting for a diamond with a higher carat weight.
There is no doubt that diamonds truly are Mother Nature’s most beautiful gift to mankind. Are you in love with these spectacular gems and desire to know more about them? Then, take a look at our detailed educational guide on diamonds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is diamond colour?
A diamond colour refers to the absence of colour in a diamond.
Q2. Which colour diamond is costly?
The most expensive diamonds are fancy-coloured diamonds, followed closely by colourless diamonds in the D-F colour range.
Q3. Why is the diamond colour important?
The more colourless a diamond is, the rarer it is, and this rarity influences its price.
Q4. How is diamond colour graded?
Diamond colour is graded by experts using the D-Z colour grading scale.
Q5. How does the diamond colour affect the price?
Colourless diamonds are the most expensive because colour affects the brilliance of a diamond. The more colour a diamond has, the lower the price tag.
Q6. Are there any noticeable differences between near-colourless grades (G-J) and colourless grades (D-F)?
To the naked eye, these two diamond colour categories are almost similar unless they’re compared closely.
Q7. What is the impact of fluorescence on diamond colour?
Fluorescence can enhance or detract from the diamond’s beauty. A diamond can lose 15% or more of its value if it has a very strong fluorescence.
Q8. Should I prioritize diamond colour over clarity and cut?
A diamond’s cut quality should ideally be prioritized since it affects the stone’s brilliance. A well-cut diamond in a lower colour grade (G-H) can still look spectacular thanks to its ability to create sparkle and brilliance.
Q9. What are fancy coloured diamonds?
Diamonds that are outside the normal colour range are called fancy-coloured diamonds. These diamonds come in various colours, tones, and saturations, with red being the rarest colour.
