What Is The Best Diamond Color Rating

Cut is what really makes or breaks a diamond s appearance.

What is the best diamond color rating.

But these ratings are determined by expert gemologists comparing against a set of master stones. The naked eye can t tell between colorless d f diamonds and the slight yellow tint of grades g j. Diamonds with an ij rating fall into the second best color tier. The most valuable diamonds are colorless with a color grade rating of d.

For the best value in what would appear to the naked eye as a colorless diamond look for g j diamonds. Understanding what diamond color means helps in choosing the right diamond. The d color grade is the highest quality color grade a diamond can receive and can reasonably be called the best color for a diamond. Low grade diamonds with a color rating of s z appear obviously yellow to the naked eye.

Setting and style matter too colorless diamonds need a white gold or platinum band to enhance their icy appeal while yellow gold complements to g j grade ones. However it s a little more complicated than that. The highest grade for diamond color is d or completely colorless. A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue like a drop of pure water and consequently a higher value.

While a d color diamond is undoubtedly the best in terms of color the difference in price between a d color diamond and a diamond with a lower color. In the rating i2 i3 the i stands for inclusions or imperfections within the diamond. Best can be very subjective especially when it comes to diamonds. D through f are the most valuable ratings but i which is in the near colorless range is still considered a good color rating.

A well cut diamond has better light return which results in better sparkle and brilliance. Diamond color ranges from d colorless to z light yellow in color. However one of the mistakes that beginners make is the assumption that a higher color rating will make a diamond more beautiful. Diamond color is the hue of a diamond based on the gia diamond color scale which grades the diamond s color on a spectrum of d colorless to z light yellow hue the absence of color is what determines both its grade and value as well as has a significant impact on its appearance diamond color grade is typically determined with the diamond face down and the culet facing up.

Keep reading to learn the smart rules to shop by. Classification of diamond color on a d colorless z tinted scale. Because color is easier to detect in larger diamonds opt for g h in diamonds over 1 carat and i j for those under 1 carat. Colorless diamonds allow more light and so show more sparkle and fire than other diamonds.

Diamond quality charts and rating scales illustrated.