Since it’s Thursday and everyone is counting the hours until Friday, I thought that we could liven things up a bit with a game. Because everyone loves a good game right? Ok, so here’s the deal. I’m going to show you a picture, and I want you to guess what the color is on the scale from D to Z. You can guess out loud, as I obviously can’t hear you, but if you and a friend are in the same room you may want to write your guess down on a slip of paper. Then, whoever is the closest gets bragging rights, or a cookie; however it is you like to do things wherever you are. Ok, so here’s the picture. The diamond is 1.24 carats, VS1 in clarity and GIA graded Triple Excellent.
Do you all have your guesses? Here’s the link to a video that I took of the stone earlier today if you need more help making your guess. Ok, now that you have your idea of what color this diamond is, sit tight a moment while we delve into diamond color a little bit.
The vast majority of diamonds fit into what we call the Normal Color Range. This is the range of color from D – colorless to Z – Light Yellow. Each color grade from D-to-Z represents a range of body color or tint. To determine where on the scale a stone falls it is compared to special diamonds called masterstones. Each masterstone represents the absolute least amount of body color allowable in each color range. So, when a diamond comes in to the lab to be graded for color, the diamond grader will first determine the approximate category of color such as colorless, near-colorless, etc. Once he has narrowed that down, say for this example he has determined that the stone is in the colorless range. He will then retrieve and place the masterstones that correspond to that category, in this case D, E, and F in a specially designed box called a DiamondDock. This creates a consistent neutral background and lighting situation that ensures that each diamond is graded with the same conditions. He then places all three masterstones face down in a tray so that their pavilions are visible. All color grading in the normal color range is done from the bottom of the stone as cut quality can mask body color. Body color is also most visible from the side. The grader then takes the diamond to be graded and places it next to each master stone one by one until he thinks he has determined the stone’s color. If a stone has less color than the D masterstone, but more color than the E masterstone, the stone will be graded as a D color diamond. This is a highly specialized process and it is not uncommon for a stone to be graded by more than one person to ensure accuracy.
So, now that we know the process, let’s get down to the more specific colors themselves. As I said before, it’s not based so much on what color a diamond is. Each letter actually is based on a combination of tone and saturation called depth of color. It is a measure of how noticeable this modifying color is. And within the normal color range from D-to-Z there are smaller subcategories. D-F represents the colorless range, G-J represents the near colorless range, K-M represents faint color. N-R is fairly light, and S-Z is light.
Now, with that being said, it is important for me to reiterate that not all diamonds within the same color range will look the same. Some G color stones will look more tinted than others, etc. and this is due to a range of factors. Fluorescence, for example, can make a stone appear whiter. An excellent cut can also disguise body color. Things can also make a stone’s tint more obvious such as large, dark inclusions. Also, tint in a diamond doesn’t have to be evil or ugly, and whoever told you that a K color diamond was bright yellow was not exactly truthful as you can see from the photo below. Look how white that L color looks, even from the side. I have personally seen low color diamonds, even lower than L, which took my breath away. For example, think of your wedding gown. While a pure white dress may be lovely, ivory or champagne tones may suite your skin tone better and you wouldn’t think that either the ivory or the champagne dress was ugly just because it wasn’t white. Each dress is beautiful in its own way and none is worse than the others, they’re just different. It is important to choose a dress, and a diamond, not based on what you think they should look like, but by how much you love what they do look like.
So how are you supposed to choose? Well, it’s simple, find a diamond vendor that you trust. We see hundreds of stones a month, which adds up to thousands a year. If you tell us what you you’re your stone to look like, we can find it. Just remember that sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in stats and color grades, but as we’ve just seen, it’s not that cut and dry. Even within the colorless range of D-F there is a perceived hierarchy, when in reality it’s an illusion. It’s just like the generic prescriptions that you buy at the drug store. They work just as well, but they have a different name. Would you pay three times as much for a product just because it had a name that you liked better? Of course not, nobody will know that you’re using CVS brand instead of name brand Zyrtec and it keeps you from sneezing, it’s a win-win. Well, the same technique applies to diamonds. If you can’t sleep at night without knowing that your diamond is D in color, then by all means, get a D color diamond. But if all you care about is that it’s white and sparkly, how about giving G or H a try. It will look every bit as white, and you will have saved a ton of money that can then go towards that amazing Diamond Halo Engagement Ring you’ve had your eye on!
And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. What color is that diamond at the top of this post. Is it a G color? H, or maybe even I? Would you believe that it is an N color? It's true!
So, were you close, way off, super surprised? It's a gorgeous stone isn't it?
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