 |
Other articles ...
|
Diamond
Colour
Some of us have been entranced with stunning yellow,
blue, pink, green and red diamonds - which are very rare.
Traditionally
diamond engagement and wedding rings use clear diamonds.
In this context the closer a diamond is to being completely
colourless, the more valuable it becomes.
The colour of a diamond is judged on a scale
established by the Gemmological Institute of America
(GIA) and the range is from D (colourless and therefore
extremely valuable), through Near Colourless, Slightly Tinted, Very Light
Yellow, Light Yellow, Yellow, to Light Fancy.
Often diamonds that appear colourless
will still possess their own intrinsic colour and may have slight yellow,
brown and grey tinges; admittedly in often-miniscule
proportions, but enough that experts can identify.
The colour can add character to a diamond – many
of the world's most beautiful diamonds have colour in
them.
The Diamond Colour Scales
There are three predominant grading scales: GIA, CIBJO
AND AGS (as shown below) but it is without doubt the scale
starting from D to Z which is today the most universally
accepted one.
GIA |
AGS |
CIBJO
IDC |
Colourless |
D |
0 |
Exceptional
White + |
E |
1 |
Exceptional
White |
F |
2 |
Rare White
+ |
Near
Colourless |
G |
3 |
Rare White |
H |
4 |
White |
I |
5 |
Slightly
Tinted White |
J |
Faint
Yellow |
K |
6 |
Tinted
White |
L |
M |
7 |
Tinted
Color |
Very
Light
Yellow |
N |
O |
8 |
P |
Q |
R |
9 |
Light
Yellow |
S |
T |
U |
V |
10 |
W |
X |
Y |
Z |
|
|
|