Let's talk a little about diamonds: Color

If you've ever shopped for diamonds before, you probably know a little bit about the 4 Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat Weight. But what if this is your first time looking for a diamond? How do you decide which features are most important when you're on a budget?

Today we'd like to focus on diamond color.

Contrary to what you might believe, diamonds come in a ton of different colors: from bright white, to canary yellow, to deep blue and more.  If you're shopping for a solitaire or an eternity band it's likely that you're looking at white diamonds, so that's what we'll focus on today.

The color scale used to grade diamonds is straightforward and easy to understand.  The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) uses the letters of the alphabet to show where diamond colors fall. The scale starts at the letter D (the brightest white diamonds) and goes all the way to the letter Z (light yellow and canary diamonds).

                     

                                                   

Generally speaking, the most prized and high-quality diamonds are D, E and F diamonds because they are colorless.  These diamonds are bright white and show up beautifully when set against white metal.  Diamonds that are G, H or I in color fall into the near-colorless range and, depending on the gem, these can also be beautiful, bright white diamonds. 

Most mall jewelers have a wide selection of diamonds on display in their cases, but many of them will not be higher than an H in color.  Studio Vincent's display diamonds are almost never lower than an H in color. We choose to use these higher quality diamonds for the following reason: when slightly yellow diamonds are set in white metal, the yellow reflects off the metal and comes back out through the top of the diamond.  This can make the gem look dull or flat.  Because whiter diamonds are rare, the price will reflect the color quality of the diamond you choose to purchase.  When shopping for a center diamond for a solitaire we suggest going with a diamond that is F or G in color so that the design will be as stunning as possible.  

When it comes to the small accent diamonds you see in engagement rings and eternity bands it's good to know that diamond color is still important.  At Studio Vincent we use F or G colored tiny diamonds so that you get the most sparkle for your money.  Just because the diamonds are small doesn't mean they shouldn't be brilliant!

While diamond color is an important factor, remember that the diamond you like best might not always be the whitest of the bunch.  Pick the diamond that talks to you and you'll enjoy your purchase for years to come.