Why is Diamond color Important?

As complex, as it is, buying a diamond today, has a certain tried and true guidelines to follow that help make sure you’re getting the diamond you want, and that you’re getting a good value.

You won’t be on the diamond hunt for long before you hear about the 4Cs of diamond grading.

What to Look for in a Diamond Color

The 4Cs stand for Color, Carat weight, Cut, and Clarity. This universally accepted system allows for people the world over to better understand the value components of a diamond. It also provides a means of uniform communication of a diamond. So, it’s wise to learn enough about the 4Cs to be able to understand a diamond grading report and, also what your salesperson is saying to you.

Unless you have an infinite supply of cash, you’ll need to make concessions on one or more of the 4Cs when buying a diamond, since they all impact the diamond’s value.

Let’s look at the color. Remember, we are discussing colorless diamonds in this article, not diamonds with a distinct body color like blue, green, pink, or orange. Those kinds of diamonds have a name and grading system all their own. They are called fancy color diamonds in the trade.

What are Colorless Diamonds anyway?

We consider the category of colorless diamond grading to be quite important. Because, for instance, the setting your diamond is placed in may obscure a not-so-perfect cut. So, there are times when the cut grade may be less critical. All good! Also, clarity is another area that gives you some forgiveness for a bit lower grade. A lower clarity grade may or may not be important if the clarity issues are hidden in the mounting or if they are light color and much less noticeable. So, there’s a lot to juggle isn’t there?

Diamond Lingo

The 4Cs color grade refers to a lack or presence of body color in your diamond. The very highest color grade for colorless diamonds has a rating of D. It goes all the way down to Z which indicates a light-yellow body color. Diamonds sold commercially today at most retailers will range in colors graded between G and K. The most desirable color grades for all colorless diamonds are the first tier which is D-E-F. All diamonds in that group are designated as colorless.

The closer to the top of the grading scale, the icier white your diamond will be. The lower the grades are, the more tinges of body color of brown, grey, or yellow begin to appear.

The whitest diamonds look stunning set in white metals, like high carat white gold or platinum. When the color grades begin to go down, a diamond set in a white metal can show its body color more.

Metals Matter

Jewelers often advise customers to set their lower color grade diamonds in yellow gold as it hides the body color of the diamond and makes these diamonds appear whiter. But ultimately the final call is up to the wearer. If you wear mostly yellow gold jewelry, then you may want your bridal jewelry to coordinate with the fine jewelry you already have. If you wear both, then what? Well, in that case, you may want to opt for two-tone metals in your bridal jewelry. These are attractive pieces made with both white and yellow gold and lend an eye-catching custom vibe to your rings.

When you’re shopping for a diamond, keep in mind the details of the color grading scale, and also consider what color metal you’ll be selecting for your setting. They can all play into making your final selection to be the most beautiful and also be the ideal pairing for the color diamond you’ve selected.

Things are Looking Rosy

What if you’re choosing rose gold (sometimes referred to as pink gold) for your bridal jewelry? Many modern brides opt for this romantic and feminine option. It’s an updated choice that helps your ring look custom-made and stand out from everyone else’s jewelry. If this is the case, and you will have a rose (pink) gold engagement ring and wedding band, you’ll shift your preferences just a bit. Here’s why. Rose gold casts a bit of a warm glow into the diamond set in your ring.

So, in this particular case, it’s really not worth it to go for the highest color grade, like D-E-F for example. That is an extra expense that won’t do anything for the look of your diamond. Your ring will look positively stunning even when your diamond is of a lower color set in this popular metal. In a rose gold setting, it will still look ‘white’ unless you went way-way down on the color scale.

Enjoying the Journey

You’ll no doubt look over a wide array of diamonds before finally settling on the one that speaks to you. You’ve got a lot to consider as you look for the ring style, the diamond shape and size, and then the quality of your diamond. This should be a wonderful chapter in your love story. The search for the perfect diamond and ring should be a joyous part of your entire journey leading to your wedding day and beyond.