Since the human eye can detect color almost as well as sparkle, caused by a diamond’s cut, the color is a major factor that will determine the beauty of a diamond. Grade D is absolutely colorless and extremely rare; grades E and F are both very rare, having have traces of color that could only be seen by a gemologist wearing a magnifying lens; G and H grades have trace levels of color that is almost impossible to detect without a side by side comparison with a more colorless stone; grades I and J have a warm tone to them that is barely visible; and the rest of the spectrum from K through Z have increasingly higher amounts of ‘yellowing’ that is considered undesirable. It is important to note that when set in the right piece of jewelry, even lower graded stones can be attractive. However, a stone cannot be graded for color after it is set in jewelry so one must take care to obtain loose diamonds if the goal is to have them graded effectively.

The colorless diamonds are sometimes referred to as white diamonds and while they are the most sought after in some respects, not everyone prefers them. Diamond color can be shown in all the colors of the rainbow including shades such as storm grey, canary yellow, tropical green, sea blue, cherry blossom pink, violet purple, fiery orange, crimson red and even a mocha like shade of brown. Some of the world’s most famous diamonds such as the enormous 45 carat Hope Diamond, a gray-blue diamond, and the Persian Darya-I-Nur (Sea of Light), a sparkling pink diamond weighing over 182 carats mounted, are more valuable than even colorless diamonds. 

When it comes to color, it is important to consider whether one is seeking a traditional value in the clear white diamonds or if a particular shade would be better appreciated. Certain specialist dealers do focus on fancy color diamonds so that market always has plenty of opportunities for serious buyers.