D I A M O N D   C O L O R

Overview
The beauty of a diamond lies in its ability to break light apart and make it dance like fire. A key factor in a diamond's capacity to brilliantly sparkle is its lack of color.

Diamonds are categorized according to color based on the following grades:

D: These diamonds are of the highest grade, are extremely rare and virtually colorless.
E-F: Colorless to the untrained eye, these gems contain only minuscule hints of color and are still considered colorless.
G-H: Due to the slight traces of color that can be noticed when compared to diamonds of a higher grade, these diamonds are considerably more affordable.
J-L: Color may be detected in larger diamonds, smaller ones may still appear colorless to the untrained eye. Diamonds of this grade have a significantly reduced cost.
L-Q: Having a noticeable yellowish tint, even to the untrained eye, these diamonds are less valuable than those without color.
R-Z: These diamonds have a distinctive yellow appearance which filters the light considerably.

Popularity is growing for fancy colored diamonds. Sea of Diamonds carries these, too. Diamonds having intense color are graded on a separate scale.

Understanding Fluorescence
The fluorescence of a diamond is the color and strength of a diamond when viewed in long-wave ultraviolet light. It is important to note that all diamonds do not fluoresce. A simple example of fluorescence is going to a nightclub that has black lights. A fluorescent diamond will glow, generally in blue, yellow or orange. The intensity of glow color reflects the strength of fluorescence. The effect of a diamond's fluorescence on its overall beauty is highly dependent on the color grade of the diamond. A diamond with a small amount of color may actually shine brighter if it has a strong or very strong grade of fluorescence. However, a virtually colorless diamond may appear oily or murky if the grade of fluorescence is not faint, inert, negligible, or medium.

Making a Choice
You have several great options when it comes to choosing the color grade of your diamond. If you wish to have a diamond that is extremely rare, choose a colorless diamond in the D - F range and a fluorescence grade of faint, or inert. A cost effective way to get a beautiful diamond is to select a one that has a good or very good cut, a color grade of G - I, and inert to medium fluorescence. One important note: diamonds with a lower color grade will also appear more yellow when placed in platinum or white gold settings while gold settings may be able to lessen the appearance of color traces.