|
Color
The "color" of a diamond refers to its degree of
"yellowness." The ideal diamond is completely colorless, and therefore it
will be the most expensive. The Gemological Institute of America (G.I.A.) grades
color alphabetically from D (totally colorless) to Z (yellow): 
For a diamond to be considered "colorless," the G.I.A. requires that it be a
D, E, or F. However, the D-Z scale is continuous, so the difference between an F and
G is very small. The average color for engagement diamonds in the United States is G
to H.
Jewelers have tools at their disposal
to judge the color of a given diamond. What's known as a "reference
set" of stones. A jeweler will compare the stone in
question with a set master stones of known color, and make a qualitative
determination as to the color grading of the stone in question.
When judging the color of a diamond,
it is crucial to see the diamond unmounted. Ask the jeweler
for a master set of stones to make the comparisons yourself.
To do this, place the diamond in question next to the reference
stones face down on a white piece of paper, and compare the color
of the stones until you get the best match.
Perhaps the most important factor
to consider when selecting color is the type of setting you plan
on using. If you plan on mounting the stone on a platinum or white
gold setting, consider a diamond in the D-G range. Yellow gold
will be much more forgiving to a less than colorless stone, but
regardless of the setting, the diamond will start to appear yellow
if the color grade is lower than about J.
Beware of retail jewelers will try
to sell uncertified diamonds at a certain color grade. In most cases
a diamond shopper can add two or more color grades to these retail
jeweler diamonds!
Diamond wholesalers EROS
Diamonds only broker D-H color GIA and HRD certified diamonds
for their clients.
|
