Understanding Diamond Colour
For white (colourless) diamonds, the colour grade measures the absence of colour. The less colour a white diamond has, the higher its grade. For fancy-coloured diamonds, the opposite is true - the more vivid and saturated the colour, the more desirable the stone.
The White Diamond Colour Scale
The industry-standard colour scale runs from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow or brown):
- D-F (Colourless): The highest grades. Differences between D, E, and F are virtually invisible except under controlled laboratory conditions. These grades command a premium for their rarity
- G-J (Near Colourless): Slight traces of colour that are difficult to detect when the diamond is set in jewellery. Excellent value for money - most buyers cannot distinguish G-J from D-F once the stone is mounted
- K-M (Faint): A slight warm tint visible to the trained eye. Can appear attractive in yellow gold settings where the warm metal complements the stone's tone
Fancy-Coloured Diamonds
Fancy-coloured diamonds are graded on a different scale that evaluates three characteristics:
- Hue: The primary colour of the diamond (yellow, pink, blue, green, etc.)
- Saturation: The intensity of the colour, from faint to vivid
- Tone: The lightness or darkness of the colour
At CRTD Diamonds, we offer lab-grown fancy colours in Yellow, Pink, Blue, Green, Champagne, and Black.
Choosing Your Colour Grade
Our recommendation for white diamonds: G or H colour offers the best balance of quality and value. The slight colour present in these grades is invisible in most settings and to most viewers, yet the price difference compared to D-F is significant. Invest the savings into a better cut grade for more sparkle.