Diamond Color Tutorial by Lauren B
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Time for a crash course on one of the 4 C's of diamond quality: COLOR. Watch along with this video to see comparisons and read below to learn about diamond color and how to maximize on one of the Four C's of diamond quality.
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When it comes to diamond color, LESS IS MORE; the less color showing in the diamond, the more attractive and valuable it becomes. Diamonds are graded by the GIA lab on a scale from completely colorless 'D' all the way to yellow 'Z'. This does not mean you need a 'D' color diamond to own something beautiful! There is a sweet spot that most people find in the colorless to near colorless range of 'D' to 'J' based on personal preference and budget. To complicate things further, each diamond cut/shape exhibits color differently making it a case by case basis.
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On the hand we have a trio of round, emerald and radiant cut diamonds; within each shape there is one diamond that is graded as colorless and two that are near colorless. After a quick inspection it is hard to see a noticeable difference in color between them. It will be especially difficult in the round and emerald cuts as these two shapes hide color very well; the round brilliant has the most sparkle/brilliance of any shape which masks the appearance of color while the emerald offsets color due to its step cut faceting pattern. Conversely, the radiant cut will show a bit more color due to its cutting style and you can clearly see the difference between the 'D' and 'I' color stones. SWIPE LEFT to watch the close-up videos
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What is your sweet spot for color? That depends on your eye and personal preference. It can be a good trade-off to drop a few color grades since you might not see a visible difference, and put that towards a larger or better clarity diamond. For our clients we recommend FLEXIBILITY anywhere from 'D' to 'J' color in round, emerald and cushion while for radiant, oval, and pear where we feel 'I' color would be the minimum. Keep in mind the price difference between a 2 carat 'D' color and 'J' color diamond can easily exceed $5000. Final note: do NOT sacrifice on the cut of the diamond as its dimensions and sparkle are two factors that should always be a top priority
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When it comes to diamond color, LESS IS MORE; the less color showing in the diamond, the more attractive and valuable it becomes. Diamonds are graded by the GIA lab on a scale from completely colorless 'D' all the way to yellow 'Z'. This does not mean you need a 'D' color diamond to own something beautiful! There is a sweet spot that most people find in the colorless to near colorless range of 'D' to 'J' based on personal preference and budget. To complicate things further, each diamond cut/shape exhibits color differently making it a case by case basis.
-
On the hand we have a trio of round, emerald and radiant cut diamonds; within each shape there is one diamond that is graded as colorless and two that are near colorless. After a quick inspection it is hard to see a noticeable difference in color between them. It will be especially difficult in the round and emerald cuts as these two shapes hide color very well; the round brilliant has the most sparkle/brilliance of any shape which masks the appearance of color while the emerald offsets color due to its step cut faceting pattern. Conversely, the radiant cut will show a bit more color due to its cutting style and you can clearly see the difference between the 'D' and 'I' color stones. SWIPE LEFT to watch the close-up videos
-
What is your sweet spot for color? That depends on your eye and personal preference. It can be a good trade-off to drop a few color grades since you might not see a visible difference, and put that towards a larger or better clarity diamond. For our clients we recommend FLEXIBILITY anywhere from 'D' to 'J' color in round, emerald and cushion while for radiant, oval, and pear where we feel 'I' color would be the minimum. Keep in mind the price difference between a 2 carat 'D' color and 'J' color diamond can easily exceed $5000. Final note: do NOT sacrifice on the cut of the diamond as its dimensions and sparkle are two factors that should always be a top priority
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