Color of Diamond

Color of diamond is one of the important factors influencing its beauty and value. In this article, you will get to know about:

1. How diamond get its color?
2. Difference between White diamond and Fancy Colored diamond.

How a diamond gets its color?

Diamond gets its color through its composition during its formation process, i.e. inclusion of impurities and structural shifting.

Diamond color is permanent and does not fade with time.

• During diamond formation, Nitrogen atom bonds with Carbon atom giving diamond the Yellow color. Higher the amount of Nitrogen in diamond more intense is the yellow color, e.g. The Golden Jubilee.
• When Boron atoms bonds with carbon atom it gives Blue color, e.g. The Blue Hope.
• Crystal lattice defects during the formation of diamond results in Pink, Red and Brown color.
• When exposed to natural radiation in earth surface like Uranium ore, it gives diamond Green color.
• When a diamond contains various dark inclusions like Naats, it imparts Blackish tint.

Difference between White diamond and Fancy Colored diamond

Diamonds are available in wide variety of colors like yellow, red, blue, green. On the basis of its color, diamond can be classified as:

• White Diamond
• Fancy Colored Diamond

In general when we talk about color of diamond, it means presence or absence of color in White diamonds (different from Fancy Colored diamonds).

White Diamond

White diamonds are graded between ‘D’ (colorless) to ‘Z’ (off-white or tinted light yellowish diamond) grade on the GIA International Diamond Color Grading Scale. On this scale, each grade varies with color.

Illustration of Color Grade Range of White Diamond

These diamonds allow more light to pass through it, thus possessing more brilliance.

But when the tint of color is very intense in diamond giving it the look of colored diamond, then such diamond is not color graded from 'D' to 'Z'. It is rather placed in the category of "Fancy Colored diamond".

The price of white diamond decreases with increase in yellowish tint till the fancy grades are reached where price starts to increase with the intensity of color.

Fancy Colored Diamond

In fancy colored diamond, intensity and hue of color plays the most important role in deciding its value. If a diamond has very intense color and is rarely found then it is probable that it can be more expensive than colorless or white diamond.

Fancy Yellow or Fancy Brown diamonds are commonly available, so they are priced relatively less than colorless diamond. On the other hand, Pink, Red, Blue and Green are very rare, so are relatively expensive than colorless diamonds.

Fancy Colored Diamonds

Conclusion

Color of diamond has quite an effect on its beauty and price. When we talk about color of diamond, it means presence or absence of color in white diamonds.

I am sure by now you would have understood the difference between white diamonds and fancy diamonds.

White (or colorless) diamonds are graded between 'D' (colorless) to 'Z' (off-white or tinted light yellowish diamond) grade.

In case of white diamond, price of stone rises with decrease in color tint. On the other hand, in the case of fancy colored diamond, price of stone rises with increase in intensity of color.

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