Quick Guide to Understanding Diamond Color

Whether purchasing a loose diamond is the first step to your engagement ring, a well-deserved upgrade to an existing piece of jewelry, or for another design entirely, nothing compares to the brilliance and fire of seeing a diamond outside a setting.

When you examine a loose diamond, you are able to get the best look at the stone to really see the 4 C's up close— cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. You can view inclusions that a setting might otherwise hide or distract from, allowing you to make an informed decision about the diamond you are investing in.

At Pageo Fine Jewelers, we are proud to serve as diamond experts for discerning Massachusetts shoppers. We offer our customers an extensive collection of diamond shapes including round brilliant, princess, oval, cushion, and radiant cuts, and we carry diamonds graded by the most notorious gemological laboratories.

 

What Is Diamond Color?

Like all of the 4C's (cut, color, clarity, and carat weight), diamond color is an important consideration when buying a diamond. Color greatly affects a diamond's price, and there are a number of factors that can help you decide which color grade is right for you.

With the exception of some fancy colored diamonds, the most valuable diamonds are those with the least color. The color scale for transparent diamonds runs from D-F (colorless), G-J (near colorless), K-L (faint yellow), to Z (light yellow). Completely colorless diamonds are rare.

D color diamond is the highest grade and is extremely rare—the highest color grade that money can buy.

When diamonds are formed with traces of other minerals, rare and beautiful colors can result. These “fancy” colors range from blue to brilliant yellow to red, brown, pale green, pink, and violet. Because of their rarity, colored diamonds are highly desirable and may be quite valuable.

Keep in mind that color is more visible in large diamonds. If you are buying a diamond under 1 carat, you might consider choosing an I, J, or K color diamond. If you have your eye on a diamond over 1 carat, look at H color-grade diamonds or higher, since any color would be more visible.

If you have your heart set on a certain color grade and carat size that don't match the budget, consider a different shape. Certain fancy-shaped diamonds hide color better than others—and can cost significantly less than a round-cut diamond.

When setting your diamond, also consider the precious metal color of your setting so it can best compliment the color grade of your diamond. For example, yellow gold naturally casts a warm glow and looks best with diamonds with faint color, but platinum or white gold will make a near-colorless diamond look even brighter.  

 

Fancy Color Diamonds

Diamonds come in every color of the rainbow. Visit to explore our vast selection of diamonds in every color you might desire. Fancy colored diamonds are graded based on the depth of color: Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Intense and Fancy Vivid. 

 

The Anatomy of a Diamond

Learn about the 4C's from our diamond experts. Our team and website are overflowing with information so you can rest assured you are making an informed diamond purchase. Learn more about the anatomy of a diamond here.

 

Complimentary Cleaning

To maintain your diamond's sparkle and beauty, we recommend you stop by one of our three locations for a complimentary cleaning.

We also sell a powerful multi-purpose jewelry cleaner made with a special blend of all natural banana and coconut oils, safe for all jewelry both fashion and fine, precious stones, and metals. Learn more about our services here

  

Explore our Diamond Search

Get a head start on your diamond search. Explore and compare diamonds by shape, carat, color, clarity, cut, and more with this innovative diamond search tool. Find this online tool here.

 

Custom Design Your Dream Ring

Our team of expert jewelers and gemologists can help guide you through one of the most significant moments of your life. Whatever her preference may be – classic, modern, vintage or unique – we can create the perfect ring that symbolizes your lasting love.



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"Went to Pageo to see about designing a ring. I wanted to take the stones from a couple of rings that I owned and put them in a more contemporary setting.

I worked with Lauren and Hillary, both of whom were fabulous. Lauren worked with me on a ring design and delivered a finished product that was EXACTLY what I had dreamed of. Additionally, I used one of the stones for a necklace that was even more beautiful than I could have imagined.

It took some time from beginning to end, but it was worth the wait. I couldn't be more pleased with the quality of the work and the professional, friendly service!" — Louise K. on Yelp