Color

When diamonds are mined, they are found in various different colors due to the elements surrounding them when they are formed. Like fancy bright colored diamonds, very clear or colorless diamonds are more rare and therefore priced at a higher value.

The following chart is a breakdown of how diamonds are graded by color:

• DEF are colorless. D represents the least amount of color and E and F closely follow D. These diamonds are ideal to set in white gold or platinum where the whiteness of the mounting compliments the whiteness of the stone. 
• GHIJ are near colorless. While they are not colorless, it is difficult to detect any color in the diamonds especially once mounted in a piece of jewelry.
• KLM are faint yellow. A loose diamond in this category will appear to have yellow or faint brown tint. The tint of color will be less noticeable when mounted in a yellow gold piece of jewelry where there is enough contrast with the bright yellow mounting making the diamond appear whiter.
• NOPQR are very light yellow. Rarely seen in the jewelry business, these diamonds have an obvious yellow color, but not bright enough to be considered fancy yellows.
• STUVWXYZ are light yellow. the Z side of the spectrum is often used in fancy yellow jewelry. Like colorless diamonds, the fancy yellow are also rare.