Happy July and welcome back to the 4 C’s Series! We talked about the cut of a diamond last month (if you need a little refresher feel free to check out that post here). Next up in our 4 C’s rotation is diamond color — let’s get to it!
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) created a scale to determine a diamond’s body color called the D-to-Z Diamond Color-Grading System.
According to www.gia.edu this scale ranges from colorless to yellow and essentially “measures the degree of colorlessness by comparing a diamond under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions.” They say a chemically and structurally pure d. iamond has no color, and instead is like a “drop of pure water.”
Some may wonder what causes diamonds to be of various colors. After all, all diamonds are made up of pure carbon, right? The answer is chemistry! While carbon is what remains at the end of diamond development, other natural elements are sometimes included into the process. This causes temporary chemical reactions that leave a permanent change in diamond color. For example, boron and carbon create a blue tinted diamond while nitrogen and carbon cause a diamond to be yellow.
A diamond color can never be changed; however, the way a diamond is set can almost always give the illusion of color shift. For instance, a platinum or white gold setting will cause a yellow-hued diamond to appear even more yellow. Inversely, if that same diamond is set in yellow gold metals, it will appear whiter. You might also attempt to make a colorless diamond appear yellow by setting it in yellow gold. It’s all about preference and setting.
While the Gemological Institute Of America may not agree, we think the perfect color of a diamond is really a matter of preference. While there are lots of people who feel colorless diamonds display the greatest amount of purity and radiance, others prefer a warmer look and opt for near-colorless, yellow-tinted diamonds. Whatever floats your diamond boat is A-OK with us! Contact us to find your next stone, we’d love to help you locate or create your dream piece of jewelry.