The term "color" in diamonds actually refers to the lack of color present. Diamonds composed of pure carbon are colorless and extremely rare and costly. A majority of white diamonds sold on the market today will contain different shades varying from colorless to different levels of Yellow. Small, subtle difference in color and shade can make a substantial difference in a diamond's value.
In an effort to eliminate confusion related to diamond color, the Gemological Institutes implemented the color grading system in the 1950s which is still being used in the industry today. Diamonds are graded on a scale beginning with the letter D (colorless) and ending with Z (Yellow).
|GIA Color Rankings||Description|
|D, E, F||Colorless|
|G, H, I, J||Near Colorless|
|K, L, M||Faint Yellow|
|N, O, P, Q, R||Very Yellow|
|S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z||Light Yellow|