Photo via Graff Diamonds
Let’s talk diamonds! We’ve talked about a stone’s cut. But what about the color? Can the naked eye really see the difference between an H color and a J color? Keep reading for the second in our four part series about the 4Cs.
Photo via DeBeers
White diamonds come in a range of colors from D to Z, with D being the most colorless. The naked eye starts to detect color in the J-K range. That doesn’t mean you should avoid stones with a little color! There’s a stone for every budget, and sacrificing a bit on color can get you a bigger stone or better clarity.
Photo via GIA
Why does a round stone hide color so much better than an emerald cut? Brilliant stones reflect more light than geometric step cuts, so they can mask yellow or grey tints. A J-color step cut stone like an emerald cut will show more color than a J-color brilliant cut stone like a round or oval.
From left to right | Photo via Ingle & Rhode, Arabel Lebrusan
Has your jeweler found you the perfect stone, but you want to camouflage its yellow tint? A few jewelers’ tricks can help you with that. First, make sure that the side stones in your ring are the same color as your center stone. If all stones match, they will all magically appear whiter. Trust us on this! If your stone has a slight yellow tint, choose yellow gold – a white metal will only highlight the warm tone.
Fancy color diamonds are in a league of their own! With a slightly different chemical makeup than white stones, yellow, pink, and blue diamonds can make for a truly unique ring.
Photo via DeBeers
Regardless of a stone’s color grade, don’t be afraid to trust your gut and pick the stone that you and your hubby-to-be love the most.
Decoding Diamonds: Color
By Lauren Priori
