Diamonds can be found in any color of the rainbow. Traditionally colorless diamonds are considered the most valuable. The grading scale for diamonds ranges from D (colorless) to Z (a light yellow) and beyond! Diamonds also come in hues of blue, green, pink, and even black.... the rarest of all diamonds are the red ones!

Most of the diamonds carried at Gause and Son Jewelers are in the D-J range, colorless to near colorless. Diamonds that are graded D, E, and F tend to be the most expensive because of their rarity. It is very important not to relate the color of a diamond to its brilliance. Brilliance is a function of the quality of the cut, so a whiter diamond is not necessarily a diamond that sparkles more!

It is very difficult for the untrained eye to notice small variations in color. Diamonds are color graded using a “master stone” set of diamonds that represent ideal colors. The diamond being graded is set next to the “master” diamond and a determination is made as to which master diamond is closest in color.

The chart below shows the diamond grading scale.

Diamond colors in the D, E and F range
Are considered colorless, meaning they show no trace of color at all and only a trained professional can even tell them apart.

Diamonds colors in the G and H range
Have color that is only noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades. “Near Colorless” refers to the evidence that once these diamonds are set, they impart no noticeable color, generally a very good value.

Diamonds in the I and J range
Have a very slightly detectable color.

Colors from K through Z
Have a noticeable coloration