Welcome to our new tutorial on Color!

Here at GOG's UDIS, we examine color in 2 different manners and consult a 3rd.  Firstly, each diamond is lab graded by an accredited lab, usually either GIA or AGS.  Regardless of which lab it was graded by, we analyze each diamond independently to ensure we are getting the color we're paying for.  So, the lab is one source.  The other ways we check color is with a set of master stones (graded for color) and also a piece of technology which is a full spectrum Gran Colorimeter designed for the sole purpose of grading color digitially.  We'll cover these in the following short chapters.  All photography featured in this tutorial on color are taken under GIA approved lighting, northern daylight, to ensure accuracy in color determination.

Before we start looking at the graphics for each color, a brief explanation of color is in order.

When laymen first hear of various colors found within diamond, they often confuse this with the spectral colors they see coming out of diamonds in certain lighting akin to this graphic below.

While this is a lovely phenomena to observe within a diamond, it actually has nothing to do with a diamond's color whatsoever (spectral colors or fire relates directly to cut quality and the ability of the diamond to reflect back light to the observer).  When gemologists speak of diamond color, what we are referring to is the actual body color of the diamond, or gemstone, in question.

This body color of diamond is best observed when the diamond is turned upside-down against a flat white background and observed under northern daylight fluorescent lighting.  Here is a sampling of a colorless white diamond next to two other diamonds with known color.  See how easy you can see the difference?

The first diamond is a white colorless stone, the 2nd is slightly yellow, and the 3rd is brown or more commonly referred to as a "champagne" color.  When developing a color scale for diamonds, the GIA decided to base it on the alphabet beginning with the letter D and going all the way down to a Z.  Most engagement ring diamonds generally fall within the D-J range; however, many woman also love the warmth of colors found in K-M as well.  That is for you to decide.  The GIA color scale goes like this with the various designations.

Click on "next page" to learn and see more!