Most diamonds in the world are yellow or brown, making a colorless diamond very rare. Slight color differences in diamonds of comparable weight and clarity will have hundreds --even thousands -- of dollars difference in price. Color differences are very subtle. For example, it is difficult to see a difference between an E and F colored diamond.

A colorless diamond may be more rare but not necessarily more beautiful. Some people prefer a colorless diamond while others prefer a faint yellow. It is important to see the different colors of diamonds side-by-side when deciding what color diamond you prefer. At Americus Diamond we carry diamonds from icy white to a warmer yellow. Come visit our store and let one of our sales professionals compare diamond color and help you decide what color is right for you.

Color Scale Click on letters below to see color scale.

DEF Colorless – These look great in a white metal
GHIJ Near colorless – Looks great in white metal
KLM Faint yellow – these look especially good in yellow metal.

What causes color in diamonds? A diamond's color depends on the kinds of atoms it contains, their arrangement, and how they are bonded together. A diamond of 100 percent pure carbon atoms in a uniform isometric arrangement would be colorless. However, most diamond crystals pick up some other atoms in the growth process. When carbon atoms are replaced by nitrogen atoms in the diamond crystal, the stone will appear yellow. When boron atoms replace carbon atoms, we see the diamond as blue. Experts are not sure what causes diamonds to be brown, pink, or red. When there is radiation present, structural changes will color a diamond green. Other colors are caused by structural distortion and chemical impurities. The rarest fancy color is purple followed by red and green.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) created a universal diamond color scale that grades white to yellow diamonds. It begins at D (colorless) and runs to Z (light yellow). Each letter grade represents a range of color, not necessarily one specific color. Diamonds are graded loose and color is graded with the diamond face down. Graders compare the diamond to a master set of stones. They are looking at the depth of the color, not the hue itself. It is necessary to have a specific and consistent light source when grading color.