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Diamonds Shape Cut Colour Clarity Carat Weight Certification Care

Acting as a prism, a diamond can divide light into a spectrum of colours and reflect this light as colourful flashes called fire. Just as when looking through coloured glass, colour in a diamond will act as a filter, and will diminish the spectrum of colour emitted. The less colour in a diamond, the more colourful the fire, and the better the colour grade.

At Blue Nile, you'll find only the finest diamonds with colour graded D-J. Diamonds graded J or better are colourless or near-colourless — their colour is typically undetectable to the unaided eye.

The colour in diamonds graded K-Z detracts from the beauty of a diamond. It's especially noticeable set in platinum or white gold.

tips & hints

How important is colour when selecting a diamond?

Colour is the second most important aspect when choosing a diamond. When looking at a diamond, the human eye notices the diamond's cut first and its colour second. Colour becomes especially important when considering diamonds of larger size, since the additional light reflected Read more...

Which colours on the diamond colour scale offer the best value?

The colours I and J have slightly detectable colour, but tend to offer an excellent value - especially when considering a diamond shape such as Round or Princess. These types of shapes have more facets that reflect more light, and therefore can mask colour in a diamond. Read more...

What are the differences between the "colourless diamonds" or D, E, and F?

Blue Nile offers a chart that provides a comparison of colours D through J. Diamonds with the colour D are absolutely colourless and are considered the rarest and most desirable. Diamonds with the colour grades of E and F are still colourless to the naked Read more...

What are the differences between G and H?

Both colours G and H are considered "near-colourless" and the differences between the two are minor. Colour in both may be noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but both of these offer excellent value. Read more...

What are the differences between I and J?

Both colours I and J are also considered "near-colourless" and the differences between the two are also minor. Although there are a few people who can detect colour in an I-coloured diamond, most people can begin to perceive colour in diamonds graded J or Read more...

Can I maximise the colour of my diamond?

Diamond shapes that reflect more light, such as round brilliant or princess, can mask some colour in a diamond. Therefore, you can maximize the colour in a diamond by choosing a shape that has more facets.

In addition, the type Read more...

What is fluorescence and how does it affect the colour of a diamond?

Fluorescence refers to whether or not a stone produces a colour reaction only when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. The visible effects of fluorescence can only be detected by a trained gemologist with specific UV light. A grade of Strong or Very Strong blue Read more...

What are "fancy colour diamonds" and does Blue Nile offer them?

Fancy colour diamonds are rare but natural diamonds that exhibit colours such as yellow, pink, blue, or red. Blue Nile offers fancy colour diamonds, all of which have natural colour and have never been exposed to artificial colouring techniques such as Read more...

additional tips


D	Absolutely colourless. The highest colour grade, which is extremely rare.
E	Colourless. Only minute traces of colour can be detected by an expert gemmologist. A rare diamond.
F	Colourless. Slight colour detected by an expert gemmologist, but still considered a "colourless" grade. A high-quality diamond.
G-H	Near-colourless. Colour noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but these grades offer excellent value.
I-J	Near-colourless. Colour slightly detectable. An excellent value.
K-M	Noticeable colour. Not carried by Blue Nile.
N-Z	Noticeable colour. Not carried by Blue Nile.

Note that Blue Nile also carries fancy colour diamonds. These diamonds are graded on a different colour scale than white diamonds. Since the scale above ranges from the best to the worst quality in a white diamond, the colours found in fancy colour diamonds are not represented on this scale. Learn more about fancy colour diamonds.

Some people seek diamonds that produce this unique effect, while others avoid it. The visible effects of fluorescence grades of faint, inert, negligible, and medium, can only be detected by a trained gemmologist with specific UV light. A fluorescence grade of strong or very strong can make a diamond with a near-colourless grade look even whiter. In some very rare instances a diamond with very strong fluorescence can give the diamond a slight hazy or oily appearance. Diamonds with a strong or very strong fluorescence are a better value for the end customer because the market prices them slightly lower than diamonds with faint or negligible fluorescence.

	For the purist, look for a colourless diamond with a grade of D-F and a fluorescence rating of faint, inert, none, or negligible.
	For an excellent value in a diamond with no noticeable colour to the unaided eye, look for a near-colourless grade of G-I, and a fluorescence grade of medium or strong blue.
	Or, if you'd rather not compromise on colour but would like to stay on budget, choose a diamond with a good cut, SI1–SI2 clarity, and consider going with a strong fluorescence. It will still be beautiful to the unaided eye and you may prefer the unique effect of a strong fluorescence.

Fancy Colour Diamonds

Learn about our collection of rare and beautiful fancy colour diamonds. These diamonds are prized for their natural colour and are accompanied by a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) report.


Diamonds Shape Cut Colour Clarity Carat Weight Certification Care

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