Many customers come to me, mentioning they want the best color grade diamond, assuming that the better the color, the brighter the diamond will be. This is a common misconception that many people make, thinking that the color grade of a diamond affects its brilliance or brightness.
What most people don't realise is that the Color actually relates to the hue of the diamond. The lower the color grade, the more yellowish hue the diamond has. Whereas the brightness is related to its light performance. What this means is that even if you get the best "D" color grade diamond and it has poor light performance, it would look darker and duller compared to another diamond of an even lower color grade!
For more information, watch this video below.
So how does Color affect the visual appearance of a diamond?
Below is a video, showing 4 Super Ideal Cut diamonds from D to G. I always recommend my clients and friends to view the color grade differences of a diamond in person to have a better feel. Most of the time, they find that it is not as obvious as what they imagined it to be.
Another important aspect to note are BGM (brownish / greenish / milky) diamonds. If a diamond has any BGM characteristics, it would not be shown on the GIA certificate. This effect is not related to the Color grade or fluorescence. What this means is that a GIA certified D color diamond with no fluorescence, may still have a brownish, greenish or milky appearance! This is due to the make of a diamond. Hence, it is important to check if your diamond has any BGM.
If you're unsure, always ask a trusted jeweller :)
- written by Casey Lai