What do the letter grades of diamond color mean?

The color grading system was developed by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America). When color is referred to in the context of diamonds, it means the amount of yellow or brown present within the stone. The diamond color that most people prefer and strive for, the ‘white’ diamond, is actually called colorless. A perfectly colorless stone is ranked as D on the color grading scale. The scale for colorless ranges between the letters D, E and F. G through J are described as near colorless. K through M are considered faint yellow, N – R are considered very light yellow and S – Z are considered yellow. Since D – L are typically the most sought after of diamond colors, they tend to be more expensive. So if you fancy a Z grade diamond, you are in luck!

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Well, D is absolutely colorless, which is considered the highest diamond color grade, E and F are also Colorless, but a gemologist can detect minute traces and slight color, respectively. G-H are near colorless diamonds, as are I-J. On K-M and N-Z diamonds color is noticeable, and they are color-wise these are poor quality diamonds.

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