Most diamonds of gem quality vary in shade from colorless to yellow. To determine the correct color, all submitted diamonds are compared with an internationally accepted master set of stones, the color of which ranges from D, or colorless (the most sought after) to Z, the yellowiest. Other colors also occur in diamonds such as yellow, orange, pink, blue, etc.

Colorless diamonds are the rarest and most valuable of all. Stein Diamonds only carries diamonds in I color or better.

Diamond Scale

A diamond's color is graded on an alphabetical scale from D-Z, with D being entirely colorless and Z being light yellow. Beyond "Z", a diamond is considered to be an exotic or "Fancy" color. Although many diamonds appear to be colorless, the vast majority have at least a tad of color.

D Entirely colorless. The highest color grade, which is extremely rare.

E Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist. A rare and costly diamond

F Colorless. Slight color detected by an expert gemologist, but still considered a "colorless" grade. A high-quality and priceless diamond.

G-H Almost-colorless. Color noticeable when compared to diamonds of better grades, but these grades offer excellent value.

I-J Almost-colorless. Color only slightly detectable. An excellent value.

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

M-Z These diamonds lack in proper attributes of quality diamonds.

Fluorescence

Fluorescence, also known as photoluminescence, is a property in some diamonds that makes them glow a certain color (usually blue) when placed in an ultraviolet rich environment.

What color Grade is best ?

• For the purist, look for a colorless diamond with a grade of D-D and a fluorescence rating of faint, inert, none or negligible
• For an excellent value in a diamond with no noticeable color to the unaided eye, look for a near-colorless grade of G-I and a fluorescence grade of medium or strong blue
• If you'd rather not compromise on color 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.