To establish a diamond's quality, jewelers examine each of the 4Cs--Cut, Clarity, Carat weight, and Color. The combination of the 4Cs determines the value of a particular diamond. Strive for a stone that offers the best combination of the 4Cs. Knowing a diamond's place in the Diamond Quality Pyramid will help you to make an informed decision.
The Diamond Quality Pyramid--How To Measure A Diamond's Value
The Diamond Quality Pyramid is a framework to help you compare diamonds. Those closest to the top of the pyramid--possessing the best combination of cut, clarity, carat weight and color--are the earth's rarest, most valuable and most beautiful to the eye.
Color--The Less Color in a Diamond, The More Rare
Diamonds are graded by color, starting at D and moving through the alphabet to Z.
| D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
| Colorless | Near Colorless | Faint Yellow | Very Light Yellow | Light Yellow | ||||||||||||||||||
While most diamonds appear white, virtually all display barely perceptible tints of color. Evaluating a diamond's color for grading purposes is done by measuring the degree to which a diamond approaches colorlessness. It is difficult for the untrained eye to see these minor variations; a jeweler can help demonstrate them by showing you diamonds side by side. Diamonds graded D, E, and F are more expensive because they are rarer and therefore are highest on the Diamond Quality Pyramid.