When jewellers speak of a diamond’s colour, they are referring to the presence or absence of colour in white diamonds. Colour is a result of the composition of the diamond, and it never changes over time.
As a colourless diamond allows more light to pass through it than a coloured diamond, it emits more sparkle and fire. And the formation process of a diamond ensures that only a few, rare diamonds are truly colourless. Thus, the whiter a diamond, the greater its value.
Diamonds graded D through F are naturally the most valuable and desirable because of their rarity. Such diamonds are a treat for the eyes of anyone. But one can still get very attractive diamonds that are graded slightly less than colourless.
Diamonds graded G through I show virtually no colour that is visible to the untrained eye.
While very faint hint of yellow will be apparent in diamonds graded J through M, such colour can be minmised by carefully selecting the right jewellery in which to mount the diamond. Some people do prefer the warmer glow of lower-colour diamonds.
Some people may also prefer the effect of some gem-quality diamonds when exposed to long-wave ultraviolet lighting, like the lighting commonly seen in dance clubs). This is what we can the flourescence element of a diamond.
