Color and Clarity
Color and Value
color value in diamond comes from extremes
• either the degree of the presence of color
• or the degree of the absence of color
• the presence of color is much rarer than the • the presence of color is much rarer than the
absence of color
• the creation of a mass market for colorless
diamonds is a miracle of advertising
“a diamond is forever”
Color Grade
• the degree of the absence of color is graded using the GIA scale of “D” through “Z”
• the market was confused by a multitude of competing proprietary grading systems using competing proprietary grading systems using the letters A,B,C
• the GIA scale, starting with the first unused letter “D”, has been adopted world wide
• Clear simple standards results in effective comparison and an informed consumer
Color GradeGIA Color Grade Descriptive Term
DEF Colorless
GHIJ Near Colorless
KLM Faint ColorKLM Faint Color
NOPQR Very Light Color
STUVWXYZ Light Color
Each grade is a range not a point.
DEF ranges are very narrow.
STUVWXYZ much wider
Color Grade
• To grade a diamond for degree of absence of color, the diamond is compared to a set of master stones.
• The color of each master stone is at the top of its range so any stone with less color is in the letter range so any stone with less color is in the letter grade higher (“D” Highest, “Z” lowest)
• Typically the diamond is placed between two master stones so that it has more color than the higher grade, less color than the lower grade
• View master set
Color Grade
D MSD
E MSE
F MSF MSF
G MSG
H MSH
MS = Master Stone
Color Grade
• Because diamonds pick up color from around them, they must be in a neutral environment and the grader must wear neutral clothing
• Standard results can best be achieved by • Standard results can best be achieved by viewing under specialized north-daylight-equivalent fluorescent lighting with diamond and master stones placed in a tray
• The direction of view through the diamond can be important
Color Grade
• After “Z” the diamond has sufficient color to be reliably valued for the presence of color
• After “Z” the color is given the term Fancy
• the most common colors are brown (caused • the most common colors are brown (caused by plastic deformation) and yellow (colored by nitrogen impurities)
• The rarest colors are Blue (colored by boron) and Red
• Example GIA PINK DIAMOND COLOR CHART
Color Grade
Just some of the colors
of natural diamonds
Diamond Color Grade - Pink
• “Fancy Light Pink”
• “Fancy Pink”
• “Fancy Intense Pink”
• “Fancy Vivid Pink”• “Fancy Vivid Pink”
• “Fancy Dark Pink”
• “Fancy Deep Pink”
• and the rarest color – “Fancy Red”
Color Grade
• Red has only been found in small sizes - so far.
The largest faceted red diamond is the
“Moussaieff Red” 5.11cts
• The third largest at 5.06cts was on display at • The third largest at 5.06cts was on display at
the L A County Natural History Museum
Color Grade
Moussaieff Red 5.11cts $7,300,000
Color Grade
two large blue diamonds are the subjects of speculation. Were they originally one crystal?
• the Wittelsbach-Graff Blue 31.06cts
Fancy Deep Blue Fancy Deep Blue
Value 24 Million USD (Dec 2008 before re-cut)
• the Hope Diamond 45.52cts
Fancy Dark Grayish Blue
Est. Value 200-500 Million USD• GIA Gems & Gemology article Spring 2010 Wittelsbach-Graff/Hope Not Same Crystal
Color Grade
Wittelsbach-
Graff Blue Hope Diamond
Clarity Grade
• Clarity value in diamond comes from the
degree of transparency, which together with
the quality of the cut, effects brilliancy
• The clarity grade is diminished by any • The clarity grade is diminished by any
imperfection internal, or on the surface, which
reduces the amount of light returned to the
eye from internal and external reflections i.e.
reduces the brilliance
Clarity Grade
How do we think of imperfections?
• To the customer, these are flaws
• To diamantaires and jewelers, these are:
inclusions (imperfections which are in the inclusions (imperfections which are in the
diamond or extend beneath the surface)
blemishes (essentially on or above the
surface)
Clarity Grade
GIA clarity grading, in order of decreasing grade
• Flawless (FL), Internally Flawless (IF)
• Very Very Slightly Included (VVS 1, VVS 2)
• Very Slightly Included (VS 1, VS 2)• Very Slightly Included (VS 1, VS 2)
• Slightly Included (SI 1, SI 2)
• Imperfect (I 1, I 2, I 3)
(note: in European grading, there are 3 SI grades SI 1, SI 2, and SI 3. Also Imperfect is spelled Pique and is listed as P 1, P 2, P 3)
Clarity Grade
• nothing beats a large diamond, FL clarity, D color, and Excellent cut for rarity and beauty
• However, for the economically minded, the best bang for the buck may be gained at best bang for the buck may be gained at VS2/SI1 clarity. G, H or I color, and with Very Good cut
• To most eyes, a diamond sized just under a break point looks as big as one sized just over(0.99cts versus 1.01cts)
Clarity Grade
• Imperfect Grades I1, I2, and I3 should be
treated with caution
• There may be hidden weaknesses. The
weakness may reduce the durability with weakness may reduce the durability with
time, and a piece may break off
• In I3, distinctions are based on the combined
effect of durability, transparency, and
brilliance – there may not be much
Clarity Grade
• After Independence (1947), India re-established itself in the diamond industry.
• To jump-start its industry India specialized in small, poor quality stones (who would trust small, poor quality stones (who would trust valuable diamonds to cutters with little experience and no reputation)
• As a result, many stones that would have been used as industrial diamonds became available for cheep jewelry
Clarity Grade
• Bombay is now a recognized cutting center
• In just 60 years, India has changed the
diamond industry worldwide
– It is now the world’s leading cutter by volume– It is now the world’s leading cutter by volume
– It has improved the economics of diamond mining
• (economy jewelry stores are no longer
ashamed to sell a diamond setting where
everything shines except the diamond)
Clarity Grade
• Clarity grading is conducted at 10 times
magnification (10x)
• 10x is the magnification of a standard loop
• If an inclusion cannot be seen at 10x it doesn’t • If an inclusion cannot be seen at 10x it doesn’t
effect the clarity grade
• If an inclusion can be seen with the naked eye
through the crown, the clarity grade will
usually be Imperfect
Clarity Grade
• on a practical note, synthetic diamonds are getting closer to perfect day by day. Technical problems that protect us now, are being overcome
• in the future, Internally Flawless, or Very Very Slightly included diamonds, which have proof
of natural origin on the surface or inside, may have more value in the market place than a Flawless diamond that does not!
Clarity Grade
Growth lines in the form of equilateral
triangles (“trigons”) may be left on the
girdle after cutting
Clarity Grade
the equilateral triangle may be a single
step, or a series of steps as shown here
Clarity Grade
• Often the cutting process will expose an
internal crystal inclusion
• If the crystal remains in place, the inclusion is
called a “knot”called a “knot”
• However, the cutting process may drag the
crystal out of the host material, leaving behind
a “cavity”
Clarity Grade
• diamond breaks as a combination of cleavage and fracture
• many of these breaks give the appearance of a “feather”, hence the name of this inclusion“feather”, hence the name of this inclusion
• surface-reaching “feathers” can be treated by injecting a filler. Filling can diminish, but not eliminate, the impact on the clarity grade
• fracture filling can improve the “appearance” one or two clarity grades. It must be disclosed