A Guide to I Color Diamonds

The grading of Diamond color begins with D which means no trace of color, and ends with Z which indicates light yellow or light brown. Gemologists describe this range as “near colorless" including G, H, I and J colors, this is a very high scale and I color diamond is placed on. An I color diamond is the highest color grade whereas an F is the lowest color grade that exists.

If you aren’t one to splurge, I color diamonds are a great way to get maximum bang for your buck with little loss in bright white beauty offered by diamonds, and can sit comfortably in the ‘near colorless’ category on the GIA diamond color scale. Understanding the detail of diamond color and its relationship to your diamond buying decisions will enable you to pay too much or to secure the most beautiful diamond possible — without worrying.

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What is an I Colored Diamond? 

To first time buyers and diamond novices, the ‘near colorless’ category may be a far from reassuring category. The good news is that virtually no one can distinguish a yellow tone in an I color diamond, and yet fewer people can pick out a specific diamond color grade. The high color grades are differentiated by only the most skilled gemologists using optimum lighting conditions.

I Wonder if Colored Diamonds are Yellow?

Yellow tints in an I color diamond are generally difficult to detect. I have recommended many beautiful I color diamonds, and in context they look bright white and very happy customers. Unlike higher color graded diamonds, however, other quality factors of an I color diamond contribute to just how white the diamond appears.

Will an I color diamond have a tint?

With well cut, and despite having a color I diamond, tint often goes undetected by most people unless comparing a color I diamond to one higher color, side by side. Also note that when an I color diamond that has a medium or stronger degree of fluorescence is exposed to ultraviolet light a visible tint of the same color as the fluorescence may be apparent.

There are Three Factors that can Influence Color

The stone is analyzed in the upside down position, and analyzed from the side, for diamond color. This is done because three factors may influence diamond color appearance when seen from the top:Diamond’s shape, its cut and fluorescence.

The Secrets to Making an Color Diamond Look Whiter

I work on real results and real budgets. These budgets don’t always mean that the best value is in the top color grades, but that’s not to say that beauty has to be sacrificed. 

Cut: 

For good reason, I hammer the importance of a quality cut. If all the facets are working at their best, light is bounced around inside the diamond and back at the viewer. A good cut will mask many of the sins that the diamond may possess, including any yellowish tints they may hold.

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Shape: 

Round brilliant is such a good hiding color. Other cuts will show color more readily. A higher grade (somewhere between G and H) may be needed for step cuts, but this isn’t hard and fast – it’s something to think through along with what items are first diamonds.

Setting: 

Also, warmer tone metals like yellow and rose gold can make a diamond appear whiter. Plus, when you're looking for engagement rings, the rich tones of these metals can also be highly flattering sets.

Angle: 

More light gets reflected out at the side of diamonds than through the table top. With high res, high definition, 360 imaging of a loose diamond, you will be viewing from the top of the diamond, and it will be set in a ring.

In a ring: 

While there is truth to the close scrutiny that diamonds need during the diamond buying process, once in a ring and viewed under normal lighting conditions, remember that the diamond will no longer be a raw stone.

There are no disguises for large inclusions or poor cuts, no matter what the setting or lighting conditions.

Choosing an I Color Diamond

Here is your tick-list for choosing an I color diamond that is guaranteed to deliver:

Diamonds with an AGS or GIA report are the diamonds to look for. The only leading labs that offer reliable and consistent grades you’re sure to get what’s on the certificate.

You can choose vendors who offer high res diamond imaging so you can look at the diamond before you make the purchase.

Seek the best possible cut of diamonds, and ideally optimal cut diamonds.

In the End

The color I diamond will not sparkle any brighter than a diamond of lesser color. But as far as brightness, fire, sparkle, and contrast, they are all attributable to the cut quality of a diamond. You can guarantee that a diamond’s optical properties are not affected by color grade, unless a difference in spectrally absorbing minutia rarely matters. 

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