Almost every diamond that comes out of a vein of Kimberly rock has some kind of hew to it expect for a precious few. Completely colorless diamonds are among the most expensive in the world. The diamonds that we think are colorless usually have a touch of purple, pink, yellow or blue in them. However the most common scheme is a white to yellow to brown scheme when it comes to these brilliant rocks.

The hue that a supposedly colorless diamond has can greatly affect its value. A jeweler uses a small magnifying glass called a loupe to closely examine the subtle shade it emits when held under a bright light.

The grading of fancy diamonds is based on an alphabetical system for determining diamond quality according to color. The alphabetical system was devised by the Gemological Institute of America and it features the beginning letters of the alphabet as identifying a higher grade of diamond.

Diamonds that are completely colorless are graded anywhere from A to F with the F being the most common. An A, B or C value diamond is almost unheard of and would be worth absolutely millions of dollars. The white “ice” that is used in engagement rings is usually in the D to F category and they tend to be very expensive stones.

More affordable are the diamonds that are graded from G to J. These stones appear colorless but a jeweler can detect a faint hue of blue or yellow. They are more affordable yet still boast the impressive flash of a much more expensive stone.

Diamonds that are graded from K to M describe stones that have a faint tint to them. Sometimes they have a very faint yellow or gold color. In some types of lighting the facets of these diamonds can appear to be brown or gray in tone.

Diamonds that are yellowish are graded from N to R. These describe diamonds that appear to be lightly tinted. Often they still look white especially if they are put in the right type of setting.

Diamond gemstones that are graded from S to Z have a very noticeable tint and may appear to the color of light yellow to the color of tea to a brandy color to a very deep brown. These diamonds look yellowish in their settings and are currently very fashionable. In fact the darker colored diamonds are sometimes known as “chocolate diamonds.”

The reason it is important for the diamond shopper to know these grades is that it can give you an idea of what kind of quality you should be paying for when you buy the stone. For instance you do not want to be paying an E grade price for a stone that is actually a white looking R under the jeweler’s loupe. It is easy to be felled because many of the diamonds that are actually yellow appear very white if they are mounted in a platinum or similar silver colored setting. Of course this is a boon for brides on a budget who want a big stone but can’t afford it, as there are ways to set a yellow stone so it looks snowy white.