When it comes to grading diamond engagement rings, the colour of the stones in the diamond engagement rings plays an important factor in both the visual appeal of the ring as well as the price tag. Understanding the finer details of the colour rating system used to rate stones in diamond engagement rings is crucial to better understanding the importance the colour of the stones plays on the overall ring as a whole.
The stones in diamond engagement rings are graded on an alphabetical scale from D to Z with regards to colour. The D rating for diamond engagement rings being the best, and the Z rating being the lowest quality for diamond engagement rings. For most consumers, the less amount of colour a diamond engagement ring has, the better, though there are a few exceptions to this rule.
Diamond engagement rings with stones rated D, E, or F on the colour scale are classified as colourless. These diamond engagement rings are considered the cream of the crop and also have the highest price tags attached to them. Diamond engagement rings rated with a D rating are considered as close to colourless of all diamonds, with E and F rated diamond engagement rings possessing only trace amounts of colour.
Diamond engagement rings with stones rated from G through J fall into near colourless category. This means these diamond engagement rings have stones that possess traces of colour, but not enough to make an obvious impact on the diamond engagement rings. In fact, diamond engagement rings with ratings above I on the colour scale are considered colourless to the naked eye. Diamond engagement rings rated with a J rating do have enough traces of colour to make the tint visible to the eye however.
When selecting diamond engagement rings with white metal settings, including platinum diamond engagement rings, white gold diamond engagement rings, and palladium diamond engagement rings, jewellers recommend choosing diamonds from the colourless or near colourless groupings. This is due to the fact that diamonds with any traces of colour beyond these groupings will tend to appear somewhat off in white metal settings.