Cut | Color | Clarity | Carat Weight | Other Aspects
To grade color, a gemologist compares the body color of a diamond with a set of Master Comparison Diamonds under specific light conditions. Newer techniques are finding their way into the marketplace, but this method continues to be a highly accurate and consistent means of grading diamond color.
| AGS |
Electronic Colorimeter |
GIA |
|
| 0 |
0 to 0.49 |
D |
| 0.5 |
.50 – .99 |
E |
| 1.0 |
1.0 – 1.49 |
F |
| 1.5 |
1.50 – 1.99 |
G |
| 2.0 |
2.0 – 2.49 |
H |
| 2.5 |
2.50 – 2.99 |
I |
| 3.0 |
3.0 – 3.49 |
J |
| 3.5 |
3.50 – 3.99 |
K |
| 4.0 |
4.0 – 4.49 |
L |
| 4.5 |
4.50 – 4.99 |
M |
| 5.0 |
5.0 – 5.49 |
N |
| 5.5 |
5.50 – 5.99 |
O |
| 6.0 |
6.0 – 6.49 |
P |
| 6.5 |
6.50 – 6.99 |
Q |
| 7.0 |
7.0 – 7.49 |
R |
| 7.5 |
7.50 – 7.99 |
S |
| 8.0 |
8.0 – 8.49 |
T |
| 8.5 |
8.50 – 8.99 |
U |
| 9.0 |
9.0 – 9.49 |
V |
| 9.5 |
9.50 – 9.99 |
W |
| 10 |
10 – + |
XYZ |
The A.G.S. and the G.I.A. have similar grading scales with the following values for diamond color:
| 0 |
Absolutely colorless and transparent. |
| 1 |
Colorless, somewhat less transparent. |
| 2 |
Very faint yellow; appears colorless to the customer. |
| 3 |
Appears colorless if set in gold jewelry. |
| 4 |
Color is visible to the novice. |
| 5–10 |
Increasingly easy to see color. |
|
