Diamonds are graded for colour face down, against a white background. Graders are looking at the actual body tone (hue) of the stone. The diamond is then assigned a letter grade as seen on the accompanying chart.

Most diamonds used for jewel purposes fall into the near Colourless Category – G to J.

D – Absolutely colourless. The highest colour grade. Extremely rare.

E – F Colourless. Minute traces of colour can be detected by an expert gemologist. A rare diamond.

G – H Near – Colourless. Colour difficult to detect unless compared side-by-side against diamonds of better grades. An excellent value.

I – J Near – Colourless. An exceptional value with slightly detectable warmth or tone.

K – M Noticeable colour.

N – Z Noticeable colour.