| Diamonds can be found in every color of
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| | reduces its value with higher levels of
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| the rainbow from clear, colorless (white)
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| | fluorescence reducing the value the
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| to black as coal. Some colors like blue,
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| | greatest.
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| red, and green are extremely rare and
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| | There are some processes, like High
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| very valuable. Brown is the most common
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| | Pressure/High Temperature (HPHT) or
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| color of diamond with about 80% of
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| | irradiation, which can alter the color of
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| diamonds used for industrial purposes
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| | a diamond. With certain types of brown
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| like drill bits and saw blades. For most
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| | diamonds, the HPHT process can produce
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| diamond shoppers, their goal is to find a
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| | Colorless or Near Colorless color. With
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| diamond as white (colorless) as their
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| | HPHT, other types of brown diamonds can
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| budget will allow.
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| | be converted to fancy colors like
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| Most diamonds suitable for gem use have
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| | yellowish-green, greenish-yellow, and
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| trace elements of nitrogen that causes
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| | even shades of pink or blue. Irradiation
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| some level of yellow tint. The diamond
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| | can result in a variety of fancy colors,
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| industry uses a color grading system
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| | even though they are often visibly
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| developed by the Gemological Institute of
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| | different shades than natural colored
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| America (GIA) that ranges from D
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| | diamonds.
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| (completely colorless) to Z (fancy yellow
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| | Yellow is the most common and affordable
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| color). Each letter grade corresponds to
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| | of the colored gem diamonds. There are
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| a small range of color and the color
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| | four color-grades of yellow diamonds with
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| grade of a diamond is determined by
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| | enough saturation to be rated Fancy
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| comparing it to a set of master stones
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| | Yellow; Fancy Light Yellow, Fancy Yellow,
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| whose color grade has been determined by
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| | Fancy Intense Yellow and Fancy Vivid
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| a grading laboratory like the GIA.
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| | Yellow. Each deeper shade brings a higher
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| The top three color-grades D, E and F are
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| | price.
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| considered Colorless. Color-grades G, H,
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| | What do these color grades, fluorescence,
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| I, and J are known as the Near Colorless
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| | and color treatments mean to the diamond
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| and color grades K, L and M are labeled
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| | shopper? There are many color grades
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| Faint Yellow. It is important to have the
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| | between the top D color and J, which is
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| color grade designated by one of the top
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| | the bottom of the Near Colorless range,
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| diamond grading laboratories such as the
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| | with the price of a D being about double
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| GIA (Gemological Institute of America) or
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| | that of J color. Most of the difference
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| AGS (American Gem Society). Color grades
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| | in price is at the lower color grades
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| on other documentation can be exaggerated
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| | where there is also the most visible
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| and not accurate relative to industry
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| | difference to the eye. The price increase
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| standards.
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| | from a J to I can be about 20% while from
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| The bigger the diamond, the more obvious
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| | an E to D is closer to 2%. Diamond
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| its color will be, just as a carafe of
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| | shoppers need to examine diamonds with
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| wine shows more color than a glassful.
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| | their own eyes so they can determine what
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| Some shapes of diamonds show more color
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| | color they will be happy with relative to
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| than others do. Shapes like the princess
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| | the price.
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| cut are relatively bottom heavy and have
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| | Most shoppers find that for well cut
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| more diamond material to look through.
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| | round diamonds, I color provides a nice,
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| Individuals see shades of yellow
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| | white color and a good value. Fancy
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| differently and some shoppers prefer the
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| | shaped diamonds tend not to be as
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| warm look of the Near Colorless range
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| | brightly faceted as the round brilliant
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| rather than the cold, whiteness of the
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| | cut so H color is an excellent choice for
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| Colorless grades.
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| | value and beauty. However, some shoppers
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| Another factor that influences diamond
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| | will prefer and can afford higher colors
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| color is fluorescence. About a fourth of
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| | and other shoppers will choose lower
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| diamonds have a characteristic that when
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| | colors based on what they find appealing
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| exposed to ultraviolet light, they glow a
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| | to their eye and their budget.
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| color, usually blue. The fluorescence is
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| | Avoid diamonds with high levels of
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| no longer visible once the light source
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| | fluorescence or any kind of color
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| is removed. The intensity of the
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| | enhancement unless you specifically want
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| fluorescence can vary from Faint, which
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| | that, have been properly advised, and are
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| is barely visible to Very Strong, which
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| | paying the lower corresponding price.
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| is easily visible in a brightly lighted
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| | Beware of jewelry stores who stock larger
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| room. A little blue fluorescence can
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| | number of diamonds with fluorescence or
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| sometimes make Near Colorless diamonds
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| | will not show you the GIA grading report
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| appear even whiter than their true color.
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| | before you purchase. A merchant who is
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| Some very strong fluorescent diamonds
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| | hiding these factors from you is
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| appear milky or oily in appearance and
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| | certainly not someone you want to trust
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| thus not as clear. The presence of
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| | with your important diamond purchase.
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| fluorescence in a diamond generally
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