Two lines on a diamond certificate decide more about how a stone looks than almost anything else: its colour grade and its clarity grade. Both are measured on fixed scales the whole trade reads from, and once you understand them you can spend your money where the eye actually sees a difference. Here are both charts, in plain terms, with our honest advice on where the value sits.
Diamond colour chart (D to Z)
Colour grades how little tint a diamond shows, from D (completely colourless) down to Z (a visible pale yellow or brown). The scale is grouped, and the differences between neighbouring grades are subtle, often invisible once a stone is set.
| Grade | Group | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| D–F | Colourless | No tint at all; the rarest and most expensive |
| G–J | Near colourless | Looks white face-up, especially once set — the value sweet spot |
| K–M | Faint | A warm tint appears; lovely in yellow gold |
| N–Z | Very light to light | Tint is clearly visible to the eye |
Our honest advice: a G or H stone faces up white in most settings and costs noticeably less than a D. Spend the saving on cut. If you love warmth and yellow gold, a K can be beautiful. There is more in our guide to the 4Cs.
Diamond clarity chart (FL to I3)
Clarity grades the tiny natural inclusions inside a diamond, viewed under 10× magnification. Most are invisible to the naked eye, which is the whole point of the term “eye-clean”.
| Grade | Meaning | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| FL / IF | Flawless / Internally Flawless | Nothing under 10×; very rare and costly |
| VVS1–VVS2 | Very, very slightly included | Tiny inclusions, hard to find even under magnification |
| VS1–VS2 | Very slightly included | Minor inclusions, not visible to the naked eye |
| SI1–SI2 | Slightly included | Visible under 10×; often still eye-clean, especially SI1 |
| I1–I3 | Included | Inclusions visible to the naked eye |
Our honest advice: aim for the lowest grade that is still eye-clean, often a VS2 or a well-chosen SI1. You pay far less than for a flawless stone and see no difference on the hand.
How colour and clarity work together
Neither grade lives alone. A near-colourless, eye-clean stone with an excellent cut will outshine a flawless, D-colour stone that has been cut poorly, and cost far less. The trade buys to the eye, not to the top of the scale, and so should you. Every diamond we sell is GIA- or HRD-certified with the full grades on a report you can verify, and we film each stone in 360° video so you can judge colour and clarity for yourself before you commit. When you are ready, browse our certified diamonds or read about our GIA-certified diamonds.
