What Are The Most Popular Diamond Colors And Clarities?

Diamonds are truly fascinating gems, and they come with different characteristics. There is no shortage of options when talking about diamonds.

And as is often the case, some options are more popular than others.

Our goal is to dive deep into this topic and discover the different colors and clarities that diamonds can have. Also, we aim to determine which ones are the most popular and what makes them so attractive.

There is a strong connection between all 4 main diamond characteristics, and if you are interested in learning more about carat, cut, color, and clarity, the most important elements of any diamond, we invite you to check out this article: 4 C’s Of Diamonds – Order Of Importance: The Most Important C?

Join us on this journey as we discover what are the most popular diamond color and clarity.

Diamond Color

One of the most important thighs to understand in order to make an informed decision when buying a diamond is understanding what diamond color means and what your options are.

The diamond color evaluation of most gem-quality diamonds is actually based on the absence of color. But that does not mean that diamonds are colorless. On the contrary, the majority of gem-quality stones have subtle variations of all kinds of colors.

Chemically pure and perfect diamonds have no hue, meaning that there are no traces of color to be seen. Needless to say, those examples are very rare and very expensive.

Many of the color distinctions present in a diamond are very subtle and undetectable to the untrained eye. That is why the jewelers use special methods to determine the color grade of every single diamond.

The most popular system in place for determining the color of a diamond is GIA’s D-to-Z Diamond Color-Grading System.

Another thing to know when talking about diamond color is that some diamonds actually do have a strong color presence. Those are called fancy-colored diamonds.

Fancy-colored diamonds are not subjected to the GIA D-to-Z Diamond Color-Grading System. They are evaluated separately because they have an unusually strong color presence that would put them beyond the Z range.

Those are very rare examples of diamonds, and they come in a wide variety of colors, including most importantly, green, blue, red, and pink.

If you would like to know more about fancy color diamonds, their origin, color variety, prices and more, be sure to check out this article: Natural Fancy Colored Diamonds: Everything You Need to Know

Regular diamonds are considered more valuable if they exhibit less color presence. Making the diamonds in the Z range of the color-grading scale the least valuable ones.

But with fancy-colored stones, we see the completely opposite thing. Their value increases with the strength and purity of their color. Large and vivid fancy-color diamonds are extremely rare and very valuable.

Also, it is important to note, that not all colors are created equal, and green, purple, orange, and red diamonds are the rarest, and because of that, the most valuable. Pink and blue are in second place, and the most common colors of fancy diamonds are yellow and brown.

Diamond Clarity

In order to understand diamond clarity, we must first understand the processes that take place when the diamond is created.

Natural diamonds are the result of extreme pressures and heat that the carbon deposits inside the Earth are exposed to.

This process can result in a variety of internal characteristics that are called “inclusions” and external characteristics called “blemishes”

If you would like to know more about the creation of the diamonds, we invite you to check out this article: How Far Below the Earth’s Surface Are Most Diamonds Crystallized?

When evaluating the diamond clarity, experts base their judgment on the number, size, relief, nature, and positions of these characteristics, as well as how they affect the overall appearance of a gem.

You should be aware that no diamond is perfect, meaning that there is no perfectly pure natural diamond. But the closer he is to the ideal purity, the higher it will be scored on the clarity scale.

It is important to note that diamond clarity is of great relevance when jewelers calculate the price of the stone. Diamonds that are higher rated on the clarity scale are considered more valuable, and they will be more expensive.

The Geological Institute of America created the Diamond Clarity Scale which is the most popular way of ranking diamond clarity.

The Scale is divided into 6 categories, some of which are further divided, for a total of 11 different grades.

Flawless (FL) – These diamonds have no inclusions and no blemishes that can be detected under 10x magnification
Internally Flawless (IF) – Diamonds are considered internally flawless if they have no inclusions visible under 10x magnification, blemishes can be present
Very, Very Slightly Included (VVS1 and VVS2) – This category describes diamonds that have inclusions so slight that they are difficult for a skilled grader to detect under 10x magnification
Very Slightly Included (VS1 and VS2) – These diamonds have inclusions that are visible under 10x magnification but are considered minor inclusions.
Slightly Included (SI1 and SI2) – Diamonds that are given these grades have noticeable inclusions that are easily detected under 10x magnification
Included (I1, I2, and I3) – Included diamonds are the ones that have obvious inclusions, easily detectable under 10x magnification which may affect the transparency and the brilliance. Some of these diamonds have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye, and they are usually discarded, and sold as less than gem-quality stones.

It is important to note that many of the inclusions and blemishes present in a diamond are too tiny to be seen by an untrained observer.

To the naked eye, a VS2 and an SI2 diamond can look exactly the same, but the overall quality difference is undoubtedly present. That is why an expert and accurate assessment of diamond clarity is extremely important.

Learn More: Diamond Color Vs. Clarity: What’s More Important?

Most Popular Diamond Color

Now that we know a lot about diamonds and their colors, and we discussed the price difference between different color grades, and fancy diamonds, let’s dive in and explore which ones are the most popular!

The most common diamonds, especially when talking about engagement rings, are white diamonds. Those are the near colorless, graded D to J on the color scale.

An important thing to know is that diamond color is more noticeable in some diamonds than in others. The thing is, the visual representation of a diamond depends on many things besides the color grade.

The size, cut, and setting of a diamond are important factors to consider. If you were to observe two diamonds with the same color grade, that have different cuts they can appear to be different.

Color is more noticeable in larger diamonds as well. If the diamond is weighted over one carat, it is recommendable to be above the H color grade. If it’s under one carat, you can drop down to an I-J color grade, and they might appear the same when observed by the naked eye.

Diamond cuts are also the factor that greatly affects the appearance of the stone. Diamonds with more facets reflect more light, and that can make them more efficient in hiding their color.

Cuts like Asscher cut and Emerald cut require a higher grade in the color scale, compared to a Round cut, or a Princess cut.

Finally the setting of a diamond also greatly impacts the visibility of its color. Rose gold or yellow setting will hide the faint yellow tint in a diamond. Diamonds graded G-J can appear completely colorless against a setting made of yellow gold.

Other kinds of settings like white gold or platinum are better matched with a colorless, or near-colorless range of the scale. The most popular diamond colors for engagement rings are the diamonds graded D to J combined with a gold setting.

Of course, you should keep in mind that different jewelry is made of different diamonds. You may not choose the same diamond for your wedding ring, as well as for your necklace or bracelet.

The most important thing when talking about diamond color is to choose one that appeals to you. Don’t be afraid to show your confidence and unique style when browsing for diamonds!

Related Read: What Diamond Color Is The Best Value?

Most Popular Diamond Clarity

Now that you know how diamond clarity is graded, let’s talk about popular options out there. Similar to the color of a diamond, the visual representation of the diamond’s clarity also depends on a lot of factors.

Size, placement, and the quantity of diamonds greatly affect the visual representation of the gem’s clarity.

Although it’s nearly impossible to find a diamond that is flawless, as there is less than 1% of those, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find the one that is nearly flawless.

To ensure the brilliance and fire that makes the diamonds so appealing, you would be wise to consider diamonds that are rated at VS2 or above.

Even though the IF graded diamonds are considered “the best” it is the rarest quality and the most expensive one. The clarity of a diamond is ultimately a personal preference.

Most often sold diamonds usually fall under the grade of VS1. As much as 31% of diamond purchasers in the past years decided to go with the VS1 clarity grade.

That doesn’t mean that is the only valid option. If you are more focused on the diamond’s size and price, SI graded diamonds are also a very good option for you.

Keep in mind that a diamond’s size can greatly influence the choice of clarity, because larger diamonds demand a greater quality grade, in order to appear near flawless.

When shopping for a perfect diamond for you, it is a recommendation by many prominent jewelers to focus your budget on the things that are most noticeable, cut quality and carat weight.

It would be wise to focus more on the pure visual aesthetics and the appearance of the stone, rather than the clarity grade.

Overspending in order to get the FL or IF graded diamond may look good on paper, but it has minimal impact on a diamond’s appearance in real life.

Best Options And Combinations

Now, the question that we all want an answer to is, what is the most popular diamond color and clarity?

The answer can be more complicated than it looks like. In order to know what options are the most popular, we must first consider the role that the diamond is there to fulfill.

If you are looking for an engagement ring, the most popular combination is the near colorless diamond, graded G-J on the color scale, with the clarity grade VS1, in a setting made of yellow gold.

But beyond that, it is everyone’s choice to make the combination personal and unique. You should go for any diamond that you like. If it appeals to you, and if it is beautiful to you, does it even matter what grade it has?

Some people think that fancy-color diamonds are beautiful, while others won’t settle for less than near colorless.

Very important things to consider are the size and the cut of the diamond because size and cut will influence the visual aesthetics as much as color and clarity.

In Conclusion

We hope that you learned something new from this article and that we helped you make an informed decision when buying diamonds.

As we established, popular choices vary depending on many factors, the most important one is the purpose of the diamond that you are buying.

When selecting an engagement ring, most people opt for VS1 clarity grade, combined with the near colorless G-J graded diamond.

But in other examples, necklaces, bracelets, or other jewelry, VVS2 is also a very popular option.

Also present is the great demand for fancy color diamonds, which can be even more expensive and prestigious than flawless and colorless ones.

What do you think? What diamonds are the most appealing to you? Have fun exploring the world of gems, and we hope you will find the perfect one for you!