Have trouble deciding which diamond color suits your taste the best? What if we told you there is a color category of diamonds that you can select, that will not only cost less but will also look amazing? We are talking about I Color Diamonds.
The birth of diamonds is rather a captivating phenomenon that dates back billions of years ago. There are not one but many natural phenomena that are responsible for the diamonds we find today.
It is simple to understand that diamonds came to exist due to the activities below the surface of the earth including the crystallization of carbon atoms in the heat-laden layers of the earth.
During this process, a diamond’s color can be altered by a single invading atom that isn’t carbon. This results in the most extraordinary creation of nature that we see as colored diamonds today, perfectly tainted in nature’s hues.
But be sure to have a hawk’s eye when you are on a diamond buying spree. I Color diamonds are a category of colored diamonds Classified by GIA (The standard body that provides a classification of diamonds) and we are going to take you through all you need to know about I color diamonds in the rest of the article.
What are they and why should you buy them? We’ll be answering all that along with the main question “Do I color diamonds look yellow?”.
What are “I color diamonds”?
Before we get started, it’s crucial to keep in mind that The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) sets the benchmark for diamond gradings that are widely accepted and adhered to.
One of these criteria that fit into the GIA’s grading method is the “color” of the diamond. The GIA assigns a color grade to each diamond, ranging from D which is the top grade, also characterized by being almost colorless to Z which has a prominent yellow tint.
I color grade diamonds lie six spots below the highest grade of the GIA’s color scale. Whereas grades G to J are referred to as near colorless, grades D, E, and F are the colorless band of diamonds.
Thus, I color diamonds essentially fall under the GIA’s “almost colorless” categorization. As a result, while an I color diamond appears nearly colorless to the unaided eye, it may show some characteristics of a yellow hue when examined under a microscope.
In a nutshell, the J color grade is the lowest rating in the near-colorless spectrum, with the I color grade a close second. Another unique feature exhibited in lower grade diamond categories such as K and L has a discernible yellowish hue.
How I Color Diamonds Look Next to Other Color Grades
To address this question, one fundamental criterion that is useful when comparing diamonds to be kept in mind is to understand how they differ with respect to their shape or cut.
Two similar grade diamonds can look completely unfamiliar if they bear different cuts or shapes and vice versa. The same is applied to I colored diamonds.
While few inclusions are particularly involved in making the I color grade seem not so colorless, several others rather clearly display its hue.
For instance, without the intense studio illumination and amplification, it is significantly more difficult to distinguish between an I color diamond and a D color diamond. Additionally, with various diamond shapes, it may be simpler to distinguish between an I color diamond and one with a greater color grade.
For instance, if you compare a round D color diamond to a pear-shaped I color diamond, you will discover that the I color diamond’s yellow tint is easier to discern because pear designs aren’t as good as round diamonds in curbing light. Consequently, you ought to believe that the diamond cut makes a huge difference because it does!
Do I color diamonds look yellow?
I color diamonds may exhibit a light yellow or brown tinge due to minute residues of minerals left behind during diamond formation.
However, be aware that this faint tint is frequently only perceptible in specialized circumstances, such as the equipment employed by companies (such as GIA) that evaluate diamonds.
It’s also crucial to remember that color perception is subjective, so a diamond will always appear whiter when it’s set in a frame that is yellower while it’s being examined.
Though, the faint yellow (or brown) hue won’t affect how brilliantly they shine. Essentially, color doesn’t begin to appear in diamonds until one reaches the color stages. For the same reason, it is still debatable if GIA can label I colored diamonds as faint.
How to make “I color diamonds” look whiter?
As a matter of fact, I color diamonds appear significantly whiter when looked at from above or aerially than when viewed directly beneath. In addition to this, here are some other suggestions to make I color diamonds look whiter:
- The best technique to “conceal” any yellow/ brown overtones in I color diamonds is by selecting a diamond in a round cut. Attractive diamond shapes like pear or marquise diamonds have more color visible at their corners and sides.
- When embedded in yellow gold, slightly yellow diamonds can appear whiter. The hue will therefore stand out more and become more white when yellow gold is used as the base metal.
- Avoid opting for cuts like asscher, emerald, princess, or even radiant cut diamonds. Though being a fancy shape and being preferred by many their big body tends to make the color of a diamond seem more obvious. Hence, I color diamonds will appear to be more yellow with these cuts.
When is an I Color Diamond a Good Choice?
Moving to the big question, “Is I Color Diamond good and when?” Finding a diamond at a less expensive end of the color spectrum will lead to significant savings without compromising on carat size or the desired design!
In addition to this, I color grade may be a fantastic option in a few other circumstances. For diamonds with a round brilliant cut, we suggest buying from the I color grade.
The straightforward explanation for this is that the round brilliant cut is excellent at concealing color, therefore there is little variation between inexpensive diamonds with a lower color grade and far more pricey diamonds with only a better color grade. Any metal, even platinum & white gold, will look just fine set with a nicely cut round diamond with an I color grade.
From our end, we can say that I color diamonds are occasionally an excellent choice and occasionally not for designs besides the round cuts.
Which Clarity Grade Goes Best With I Color Diamonds?
This is an important question in hand! Now, in comparison to others, I color diamond purchasers have a tendency to comprehend the distinctions between quality and pricing.
They frequently aim to maximize an eye-clean diamond that appears white to an unaided eye, rather than spending too much for a completely colorless diamond.
I color diamond buyers typically lean toward VS2 clarity grade & VS1 clarity grade diamonds, the kind of gems that ought to appear completely clean without costing excessively for a VVS grade diamond. The most popular clarity grades for I color diamonds in the increasing order of preference beginning from best to least is :
VS2 clarity I color, VS1 clarity I color diamonds, SI1 clarity I color diamonds, IF clarity I color diamonds, FL clarity I color diamonds
Thus, as it would be apparent, VS2 clarity is the most compatible with an I color grade diamond and FL clarity is the least.
I Color Diamond Pricing
Additionally, diamonds with the I color grade are far less expensive than those with the G or H color relatively close to colorless grades. When compared to diamonds leaning toward near colorless bands such as G, H, I, and J grades, colorless diamonds, like those that have a D, E, or F grade, typically cost substantially more.
The price gap between the I and D color round, 1-carat perfect cut diamond is at a 40% margin. With the D color being on the higher side. A smart choice that will make you end up saving a great deal of money is if you select the I color diamond over the D color one.
Apart from this, the price of a diamond is truly calculated by considering all the 4Cs. If one of the C-color is fixed then the other 3Cs- carat, cut and clarity needs to be defined, to get the accurate price.
Are these diamonds worth buying?
The most common option for wedding ring jewelry is near colorless diamonds like I color because they achieve a harmonious balance between elegance, budget-friendly, and simplicity.
It is a good bet because it has such few deviations from better color grade stones and is capable of readily camouflaging if any. Any color set, including those made of platinum, yellow gold, & rose gold, looks great with I-color diamonds.
And who wouldn’t want a bargain where you can save money without sacrificing quality? I diamonds can cost up to 40% well below diamonds of color D grade. This implies that you can purchase a larger diamond for fewer bucks. A complete win-win!
Conclusion
Thus summing it up, we have got you covered with all the essential information that you need on your plate before making a purchase of I color diamonds. We firmly believe a diamond is not required to be immaculate or colorless to be lovely and extravagant. An I color diamond can look just as dazzling as one with a higher color grade if you choose the proper shape, cut, quality and carat.
Nevertheless, there are a handful of circumstances in which it may not be a wise decision to buy an I color diamond. All in all, I color round diamonds are a decent investment since they look stunning, have nearly imperceptible color, and cost significantly less than diamonds that lie in the colorless grade range.
