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Contents
- The Color Grading
System - What Does An I Color
Diamond Look Like? - I Color Grade vs.
Other Color Grades - Best Ring Settings
for I Color Diamonds - What are the Pros
and Cons of I color diamonds?- Pros:
- Cons:
- Should You Get An I
Color Diamond For Your Engagement Ring?
While the 4Cs play a crucial role in the
quality and beauty of a diamond, knowing how to balance them can give you the
best bang for your buck. Diamond color is arguably the second most important of
the 4Cs after cut, but this doesn’t mean that you have to opt for the highest
color grades. Let’s take a look at the I color grade, which comes further down
the color scale. Affordable but tinted, should you buy or avoid I color grade
diamonds?
The Color Grading
System
First of all, let’s take a look at where
the I color grade comes in relation to other color grades.
The basic diamond color grading system
that’s used in the jewelry world was created by the G.I.A. (Gemological
Institute of America). It contains 23 different color grades for colorless
diamonds that specify the intensity of the diamond’s color (or lack thereof).
These are the basic color grades for
colorless diamonds:
- D, E and F – These diamonds are colorless and show no tints. These are also
among the most expensive diamonds, all else being equal. - G, H, I and J – These
grades are known as near colorless diamonds. Of these, G is noticeably less
yellow than a J. - K to Z– These grades are faint
yellow diamonds, increasing in intensity with each subsequent grade. Most
retailers don’t sell diamonds below the M grade.
I color diamonds fall near the bottom of
the Near Colorless category but that still puts them ahead of most other
diamonds. The Near Colorless grade is an excellent option for engagement rings due
to its balance of value with beauty.
What Does An I Color
Diamond Look Like?
To the naked eye, an I color diamond can appear
colorless. To identify any hues in the stone, you would typically need to use
magnification which would reveal any yellow tints within the stone. Another way
to tell would be to look at the stone in profile – generally, a diamond viewed
from the side tends to show more color than when viewed face up.
See this diamond in 360 degrees here and notice how the color changes depending on the angle the diamond is viewed at.
The good news is that most engagement rings
are viewed face up, with the profile typically hidden in the mounting. This
makes I color grade diamonds suitable for use in engagement rings, as they look
more or less completely colorless to the naked eye. If there are some barely
noticeable color to your I color diamond you can almost always mask them with
the right ring setting and metal color.
I Color Grade vs.
Other Color Grades
The main difference between the Colorless
diamond grades (D, E, and F) and the Near Colorless grades such as I color
diamonds is in how rare and prestigious they are. This also plays a big role in
the price of diamonds hence the reason Colorless diamond grades are much more
expensive than Near Colorless ones.
For example, compare this D color diamond to this similar I color diamond. While their specifications are almost the same, the main difference is in color and price – the D grade diamond is almost $3000 more expensive! The main difference between the I and D-F color grades you’ll likely notice is in the price tag.
As for how I color diamonds compare with
the lower Faint Yellow diamonds, the difference there is more noticeable as the
K, L, M and sometimes even J color grades to have more noticeable color. Even
in these cases, the said color can be masked with carefully chosen ring setting
and color.
One way to compare I color with others is
to go to a local jewelry vendor and visually compare I color diamonds to other
color grades, placing the diamonds side by side. Alternatively, you can check
out the diamonds on James Allen’s site and compare their diamond using their
Compare Tool.
Best Ring Settings
for I Color Diamonds
An excellent way to downplay or flaunt a
diamond’s color is by choosing the right metal color and setting to mount it
within. Compare these two customer rings from James Allen, both featuring I
color diamonds of similar quality.
I color diamond with platinum. See this ring here.
I color diamond with rose gold. Check price here.
While both ring settings make the diamond
look stunning, the white hue of the platinum setting brings out a little of the
I diamond’s color, whereas the rose gold setting below perfectly masks any
color the stone may have.
In general, yellow and rose gold are ideal
for diamonds lower on the color scale as their color overwhelms any tints of
color that the diamond may have. On the other hand, white metals like white
gold and platinum can contrast against the diamond’s color and make color more
noticeable.
However, because I color diamonds have only
very faint hues that are almost unnoticeable to the naked eye, you can opt for
a white metal and still have a ring that looks stunning.
A couple of points to consider:
- Picking a ring setting that
covers the sides of the diamond, be it a bezel or a halo setting will hide the
profile of an I diamond, where the most color can be seen. Another benefit of
protective ring settings is that they can also keep your diamond from harm. The
tradeoff is that they limit the amount of light that goes inside the diamond
and thus – reduce its brilliance. - If you opt for a halo setting,
ensure that the diamond melees used for the halo are of the same color as the
center diamond. If the halo is made up of whiter diamonds, they will make the
diamond appear warmer.
What are the Pros
and Cons of I color diamonds?
In short, I color diamonds have lots of
positives and very few negatives if any. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Pros:
- I color diamonds are almost
colorless to the naked eye, especially once they are mounted on a ring. - As one of the Near Colorless
grades, I color diamonds are always gorgeous to look at as long as they are
well-cut and don’t have too many inclusions. - I color diamonds look awesome
on any ring setting design and with any metal color - These diamonds offer a great
and budget-friendly price/value bargain, particularly in the Colorless and Near
Colorless grade ranges.
Cons:
- Even though they are more
budget-friendly than D-F and G-H diamonds, I color diamonds are still not
“cheap”. If you’re looking for something that’s not just a bargain but is even
more on the economical side, the lower color grades can save you even more
money while still offering a nice look with the right setting and metal color. - I color diamonds are of high
quality but they are not as prestigious as D-F color diamonds. For diamond
purists or those who are after only the very best, an I color diamond may
appear slightly sub par.
Should You Get An I
Color Diamond For Your Engagement Ring?
If you have a moderate budget and you’re
looking to get value for your money, the I color range is the place to look. As
one of the Near Colorless grades, its quality is indisputable but it’s not as
expensive as the higher grades.
If you are on a tighter budget, we’d
recommend the J or K color grades, but on the other hand, if you have the money
to spend and want a diamond that’s completely colorless, you might want to look
higher than the I color grade.
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