There are a lot of variables that can affect the cost of diamond engagement rings. The most notable of which are known as the four C’s. They consist of color, cut, clarity, and cut. While diamond engagement rings are comprised of a few parts, the four C’s only apply to the diamond. Since the diamond has the most influence over the cost of diamond engagement rings, you can see why the four C’s are such a major part. Of the four C’s, the most visual is color. But color not only has the ability to change the look of diamond engagement rings, it can drastically change the price. Having a good understanding of what color can do to the price of diamond engagement rings will allow you to make a more cost effective and quality purchase based on your budgetary restrictions and overall taste.
When you are shopping for diamond engagement rings, you are most likely looking at white diamonds. Any other diamond besides white are considered “fancy” diamonds (pink, blue, etc). Fancy diamonds are not graded on the same scale as white diamonds, and they are significantly more expensive and rare to find in diamond engagement rings. That said, it is important for you to familiarize yourself with the color grading scale for diamonds. The color grade of a diamond will be directly reflected in the price of the diamond.
Diamond color is graded from D-Z, with D being the most colorless diamond available. The more you go down the scale, the more yellow you’ll find present. As you can guess, the more yellow present in the diamond, the more expensive it is. These letters are also divided into categories. D-F is considered colorless. G-J are called near colorless. K-M are faint yellow, and N-Z are very light yellow. The best value per your dollar is said to be in the G-I range, but the ultimate choice is yours. Those who are more yellow-tolerant can save themselves some money if they go deeper on the scale. After all, shopping for diamond engagement rings is all a matter of preference.
When you are shopping for diamond engagement rings, color is incredibly important. In fact, it only gets more important as the diamond gets larger. This is because color discrepancies are easier to identify in larger stones. Remember that for as important as color is when shopping for diamond engagement rings, it is really only the tip of the iceberg. You should educate yourself on the other C’s, and even a little about the precious metals you’ll find in the setting.