Diamond Colour Guide: From D-Flawless to Rare Fancy Hues

What Colour Are Diamonds?

When people think of a diamond, they often picture something clear and colourless, like a drop of frozen light. But in truth, what colour are diamonds? The answer is far more nuanced, and far more beautiful.

Diamonds occur in a spectrum, from icy whites to champagne tones, smoky greys, and even every shade of the rainbow. Some hues are subtle, barely there. Others, like rich canary yellow or vivid pink, are arrestingly rare.

Understanding diamond colour is the first step in appreciating their individuality, and choosing a stone that truly speaks to your style.

Diamond Colour Scale Explained:

The globally recognised diamond colour scale begins curiously with the letter ‘D’. D stands for colourless, the highest possible grade. From there, the scale travels through near-colourless (E–F), faint yellow (G–J), and continues all the way to Z, which carries noticeable hues of yellow, brown or grey.

Stones graded D to Z fall within what’s known as the normal colour range. Subtle differences between, say, an F and an H may be invisible to the untrained eye, but they can make a marked difference in price and value.

For designers and collectors alike, this scale provides a universal language, ensuring clarity when creating or choosing a piece, whether it’s a single solitaire diamond ring or an elaborate bespoke creation.

Diamond Colour and Clarity Chart:

The interplay of diamond colour and clarity is where things get truly interesting. While colour measures hue, clarity grades the presence (or absence) of internal and surface imperfections.
A high-colour diamond with poor clarity might appear less brilliant than a slightly tinted stone with a flawless interior. This is why consulting a diamond colour and clarity chart is essential. It helps you weigh what’s most important to you: pristine perfection, or a touch of warmth paired with character.
At Tanishq, our experts help you balance both, ensuring your stone offers radiance and resilience.

Different Colour
Diamonds: An Overview:

While white or colourless diamonds dominate most collections, there’s growing love for different colour diamonds – stones with hints of yellow, champagne, cognac, grey and even black. These subtle tones can bring a unique personality to a piece, often offering better value than higher-grade colourless stones.
If you’re someone drawn to unconventional beauty, diamond colour stones open up a world beyond the D–Z scale.

Fancy Coloured
Diamonds:

Enter the world of fancy coloured diamonds where the rules shift and rarity reigns. These are diamonds that exhibit hues beyond the Z range, in colours far more saturated and intense than typical whites or yellows.

Yellow, Blue, Pink, Green and Purple Diamonds:

Yellow Diamonds: Sometimes called canary diamonds, they are vibrant, sunny and full of personality.

Yellow Diamonds: Sometimes called canary diamonds, they are vibrant, sunny and full of personality.

Blue Diamonds: Mysterious, refined, and famously worn by royalty and red-carpet icons.

Pink Diamonds: Feminine, rare, and wildly romantic. The Argyle mines in Australia once produced the finest of these,
now making them even more coveted.

Green Diamonds: Subtle and earthy, often associated with growth and renewal.

Purple Diamonds: Rare and regal, they add a mystical twist to traditional jewellery silhouettes.

These colours aren’t graded D–Z, but are assessed based on tone, saturation, and distribution of colour. In short: the more
intense and pure the hue, the more valuable the stone.

Diamond Colour Stones
in Fine Jewellery:

From the rose-hued elegance of a unique diamond ring design for female connoisseurs to the bold statement of a men’s ring with cognac diamonds, diamond colour stones bring life and individuality to fine jewellery.

Colour can be a personal signature. A green diamond nestled into a vintage-inspired brooch. A faint champagne solitaire in an Art Deco-style pendant. Or a pair of diamond rings with coloured stones, worn stacked or solo as a reflection of modern heritage.

Coloured Diamond Rings, Earrings,
Necklaces, Bracelets and Bangles:

Coloured diamonds are now featured across all categories, from engagement rings to everyday luxury.

Coloured diamond rings offer a distinctive edge, whether you’re choosing a soft yellow centre stone or setting pavé pink diamonds around a white solitaire.
Earrings, particularly drop or cluster styles, highlight the depth and fire of fancy colours beautifully.
A wedding diamond necklace with pale blush or golden hues feels both heirloom-worthy and utterly fresh.
Bangles and bracelets with diamond colour accents? Chic and statement-making.

At Tanishq, we celebrate this colourful evolution, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary boldness.

Choosing the Right Diamond Colour for You

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to diamond colour. Some prefer the icy purity of a D-grade stone. Others fall for the romantic warmth of a J or the intrigue of a violet-hued fancy.

It’s about how the diamond feels on your skin. What story it tells. How it fits your aesthetic.  Whether you lean towards clean minimalism or layered maximalism.

If you’re drawn to heritage, a single solitaire diamond ring in a high-colour grade might speak your language. Prefer something more expressive? Look to coloured diamond jewellery that reflects your mood, season, or milestone. 

Understanding Diamond Colour Enhances Your Choice
Understanding diamond colour allows you to choose not just wisely, but meaningfully. Whether you’re looking for a timeless white sparkler, a subtly tinted classic, or a bold burst of colour, knowledge is your most radiant accessory.

At Tanishq, we help decode the language of diamond colour, so that every piece you select, be it a diamond colour stone pendant, a pair of coloured diamond rings, or a wedding diamond necklace, is more than just beautiful. It’s a mirror of your taste, your journey, your light.