What Is the Best Diamond Color for a 2 Carat Diamond?
1 Minute Read
Two carat diamonds are big gems and people will notice their color more than they would for a smaller stone. Let's explore the color grading scale so that you can confidently select a diamond that fits your unique taste and budget.
The "Right" Color is Subjective
Before jumping into technical details, it is crucial to stress that the "right" color for a 2 carat diamond (or any diamond for that matter) is a matter of personal preference. Some like perfectly colorless stones while others are drawn to gems with a warmer, yellowish color.
The D - Z Colorless Diamond Grading Scale
You might think that all colorless diamonds are just that - colorless. Actually, diamonds that truly have no color are extremely rare. Instead, most colorless diamonds show some amount of yellow. It is also possible for some colorless diamonds to be slightly brownish or grayish. To describes this spectrum, gemologists use an alphabetic scale beginning with the letter D. Letters A-C are left out.
Diamonds that are assigned a grade of D are perfectly colorless and, as you move down the alphabet, more color shows. To make things easier, the scale is divided into five categories. D - F gems are considered "colorless" and most people won't see any color at all. G - J are "near-colorless" and have a delicate yellow glow. K - M are "faint" and have a noticeable warm color. The color of gems graded N - R is called "very light" while S - Z diamonds are "light". In terms of value, diamonds with a higher grade of colorlessness sell for more than gems that show more color. Once you learn which category appeals to you, finding the perfect diamond is simple.
The diamond on the left is almost colorless with a grade of E while the stone on the right has some yellow and is graded as a J.
Your Choice of Metal Matters
Diamonds absorb light from their surroundings, so yellow settings can make your diamond appear slightly yellower than it really is. The opposite is true of white metal mountings.
Emily Frontiere
Emily Frontiere is a GIA Graduate Gemologist. She is particularly experienced working with estate/antique jewelry.
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