The ‘colour’ of a diamond engagement ring is one of the four Cs that you have to consider when choosing the perfect ring. As one of the important four Cs, the colour of a diamond engagement ring needs to be factored into any final decision. In contrast to sapphires, where the colour is the defining factor when choosing the right engagement ring, the carat, cut, clarity and colour of a diamond are all weighted fairly equally. Unlike many of the other precious gemstones, when colour is mentioned in reference to diamonds, it is usually referring to the presence or absence of colour in clear diamond. When it comes to colour, generally the rule is the whiter the diamond, the greater its value. This is because a colourless diamond, like a clear window, allows more light to pass through it than a coloured diamond, meaning that colourless diamonds will emit much more sparkle and fire. The fact that there are only a few diamonds that are truly colourless makes such stones even more expensive. However, this is only the rule for white diamonds and not for all diamonds, as fancy colour diamonds are, in fact, made more valuable because of their colour. When judging the clarity of a diamond engagement ring, there is a grade used to rate the different shades of a white diamond. Most jewellers refer to the GIA’s professional colour scale that begins with the highest rating of D for completely colourless, and continues down the alphabet to the letter Z for stones that have a notable yellow or brown tint. Diamonds graded from D to F are the most valuable and the most desirable because of their rarity. However, many are unable to afford such beautiful stones, and you can still obtain extremely attractive diamonds that are graded slightly lower on the colour scale. This is particularly the case for diamonds that are graded from G to I, which although significantly cheaper, show virtually no colour that is visible to the untrained eye. It is when diamonds are graded J through to M that a hint of yellow starts to be visible to the naked eye. However, this slight tone can often be minimised by carefully selecting the right type of jewellery setting and metal. Although, if you have your heart set on a white gold or platinum setting for your diamond engagement ring, it is recommended that you should opt for a slighter higher colour grade than if the setting was to be yellow gold. This is due to the visible contrast that would occur between the glossy white metal and the less than perfect white diamond. At the end of the day, it is entirely up to your individual preferences and budget, for while colourless diamonds are the most sought-after, there are many people who actually prefer the warmer glow of lower colour-graded diamonds. Similarly, do not limit yourself to a white diamond engagement ring, as diamonds come in many different and beautiful colours. Article Tags: Diamond Engagement Ring, Colour Grade, Diamond Engagement, Engagement Ring, White Diamond Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com Frederick Holm writes for the F&L Designer Guides, which hosts a thriving community of independent engagement ring designers in the UK. Inspired by their journey of discovery in search of a distinctive, one-of-a-kind diamond engagement ring, F&L now celebrates the works of their favourite designers and helps promote the notion of “Go Bespoke” as a more imaginative and interesting alternative to the limitations of High Street shopping.