G Color Diamond – Is It Too Yellow For an Engagement Ring?
Breathtaking G color diamond engagement rings – White Flash
Color is one of the primary attributes of the 4Cs. And when it comes to buying diamonds, many people simply assume colorless (D, E, F) diamonds are the best due to misconceptions that higher color ratings equate to better sparkle and brilliance.
That is far from the truth.
In fact, did you know that G color diamonds in the near-colorless range (G,H,I,J) actually face up white and may even look better than higher color diamonds?
In this write up, we will take a comprehensive look at G colored diamonds and reveal how you can save thousands of dollars simply by shopping smart.
I’ve also purchased a 0.62 carat G color VS2 diamond engagement ring recently and recorded a video to show you how it looks like in real life. So, make sure you check it out below!
First of All, What Are G Color Diamonds?
Diamond color is graded in gemological laboratories under controlled conditions and a rating is assigned based on the presence of body color.
The GIA scale consists of 23 color grades ranging from D (colorless) to Z (light). This is further subdivided into categories of colorless (D-F), near colorless (G-J), faint (K-M), very light (N-R) and light (S-Z).
For a more detailed read on color grading, click here…
Noticed how the diamonds in the line up are turned upside-down? Diamonds are graded in this manner because it allows the grader to accurately assess the subtle nuances.
During the grading process, a trained gemologist views the diamond in this manner under controlled lighting conditions and follows a set of protocols to accurately grade the stone.
However, in the real world, diamonds are often seen in the face up view. As the diamond’s facets interact with light (sparkle/brilliance), it makes it very hard for an untrained eye to pick up subtle differences between adjacent color grades.
Is G a Good Diamond Color? Will It Be Too Yellow?
One of the frequently asked questions I get from readers is: “Will a G colored diamond be yellowish in a white gold/platinum setting?”.
The short answer is: No.
A G-color diamond faces up icy-white and almost identical to colorless D-E-F stones. In fact, if you were to see a standalone G diamond without any side by side comparisons to other stones, they would look completely colorless.
If you need more convincing, one of the best ways to determine whether a G diamond is too yellow or whether you have a sensitive eye is to head to a jewelry store and see them in person.
For your convenience, I had also performed a side-by-side comparison of a G diamond against diamonds of other color grades below. Here, I want you to do a fun test.
Can you identify which of these 5 diamonds below is a G color?
An array of D, F, G, H and K color diamonds randomly lined up.
Take your time to stare at your screen and scrutinize the images for hints. Can you tell which is the G diamond?
If you can’t, it’s perfectly normal.
That’s because it is extremely hard to see color nuances in the face up view. Perhaps you might be able to see that the 3rd stone in the middle is the most yellowish. And you would be right to guess that it is the K diamond.
But picking out the G from the remaining 4 diamonds would be difficult even for a trained grader.
Now, check out the corresponding profile views of the diamonds. This time round, viewing the diamonds from the side should allow you to pick out the color tints more easily.
The G colored diamond is the 4th stone from the left and you can click on this link to interact with the diamonds for yourself. I encourage you to do so as it enables you to interact and see how the different colored diamonds look like.
Here’s the thing, when a G is compared next to a D or an I, you would most probably be able to see differences only from the profile view.
Bear in mind that these listings are magnified to 10x which helps you see better. In reality, the real diamond size is going to be much smaller (think millimeters). On top of that, color becomes even harder to detect once the stone is mounted face up onto a setting.
G Color vs D Color Diamond Comparison
Let’s do another comparison by taking the G diamond and placing it side by side with the best possible color rating in the GIA scale.
To most casual observers, both diamonds actually look identical in the face up view even though the D diamond is 3 color grades apart from the G diamond.
So, unless you need the D color for symbolic or psychological reasons, a well cut G color diamond can achieve a similar look and give you a better bang for your buck.
Video Review of a G Color Diamond Ring I Bought
For more details of the Vatche ring I bought, you can check out the links here and here.
Video Comparison of F vs G vs H in Mixed Lighting
In the video above, 3 super ideal cut diamonds from White Flash were used in the comparison. These stunning diamonds are cut with extreme precision and light performance (sparkle). And let me tell you, when it comes to buying diamonds, CUT is KING.
Due to the sparkle and brilliance created by better cut quality, it is almost impossible for people to tell the differences between one color grade to another. The point I want to make here is that better cut quality can help mask color tints and make diamonds face up whiter!
Price Comparison – How Much Do G Color Diamonds Cost?
When it comes to buying an engagement ring, I’m pretty sure most of us have a specific budget to work with. Now, diamond prices are affected by a combination of different factors such as cut, clarity, color and carat size.
In order to see the impact of color ratings on the value of a diamond, we would have to eliminate variances and keep other pricing factors constant (as much as possible).
In the price comparison chart below, we have listed 6 round diamonds with similar cut quality, carat sizes and clarity. The main differentiator between these stones are different color ratings.
Click here to visit James Allen to browse and compare diamonds for yourself!
As you can see, the price differences between every color rating is roughly 7~10%. If you were to blindly believe that a D color diamond is the only way to achieve an icy-white appearance, you would end up paying a hefty premium for your purchase.
In my opinion, G color diamonds offer a sweet spot for people to get a white looking diamond without the expensive price tags associated with the DEF range. In the example above, the G diamond costs about 25% less than the D diamond.
Since G color diamonds look identical to D color diamonds, why would you want to pay more for an attribute that the naked eyes cannot readily see? By shopping smart, you can get the better value for your money!
Conclusion – What We Think of G Diamonds?
Color is one of the most misunderstood aspects of buying a diamond as consumers have very little technical knowledge. Very often, people make the mistake of spending more than they need because DEF diamonds are marketed as being “high quality” or being “more beautiful”.
On this note, I want to say that color is a subjective preference.
I do understand there are people who require the psychological assurance of buying the absolute best of the best in a D color diamond or have the urge to splurge on intangible symbolic reasons (e.g. in Asian cultures where saving face and showing off societal status is rampant).
In these scenarios, paying a huge price premium for high color diamonds is perfectly fine. As long as you are consciously aware that you are paying for an attribute the naked eyes cannot appreciate, who’s to say you can’t spend your money the way you like it?
For sensible and practical shoppers, G color diamonds are almost indistinguishable to higher color diamonds. This means you can save alot of money by making smart buying decisions and use the cash towards other things in life.
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8 Comments
I came across a listing on ebay that states: CENTER DIAMOND COLOR G-H. What does this mean?
This means that the seller thinks that the diamond color lies in the range of G-H. And this begets more question. WHAT exactly are they selling? What exactly will you be getting. Let me tell you that sellers who list products like this will immediate get onto my blacklist.
Word of caution here. You will most likely get ripped off and over pay for a misrepresented product. Did the listing say the ring had a GIA report? Well, my guess is it doesn’t because GIA doesn’t grade with ambiguity.
https://beyond4cs.com/engagement-ring/beware-of-cheap-diamond-deals/
Is G a good diamond color if I want to choose a setting with sidestones that have H-I color? Will there be a contrast between the center stone and the sidestones that may cause it to look weird?
For H-I melees, a G color would be perfectly fine. You most likely won’t see color tint differences in the ring. The caveat here is that the H/I rating is accurate to begin with.
I am looking for a 5 carat emerald cut diamond for my wife’s wedding anniversary. I visited some stores and browsed around locally and managed to get someone to show me 2 options (diamond color f vs g) for almost the same price. Both are certified by GIA as VS1 clarity and have similar carat sizes. I’m wondering why they are priced similarly when the F is obviously a grade higher.
As I had mentioned, diamond pricing is a complex subject. Besides color, there are other elements that go into determining the value of a diamond. For example, if the F diamond had fluorescence, it would be sold at a discount compared to a G diamond without fluorescence. Cut quality and clarity attributes will also have to be factored in.
For a 5ct purchase, this article will be of interest to you: https://beyond4cs.com/engagement-ring/5-carat/
I bought 3 diamond by the yard necklaces. started with a small one for $1,000 and traded up to a large one, traded up to a strand with 3 diamonds in each setting. Did not like it so I wanted just a diamonds by the yard single strand. I paid $5,000 for this last trade up, it’s says on the appraisal that its a G clarity at .07 total weight, it has 14 round brilliant diamonds on it which I think are extremely small and it shows no color so I have had it for 2 years and worn it 2 times. Does this seem right? I feel I have been ripped off and took it to Tiffany’s and they said it was from Italy and it was a great necklace but to me for the price I paid it does not show color like my diamond rings. Does this sound right?
What? You paid a total of $6,000 for a necklace with 14 melee diamonds? Well, I can tell you the melee diamonds are dirt cheap. Obviously, the diamonds aren’t the main thing of the necklace and this had better be a necklace from a big brand like Cartier or the like. Heck, even Cartier designs aren’t that expensive. If the design is intricate and cannot be found anywhere else, then this insane premium you paid can be somewhat justified. Otherwise, you had just been ripped off and significantly overpaid.