Although diamonds are found in nearly every color of the rainbow, a pure white diamond is one of the most prized and expensive. The absence of color is considered pure white. Most all diamonds have traces of yellow and brown and many famous diamonds are different colors (the Hope Diamond is blue.) The color scale designated by GIA starts at “D” for the whitest grade, then descends through the alphabet as the stone becomes more and more yellow.
Whiter diamonds are generally more expensive, but those with traces of yellow or light brown body color can sometimes give the stone a warmer appearance. When choosing a diamond, let your eyes tell you which color is the most appealing. If you feel an H color diamond is more or equally as beautiful as the E you are comparing it to at twice the price, don’t be influenced to purchase the whiter gem just because the certificate sounds more impressive.