Most white diamonds are prized for an absence of colour. Fancy colour diamonds are the opposite: the colour is the point, and it is graded on its own scale.
Where the colour comes from
Yellow is the most common fancy colour. It is caused mainly by small amounts of nitrogen in the diamond's crystal structure, which absorb blue light so that the stone appears yellow.
How yellow diamonds are graded
Once a diamond's yellow is stronger than the Z end of the normal colour scale, it is graded as a fancy colour. GIA describes the strength of colour with terms that run from Fancy Light through Fancy, Fancy Intense and Fancy Vivid, with Fancy Deep and Fancy Dark for darker tones. A modifier, as in Fancy Greenish-Yellow, records a secondary hue. Stronger, purer colour is rarer and more valuable.
Why cut and setting matter
Cutters often choose radiant, cushion and pear shapes for yellow diamonds, because their faceting tends to concentrate and intensify colour. Setting the stone in yellow gold prongs or a yellow gold cup can deepen the colour further, while a halo of white diamonds makes the yellow stand out by contrast.
What to look for
- A laboratory report, ideally from GIA, confirming the diamond is natural and stating its colour grade.
- Even colour across the face of the stone when viewed from above.
- Good brightness: a lively yellow diamond often looks more intense than a dull one with a higher grade.
Shop natural yellow diamonds
Every diamond we sell is natural. See our natural fancy yellow diamond rings and bands, including GIA-graded centre stones, or browse white diamonds.