Think about your dream diamond engagement ring; can you see its color? Odds are, you can’t choose a perfect match since diamond engagement rings vary in color and come with different bands. To choose a perfect ring, you need to know how color impacts value and beauty. And that’s why what color engagement ring should I get is a big question that requires a correct answer; to discover more, read on.
Key Takeaways
- Diamond color refers to how colorless or white the gemstone is.
- White diamonds refer to stones that “face up” colorless.
- Silver, platinum, and gold are the most popular metals that jewelers use to create engagement rings.
- Skin tone plays a significant role in determining the ring color.
What Color Engagement Ring Should I Get?
You’re reading this guide since you love diamond engagement rings, and as a result, you have already heard of the 4Cs; clarity, carat, color, and cut. Diamonds come in different colors, including white, which means a lack of color.
You can get an array of colored diamonds and wonder which you should choose, especially when you are after engagement rings or wedding bands. So which color diamond should you purchase for yourself or your spouse to be?
If you’re looking for an answer to this question, the following sections have got you covered. They have crucial information that’ll help you make the right decision and a beautiful choice before you buy a diamond engagement ring. Keep scrolling as you go through them to discover more.
What’s Diamond Color?
Diamond color refers to how colorless or white the center stone is. Some diamonds display brown or yellow by the body, but generally, they present each color of the rainbow, including white, black, blue, colorless, and red, among others. Two main factors determine a diamond’s color: extreme pressure and heat and trace element absorption during their formation.
What Are Diamond Color Grades?
How are diamonds graded? This is a sister question to what color of the engagement ring should you choose? Gemologists at the Gemological Institute of America grade diamonds on a scale that runs from D to Z. Diamonds closer to D are more colorless, and the color intensity increases as a stone moves closer to Z. That means D, E, and F color grade diamonds are colorless, while G and H still look colorless; they’re the best value. Diamonds closer to Z display more brown or yellow.
D-E-F Colorless Diamonds
Colorless gemstones are those in the D-E-F category; D, E, and F represent icy, body color slight hint, and colorless, respectively. D and E diamonds are challenging to differentiate since they are closer to each other, and F remains colorless but offers a small color that’ll not be easily visible when you observe from the top.
G-J near Colorless Diamonds
Any near-colorless stone is found in this color grade, which includes G, H, I, and J. A G color grade stone is just a step down from F, which is truly colorless, while H is only two steps down, making it a second good near colorless candidate.
I color grade starts to display some body color; however, a stone in this tier is easily masked when excellently cut. When it comes to J diamonds, they display more color than those in I, making them a perfect match for a rose gold setting.
K-Z Faint-Light Diamonds
A diamond in any tier between K and Z displays a huge amount of brown and yellow body color, meaning stones in this range will never be colorless. Diamonds in this category look amazing if set in yellow color gold rings, as they’re brown or pale yellow. You should pick a gemstone in the N-R range for a medium to light-toned brown or yellow diamond.
How Do Gemologists Grade Diamond Color?
Gemologists take advantage of white backdrops and daylight-equivalent light, with zero magnification, to determine a diamond’s color. Since most individuals can’t accurately memorize diamond color, experts use color-graded stones to determine and compare colors. Remember that diamond experts grade stones “face down” since some colors can hide behind the sparkle.
What’s a White Diamond?
In the color diamonds world, white diamonds are available but are rarer, and that’s why they aren’t an everyday discussion topic. As a result, experts in this sector, in most cases, use white diamonds when talking about stones that “face up” colorless. In line with this, a white diamond means a stone in the G tier that is perfectly cut, making it look colorless.
How Does Your Ring Setting Choice Affect Diamond Color?
If you want rose gold or yellow, an H or I color grade should be your choice, as it provides a white appearance. On the other hand, if you’re looking for pure gold, platinum or white gold, or palladium diamond ring, you should consider tiers D to H for a more colorless result. Since a diamond is usually held in position by a ring setting, it’s vital to keep in mind how the color will relate to the ring’s center stone.
Gold, platinum, palladium, and silver are the most popular and perfect metal options jewelers use to create wedding and engagement rings. If you love gold engagement rings, you’ll find numerous options to choose from, including rose gold, white gold, and yellow gold. And if white metals are your favorites, you should go for a palladium or platinum diamond ring.
Cool-Toned Metals: White Gold, Palladium, and Platinum
Cool-toned metals are a perfect match for platinum, palladium, or white gold engagement ring settings with stones in the D-H category. These stones provide a colorless outcome that matches platinum, palladium, and white gold metals.
Warm-Toned Metals: Rose and Yellow Gold
If you pick a rose or yellow gold setting, your stone will mirror some color of your ring setting. The reason behind this is that your gemstone is crystalline and has limited body color compared to your metal setting. Due to this effect, a diamond in the D, E, and F tiers set in any warm-toned metal will look warmer in tone. A warm hue, on the other hand, will cover the body color of your near-colorless gemstone.
How Do Precious Metals Determine the Type of Diamond Color?
Choosing the right metal for your dream engagement ring is vital, just like selecting a perfect diamond. The metal you choose will define the style of your ring and also play a significant role in the gemstone’s color.
Their durability, workability, and allure make platinum and gold excellent options for a perfect engagement ring than other metals. These metals don’t blend with all diamond colors, ranging from colorless to brown, and that’s why they determine the type of stone you choose.
Picking Metals for Fancy Color Diamonds
Colored diamonds that fall outside the D-Z range are known as fancy colors. Picking the right and durable metal to match these special ring stones is important to providing the much-needed allure and radiance of every diamond engagement ring. According to GIA, diamonds are available as fancy vivid, fancy deep, fancy dark, fancy intense, and fancy.
Which Gold Color for My Skin Tone?
If a gold ring is your favorite option, your skin tone will determine the color you choose. Here are the different skin tones and the gold color that works best for each one of them.
Neutral Skin Tones
If you have a neutral skin tone, you’re one of the luckiest people in the world. All gold band types look excellent on your skin, whether it’s a yellow gold wedding band, a rose gold band, or a white gold band. Most individuals with neutral skin tones choose white gold diamond engagement or wedding rings.
Cool Skin Tones
A cool skin tone is for individuals who find it challenging to tan, and their skin gets burnt easily. Additionally, they have greenish or bluish eyes and black, brown, or blonde hair. Cool colors perform excellently, and a white gold engagement ring is the best option to complement this skin tone.
Warm Skin Tones
If you rarely get burns and tan easily and have brown, black hair and hazel, green, or brown eyes, you have a warm skin tone. Warm colors look best for this type of skin tone; pink gold or yellow gold is a perfect option for individuals with warm skin tones.
Is a Colored Diamond the Right Choice for an Engagement Ring?
Colored engagement rings have been increasing in popularity ever since royalty and celebrities got engaged with colorful pieces of jewelry. Most past engagement and wedding rings included stones with rich hues, such as rubies and sapphires, but currently, diamond offers all colors while remaining durable. Colored diamonds also maintain tradition, and they’re personal, romantic, and unique.
FAQs
- What’s the Most Popular Engagement Ring Color?
The most popular engagement ring color is white gold. Many people love white gold rings because they blend effortlessly with anything ranging from style and outfit to skin tone and different diamond shape options.
- What Color Gold Engagement Ring Should I Get?
To know the hue gold engagement ring you should get, you need to understand your skin tone. Warm skin tones go hand in hand with yellow gold, while cool skin tones benefit from white precious metals. Neutral skin tones go with any gold color.
- Is it Okay to Have a Colored Engagement Ring?
It’s okay to have a colored engagement ring as long as you’re comfortable. Colorful gemstones aren’t weird, but they are a good way to have a special ring.
- What is the Average Color of an Engagement Ring?
The average color of an engagement ring is near-colorless with yellow or brown hints. Most individuals pick diamonds with an average color since they match almost every ring.
