A red, pink, yellow or blue diamond is graded by a completely different rulebook than a colorless one. For white diamonds, less color is better; for fancy color diamonds, more saturated color is better. Understanding this system is essential before buying a colored diamond of any size.
How Colored Diamonds Are Graded
Colored diamonds are graded on three dimensions: hue (the base color, e.g. pink, yellow, blue), tone (how light or dark), and saturation (how intense or diluted). The combination determines the grade. This is why our white-diamond color scale (D to Z) does not apply — once a diamond's color is strong enough to leave the D–Z range, it enters the fancy color system.
The Saturation Scale: Faint to Fancy Vivid
From least to most intense, a colored diamond is graded roughly:
- Faint / Very Light: barely visible color, low value premium.
- Light / Fancy Light: noticeable but soft color.
- Fancy: the balanced middle grade.
- Fancy Intense: strong, saturated color.
- Fancy Vivid / Fancy Deep / Fancy Dark: the most coveted and expensive grades.
Fancy Vivid pinks and blues are among the rarest gemstones on earth; Fancy Light yellows are far more accessible.
What Drives the Price
In fancy colors, saturation and rarity dominate. A Fancy Vivid pink can be worth many times a Faint pink of the same carat. Hue modifier also matters: a pure pink is prized, while a "brownish" or "grayish" pink commands less. Because pricing is nuanced, a certificate from a respected lab is essential — it confirms the color is natural and untreated, not irradiated or heated.
Natural vs Treated Colored Diamonds
Many affordable "fancy color" diamonds on the market are treated — irradiated or heat-treated to enhance color. Treated stones are dramatically cheaper but worth far less. A proper certificate will state whether the color is natural or treated. Always ask, and verify, because untreated natural fancy color is a different product entirely.
Buying Tips
- Buy the saturation grade you love, not just the carat.
- Confirm the color is natural on the certificate.
- Understand that "Fancy" is a middle grade, not the top.
- For engagement rings, Fancy Light or Fancy yellow diamonds give bold color at accessible prices.
The Bottom Line
Fancy color diamonds are graded by hue, tone and saturation, from Faint to Fancy Vivid. More saturation means more rarity and more price. Buy with a certificate that confirms natural color, and choose the grade your budget and taste actually justify.