Updated 2 October 2026
A diamond colour chart grades white diamonds from D, completely colourless, to Z, which carries a light yellow or brown tint. The 23 letters fall into five bands: colourless, near colourless, faint, very light and light. Every Nivara diamond is E colour, colourless and one step from the top of the scale.
What colour means in a diamond
In a white diamond, colour is graded by its absence. The less body colour a diamond holds, the higher its grade. The scale, known in American spelling as the diamond color chart, begins at D for a completely colourless stone and moves through the alphabet to Z, where a light yellow or brown tint is plain to see. IGI, which certifies every Nivara diamond, grades lab grown diamonds on the same letters as mined ones.
The diamond colour chart, D to Z
| Grade | Band | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| D, E, F | Colourless | No colour. The most chemically pure diamonds on the scale. |
| G, H, I, J | Near colourless | A trace of colour, the kind a trained grader picks out. |
| K, L, M | Faint | A faint tint of colour. |
| N to R | Very light | Colour an untrained eye can see in larger stones. |
| S to Z | Light | Yellow or brown visible in stones of many sizes, short of a fancy colour. |
Past Z, a diamond holds enough colour to be graded as a fancy colour on a separate scale. Within the D to Z range, the higher the grade, the whiter the diamond.
How diamond colour is graded
Colour is judged with the diamond face down. Face up, the light moving through the facets makes the body colour hard to read, so the grader turns the stone over and sets it beside master stones of known colour, under tightly controlled light. The differences between neighbouring grades are subtle, which is why colour is graded by trained eyes and recorded on an independent report rather than judged in a shop window. Our guide to reading an IGI certificate shows where to find the colour grade and how to verify it.
How colour looks in white gold and yellow gold
The metal around a diamond changes how its colour reads. White gold and platinum emphasise the absence of colour in a colourless diamond. A yellow gold band can make a diamond from lower on the scale look more yellow. That is the advantage of starting colourless: with an E diamond, the metal becomes a matter of taste.
Why every Nivara diamond is E colour
D, E and F make up the colourless band. E sits one step from the top of a 23 letter scale, and it is the colour of every diamond we set, from a pair of small studs to a 2 carat solitaire. There is no second tier. Colour shows most in larger stones, so a single standard means the diamond you choose at 0.50 carat looks as white as the one you might choose at 2 carats.
E colour sits alongside the rest of the standard: VVS clarity, ideal cut and IGI certification, at ₹50,000 per carat with the gold and setting added, the same for everyone. The price guide shows how a piece adds up, and the carat size chart shows how big each weight looks.
E colour diamonds in white and yellow gold
Prices are for 14k gold and move with the gold rate.
Amara classic solitaire, from around ₹51,000. A single 0.54 carat round diamond in four prongs on a slim white gold band.
Amara oval solitaire, from around ₹87,000. A single 1 carat oval diamond in four prongs on a slim white gold band.
Amara solitaire with diamond shoulders, from around ₹1,24,500. A round diamond in four prongs on a yellow gold band set with smaller diamonds.
Sol six prong pendant, from around ₹1,30,500. A single 1.51 carat round diamond in six prongs on a fine gold chain.
Thea four prong studs, from around ₹38,000. Two round diamonds in four prongs, 0.50 carat for the pair.
See all solitaires and solitaire pendants.
What comes with every piece
- One diamond standard, whatever the budget: VVS clarity, E colour, ideal cut.
- IGI certification, and on solitaires the report number laser inscribed on the stone, so the paper and the diamond are one.
- 14k or 18k BIS hallmarked gold.
- A lifetime exchange at 100% of the current gold and diamond value, and a lifetime buyback at 100% gold and 85% diamond value.
- Lifetime polishing, cleaning and prong tightening, for as long as the piece is worn.
See E colour for yourself
Colour is easiest to understand with a diamond in front of you, in daylight, beside your own skin. Book a private viewing at our showrooms in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Indore or Ahmedabad. Anywhere else in India or abroad, book a video consultation; we ship to 28 countries.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest colour grade for a diamond?
D is the highest grade on the scale, a completely colourless diamond. D, E and F together make up the colourless band. Every Nivara diamond is E colour, one step from the top, whatever its size or price.
What is the difference between D and E colour?
Both are colourless. D sits at the very top of the scale and E is the next grade down. The difference between neighbouring grades is subtle, so it is judged by trained graders who compare the diamond, face down, with master stones under controlled light.
How is diamond colour graded?
A grader turns the diamond face down and compares it with a set of master stones of known colour, under tightly controlled light. Face up, the play of light across the facets makes body colour hard to judge, which is why the stone is turned over.
Do lab grown diamonds have a colour grade?
Yes. IGI grades lab grown diamonds on the same D to Z letters as mined diamonds, with the stone turned upside down. Every Nivara diamond comes with an IGI report that states its colour grade, E, along with its clarity and carat weight.
Does yellow gold make a diamond look yellow?
It can, for diamonds lower on the scale: a yellow gold band can make a tint look more yellow, while white gold and platinum emphasise the absence of colour. An E diamond is colourless to begin with, so the choice of metal comes down to taste.
