When we speak of color in diamonds, most people think of the beautiful reds, blues, and yellows we see when a diamond flashes in the sun light. In fact grading a diamond for color means deciding by which amount the diamond's "body color" deviates from the whitest possible (water like colorless) color. Nature provides a continuous darkening in the tints from white to yellow, white to brown, and white to green. Divisions are determined by the ability of the human eye to separate one tint from an adjacent one that is slightly lighter or darker. This concept should not be confused with the sparkle, brilliance, or scintillation of the diamond.

Because of the diamond's high brilliance and dispersion of light, the color grade cannot be accurately determined by looking at the stone from the top (face up) position. It is best to observe color by examining the stone through the side of the pavilion (bottom of the stone) with the diamond upside down in a white paper grading trough. Please note in the illustration below the stone can be examined in several positions to obtain an accurate color grade.