If you have been on the lookout for a beautiful diamond for a loved one, you must have come across various types and colors of diamonds. Some of these diamonds might have made you look away because they are way too expensive to fit into your budget. These diamonds are usually naturally colored and have a smashing sales record by people who can afford them. But let us be honest, colored diamonds are rare to find and thus are crazy expensive. However, have you ever heard of or seen a white diamond? If you think that all diamonds are white and our question is pointless, you might be wrong!

All diamonds in the D to Z color grade scale do not have any white color. Thus, these diamonds are not white, and the term ‘white’ does not apply to them. So, if someone is telling you all diamonds are white, prove them wrong once you go through this article! Diamonds in the Gemological Institute of America’s approved color grade range have hues of yellow or brown as you move up the scale. Diamonds in the D to F color range are colorless and are the most expensive diamonds on the color grade scale.

Colored diamonds fall outside the D to Z color grade scale. The geological conditions required to make them are rarely found, making naturally colored diamonds a rare find and highly prized possessions. The most common-colored diamonds are found in yellow and brown colors, followed by blue and pink colors that are even rarer. Green, orange, red and purple diamonds are the rarest to find.

White diamonds do not appear on the color grade scale because white is the sum of all colors, but they are not colorless.

What causes white diamonds to be produced?

If you have seen a white diamond, you would know that it has a milky or pearly look. The whiter a diamond, the rarer it is. The whiteness in a diamond is caused by billions of white inclusions present in the stone that prevent light from absorbing and reflecting, giving it a cloudy or snowy look. Many collectors are eager to buy the unusual white diamonds as part of their collections. Some white diamonds have a secondary color present in them. These colors could be red, yellow, black, blue, or brown.

The nature of the many white inclusions in the stone is unknown, but many people believe they occur due to the presence of nitrogen in a diamond’s pure carbon structure. It could be said that there is no compound element giving a white diamond its color, which is the case in colored diamonds.

Difference between white and colorless diamonds

Many people confuse white diamonds with colorless diamonds and think that a white diamond is the same and lies in the D to Z color grade scale. It is important to remove such misconceptions before you start shopping for a diamond. Remember: colorless diamonds are not white.

Color

The first difference between a white diamond and a colorless diamond is obviously their colors. A colorless diamond is transparent like a drop of water and does not have any color. A white diamond is obviously white, and if you have never seen one before, you will have a hard time believing that it is a diamond.

Brilliance

Brilliance in diamonds is the measure of how much white light it can reflect. The whiter light a diamond can reflect, the more brilliant it is considered. Since white diamonds have billions of white inclusions that prevent any light from absorbing or reflecting, they do not have much brilliance. In fact, most white diamonds do not show any brilliance but can show flashes of some colors when you look at them face up. In simpler terms, white diamonds are opaque with billions of white inclusions, giving them a cloudy or snowy look.

Colorless diamonds, however, have a lot of brilliance. They reflect light phenomenally, especially when they are cut perfectly. There are few to no inclusions in colorless diamonds; hence they reflect light easily. If a D color grade diamond is cut in a round shape, it is exceptionally brilliant and sparkles like a disco ball.

Value

In all honesty, although white diamonds are an attraction for collectors, they do not come close to colorless diamonds in value. People do not prefer buying a white diamond over a colorless one because it is visually less appealing to them. When people want to buy a diamond, they look for a sparkly stone that a white diamond is not. However, a colorless diamond has exceptional value. The closer a diamond is to the D color grade, the more expensive it is.

Clarity

This one should be obvious, but white diamonds tend to have lower clarity than colorless diamonds due to the billions of white inclusions that are part of the stone. However, if a white diamond with low clarity has a face-up color that is attractive, it can get good value.

On the other hand, colorless diamonds have better clarity compared to white diamonds. This does not mean they do not have inclusions. Colorless diamonds are also graded for clarity through a clarity grade scale. The clarity grade scale begins with Flawless and ends at Included. ‘Flawless’ or ‘Internally flawless’ diamonds do not have any internal inclusions; thus, they have perfect clarity.

Frequently asked questions

Are white diamonds real diamonds?

Natural white diamonds are definitely real diamonds. Their color is milky or snowy, unlike colorless diamonds that you might be used to seeing.

Which diamond cut is the cheapest?

The Asscher diamond cut and the Emerald diamond cut are the cheapest because they lose more weight when they are being cut.

Which diamond cut looks the biggest?

Round diamonds look the biggest because they give an illusion of a large stone for their carat weight, and the cut is not very deep, allowing the weight to reflect its size.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, white diamonds are scarce to find. Their scarcity can attract many collectors; however, they are not as visually appealing as any colorless diamond. The white color in the diamonds gives an impression of clouds or snow and occurs due to the billions of white inclusions present in the stone. The white inclusions do not allow light to be absorbed or reflected, thus giving an opaque look to the diamonds and impacting their brilliance. Apart from collectors, people prefer buying colorless diamonds over white diamonds because they are visually more appealing and have better clarity and brilliance. The lesser a thing is in demand, the lower its value and the same is the case with white diamonds.