Whether colorless or colored, diamonds have always caused enthusiasm due to their sparkling beauty. Probably you've come across the term "white diamond," mostly confused with colorless. But what are white diamonds, and how are they different from colorless diamonds? Read on to find out.
What Gives The White Diamond Its Color?
White diamonds have sub-microscopic inclusions that scatter the light that passes across them. This makes it impossible to absorb and reflect light, changing the color to a milky shade.
You'll notice some color flashes when looking at them from the top. For this reason, white diamonds are sometimes considered to be opalescent or snowy.
Is There A Difference Between A Colorless And White Diamond?
White diamonds are not colorless, but white. Because of this, they are not color graded on the GIA's D-to-Z color scale. White is a combination of all colors. The following are some of the differences between these two:
- Color: A white diamond is cloudy or milky, while a colorless diamond is just colorless with no color.
- Popularity: White diamonds are uncommon, while colorless diamonds are simply everywhere.
- Brilliance: White diamonds are mostly not flashy and only sparkle when viewed face-up. On the other hand, colorless diamonds are very brilliant and easily reflect light.
- Value: White diamonds have less value than colorless diamonds because their demand is low.
How Valuable Is A White Diamond?
Like other diamonds, a white diamond's worth is determined by the 4 Cs.
- Color: White diamonds are not as valuable as colorless and other colored diamonds. The deeper the color, the less the value, and the closer it is to colorless, the higher the value.
- Cut: How the diamond is cut will influence how it'll sparkle. A shallow pavilion makes it not sparkle well, while a radiant cut makes it more brilliant.
- Clarity: the value increases linearly in the lower grades of the clarity grades chart.
- Carat: The bigger the diamond's size, the more valuable it is.