Diamonds in their natural uncut state have a variety of colors depending on the mineral impurities present during their formation. The most common color for diamonds found in the ground is yellow or brown. However, diamonds can also naturally occur in shades of gray, blue, pink, red, green, purple and even black. The color of a diamond is an important factor in determining its value and rarity.
How Diamonds Get Their Color
Diamonds are made of pure crystallized carbon. During the diamond formation process, trace elements can get trapped in the crystal structure, imparting color. The common color-causing agents in diamonds are:
| Impurity | Color Caused |
| Nitrogen | Yellow, brown, pink, red, orange |
| Boron | Blue, gray |
| Hydrogen | Purple, pink, red, orange |
| Lattice defects | Pink, red, brown |
So the presence of these impurities during diamond formation leads to the colors seen in uncut diamonds extracted from the earth.
Most Common Diamond Colors in Nature
The most frequent colors for natural rough diamonds are in the yellow and brown color range.
Yellow Diamonds
Yellow is the most common color for diamonds, making up 60-70% of diamonds found in nature. The yellow color comes from nitrogen impurities absorbed into the diamond’s structure during formation. The Cape series diamonds mined in South Africa are typically yellow.
Brown Diamonds
Brown is the second most common diamond color, comprising about 20% of natural diamonds. Brown color results from structural defects in the diamond lattice. Large brown diamond deposits have been found in Australia, Russia, Botswana and the Congo.
Colorless Diamonds
Colorless or white diamonds account for about 15-20% of naturally occurring diamonds. They have no detectable impurities and are considered the most desirable diamond color. Most colorless diamonds come from India, South Africa and Russia.
Blue Diamonds
Natural blue diamonds are very rare, making up less than 1% of mined diamonds. Their blue color comes from the presence of boron during formation. The most famous blue diamond is the Hope Diamond. Blue diamonds are mainly sourced from India and South Africa.
Other Diamond Colors
Green, pink, purple, red, orange, and black diamonds occur infrequently in nature. Their colors arise from hydrogen, lattice defects and radiation exposure. These uniquely colored diamonds are highly prized for their rarity and command very high prices.
Diamond Color Grading System
Gemologists use letter grades to categorize diamond color, from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow/brown).
| Color Grade | Color Description |
| D-F | Colorless |
| G-J | Near colorless |
| K-M | Faint yellow |
| N-Y | Very light yellow/brown |
| Z | Light yellow/brown |
The finest and most valuable diamonds fall into the D-F color grades, with increasing yellowness through the G-Z grades. Most natural rough diamonds extracted from the earth fall into the yellowish normal color range. Only about 1 in 10,000 diamonds mined are graded D colorless.
Where Colorless Diamonds are Found
While most natural diamonds have some tint of yellow or brown, geological conditions in certain diamond mines result in more colorless stones:
– Golconda region in India – Historically produced large colorless diamonds like the Kohinoor and Hope Diamond.
– Premier Diamond Mine in South Africa – Active mine producing high quality D-F colorless diamonds.
– Grib Diamond Mine in Russia – Known for yielding Type IIa ultra pure colorless diamonds.
– Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia – Rare pink and red diamonds found here, along with some colorless.
Mines in these regions unearth roughly 50% of the world’s D-F colorless diamonds, though their occurrence is still rare overall. Many mines yield predominantly off-color yellow and brown diamonds.
Effects of Diamond Cutting and Polishing
The cutting and polishing process can enhance or subdue the color of diamonds. Well-cut colorless diamonds will maximize light return for sparkling brilliance. Warm-hued diamonds may have their color intensified or reduced by cutting style. Blue and pink diamonds need specialized cuts to enhance their rare colors. So the eventual polished diamond color may differ somewhat from its natural rough state.
In Conclusion
Most diamonds found naturally in the earth are tinted yellow, brown or gray. Pure colorless diamonds are relatively rare, along with uniquely colored red, pink, green and blue diamonds which get their hues from trace elements. Cutting and polishing can modify diamond color. But in their unprocessed state extracted from mines, yellow and brown are the most common colors of diamonds in the ground.
