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Afshin’s Complete Guide to the F Color Diamond
Thinking about buying an F color diamond? This guide, written by Afshin Shaddaie, a diamond expert with over 30 years of experience and a renowned lecturer in the field, will help you learn exactly what you need to know before purchasing your diamond.
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What Is an F Color Diamond?
An F color diamond is high grade “colorless” diamond, with the third-highest entry on the GIA diamond color scale. It sits just one step away from the highest possible grades of D color and E color.
To the naked eye, an F color diamond will look perfectly white and bright, making it a stunning choice for anyone who wants a diamond that appears icy and pure (without having to pay the premium for a D or E color gemstone).
Although F color diamonds are technically not the absolute top of the color scale, most people, including almost all jewelers cannot tell the difference between D, E, and F without comparing them to a master stone. It is for that reason that F color diamonds are often considered at the sweet spot of the top level diamonds. They contain exceptional top-grade beauty, but at an acceptable price.
How Much Do F Color Diamonds Cost?
Although, we will give detailed pricing below, it is important to remember that the price of an F color diamond will vary significantly on many factors. Small variations like clarity, florescence, carat weight, and cut quality will greatly effect the value.
Below is a table showing the estimated cost of F color round-brilliant diamonds at two different clarity grades:
| Carat Weight | VS2 Clarity | VVS2 Clarity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Carat, Round, and F Color | $6,000 | $8,400 |
| 2 Carat, Round, and F Color | $30,000 | $39,000 |
| 3 Carat, Round, and F Color | $73,500 | $100,500 |
| 4 Carat, Round, and F Color | $140,000 | $190,000 |
| 5 Carat, Round, and F Color | $232,500 | $297,500 |
If you’re looking for the best prices and expert guidance on F color diamonds, reach out to us directly. We will respond within one business hour.
How to Get Better Price for an F-Color Diamond
Although the varying prices of F-color diamonds fall within a certain cost umbrella, there are still creative ways to bring the prices down. Here is Benjamin Khordipour’s top advice for getting a cheaper price on an F color diamond.
- Compromise on the clarity level. Choosing a VS1 or VS2 diamond will greatly lower the price tag, and at that level the diamond still looks flawless to the naked eye.
- Buy “just under” the magic carat marks. Instead of buying a 2-carat diamond, for example, settle for 1.99-carats and the price will be considerably cheaper. The same applies with all carats amounts (and even with half carat amounts).
- Consider strong fluorescence. Medium and strong florescence greatly effects the value of the diamond, but it also gives the buyer an opportunity to purchase at a more affordable rate. Sometimes, the florescence will even improve the perceived quality of the diamond.
- Round cut diamond cost more. If you’re not particular as to which diamond shape you want, going with a non-round diamond can bring the price down by a nice margin.
- Negotiate with jeweler. If you’re buying from a jeweler, boutique, or online jewelry store they will usually be open to a little haggling. Chain jewelry companies and big jewelry houses won’t usually negotiate the same way. Click here to learn more about negotiating with your jeweler.
- Search online for promocodes. If you’re buying online, we strongly recommend searching for promocodes online. You’d be shocked the easy discounts that are just available if you search.
Of course, if all of these tips don’t bring the price down to your predetermined budget, then you may want to consider shopping for a G-Color diamond.
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Pros and Cons of F Color Diamonds
Like almost all decisions related to purchasing diamonds, there are going to be lots of pros and lots of cons. Here’s a quick summary of what you should be aware of before purchasing in order to ensure that you’ve made the correct decision for you.
Pros of F Color: F color diamonds are an excellent choice for those who want a near-flawless look without paying the premium for a D or E color grade. Additionally, they fall within the “colorless” category, which means they will appear bright and icy white, even when set in yellow gold.
Most professionals will not be able to distinguish between D, E, and F color without special equipment, making F a smart and beautiful compromise between perfection and price. As a bonus, many collectors and gem experts consider F color diamonds to be within the “investment-grade tier”, especially when paired with excellent cut and clarity.
Cons: On the other hand, F color diamonds might be more than you need to pay, especially if your jewelry setting does a good job hiding the color. In those cases, you could consider a slightly lower color grade, like G or H, without sacrificing visible diamond color quality.
Additionally, because F color sits close to the top of the scale, the price jump between F color and the color-grades underneath it will usually be substantial. It’s important to decide whether the upgrade to F color is worth the extra investment.
“F color diamonds hit a sweet spot that many of our customers want,” says Michael Khordipour. “You get the icy-white look of the highest color grades, but without the highest premium price tag of the top two grades.”
Benjamin’s Expert Tips for Buying an F Color Diamond
I reached out to Benjamin Khordipour, a GIA trained gemologist, for his top tips and tricks for buying an F color diamond in the current market. Here are his top 5 pieces of advice to get the best F color diamond and how to set in jewelry successfully.
- GIA Certificate. When buying a diamond color in the D, E or F color range, making sure that it has a GIA certificate (or a certificate of equal prestige) is a non-negotiable. For lower color grades, the certificate isn’t as important, but for F-color it’s a must.
- Prong Setting. Because the F color is high quality, you’ll want to make design choices that showcase the quality of the diamond. It’s for that reason that Benjamin recommends to set the F color diamond in prong settings (instead of bezel) and also to set it a little higher to showcase the sides of the diamond.
- Quality Control. In order to keep the value of F color diamond as high as possible, it is important that there are no massive weak links. Benjamin recommends ensuring that the diamond has a quality of at least VS2 clarity, no high florescence, and a good cut. See below.
- Accenting Stones. Unlike lower grade diamonds, when crafting jewelry around an F color diamond, you will want to ensure that accenting diamonds are also good quality. They don’t have to be top color, but they shouldn’t have strong yellows.
- Metal Choices. Although yellow gold is very popular right now, platinum (or white gold) are much better options for setting high grade diamonds. The reason being that the white metals won’t reflect yellow into the diamond, giving an impression that the stone is not as white. Also, before moving forward with white-gold, always double check that you’re not allergic.
Best Pairings for F Color Diamonds
Matching the right specs with an F-color diamond is not only about protecting its near-colorless advantage but also about maximizing desirability (and thereby its value). That being said, most readers will likely have financial limits, and so balancing all these factors may be impossible. But the more that you’re able to implement, the better.
The cut quality of the diamond is one of the biggest amplifier of perceived whiteness, and so we recommend aiming for a GIA Excellent (or a tightly vetted AGS Ideal). Polish and symmetry should also be at Excellent/Very Good to keep the optics crisp and free of visual noise that could make the color feel less controlled.
Ideally, clarity should be at VS1 and higher, but the perfect match for F-color, in our opinion, would be VVS1 and VVS2. If you’re shopping 2 carats and up (or looking at step cuts we would recommend starting at VVS2).
Additionally, we recommend choosing no fluorescence (or faint at most) when buying F color or higher.
F Color Diamond Comparisons
F color is a hotly debated purchasing choice, for good reason. In this section, we’ll compare and contrast the F color against the other diamond options beside it on the scale.
E Color vs F Color
E and F both sit in the near-colorless range, but E will face-up a touch whiter in controlled lighting, especially in stones that are larger than 2-carats (or in step cuts) where color is easier to notice. That being said, F offers better value while still looking just as clean in almost all real-world environments. It is a smart choice for buyers who want high performance without paying for non-noticeable perfection. A serious buyer picks E for maximum white appearance at scale, and F for the best balance of beauty, strength, and price efficiency.
F Color vs G Color
F is the last stop (on the color-grade scale) before any visible warmth can show, so a serious buyer chooses F for a reliably icy face-up look, especially in larger stones or step cuts where color is magnified. G color can show a very faint hint of warmth from the side, but in a strong cuts it will still face-up white. The real appeal, however, is the price gap, as G color delivers more size per dollar without sacrificing beauty.
Pick F color if color performance is non-negotiable, and G color if maximizing value matters more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions for the F-color diamond. Co-written by Michael Khordipour and Afshin Shaddaie.
1. Is Buying an F Color a Good Idea for an Engagement Ring?
Depends. If you’re looking for a top-quality diamond for your engagement ring, F color is a great choice. If, however, you’re on a budget, going with an F color diamond may severely restrict how large your diamond will be (and its clarity and cut quality).
2. Can You See a Difference Between D, E, and F Color Diamonds with the Naked Eye?
No. To the naked (and untrained) eye, it will be basically impossible to spot the difference between the 3 shades of color, especially in an uncontrolled environment. Trained professionals might be able to tell the difference, but that’s very uncommon, as they will usually need master stones to know for certain.
Additionally, once the diamond is set jewelry, it will be even harder to determine its true color.
4. What’s the Best Clarity Grade to Pair with F Color?
As mentioned before, if you’re trying to find a clarity quality that is most on par with F-color, we recommend VVS1 or VVS2. If however, you’re on a budget, we don’t recommend going lower than VS2 clarity. This will ensure that the inclusions will not distract from the diamond’s brilliance or overall quality.
5. How Does F Color Affect Resale or Investment Value?
F color diamonds tend to hold strong resale value because they fall within the “colorless” range and are seen as investment-worthy stones. Buyers looking for quality often recognize F color as a safe long-term choice, especially when paired with good clarity and cut.
8. Do F Color Diamonds Look Good in Vintage Settings?
Absolutely. F color diamonds look stunning in vintage jewelry.
That said, vintage F color diamonds are extremely rare, and there are very few available for sale. Usually, those looking for vintage will have to settle for G color or lower.
10. Are F Color Diamonds Considered Collection Grade Diamonds?
Yes. F color diamonds, when paired with excellent cut and high clarity, will be considered collection-grade.
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