| When purchasing any type of gemstone it is | | | | The color of gemstones should be judged |
| important to understand how the price valuation is | | | | according to the three main elements: |
| determined by the color. There are many | | | | Hue |
| different and important factors that establish this | | | | This is the first impression we obtain from |
| figure and it is wise to be armed with the | | | | viewing colors. It is what makes rubies red, |
| knowledge before parting with your money. | | | | sapphires blue, emeralds green, and amethysts |
| Gemstones may come in a rainbow of colors, but | | | | purple. Hues have a natural order and they are |
| the jewelry industry uses a universally defined | | | | red, yellow, green, blue, and lastly purple. |
| system to grade it. Color accompanies clarity, cut, | | | | Numerous shades can be achieved by mixing |
| and carat weight to make up the 4Cs and can | | | | together any two of these hues. |
| greatly affect the aesthetic value of gemstones. | | | | Chroma or Saturation |
| Many people mistakenly believe that darker is | | | | This element refers to the vividness, purity, |
| always better, but what they should be looking | | | | strength, or intensity of a given color. Gemstones |
| for is brightness and vividness. Use the following | | | | with low chroma are referred to as weak while |
| tips to accurately evaluate the color of | | | | those with high levels of saturation are called vivid |
| gemstones by yourself: | | | | or strong. Saturation of colored gemstones may |
| Evaluating Color of Gemstones by Using the GIA | | | | be classified as the following in ascending order: |
| or Munsell Color Grading System:- | | | | grayish or brownish, slightly brownish or grayish, |
| Although there are many and equally effective | | | | very slightly grayish or brownish, moderately |
| color grading systems in use today, the GIA or | | | | strong, strong, and lastly vivid. |
| Munsell System is a good primer to start with. It | | | | Value or Tone |
| utilizes a plastic set made up of 324 color pieces | | | | This is what makes you think of red as light or |
| to serve as standard references. If a certain color | | | | dark red. Gray as well as black and white are |
| is found missing from the system, interpolation | | | | referred to as neutral or achromatic colors |
| can be performed to come up with more than | | | | because they do not possess any hue. Colors |
| 760 additional shades. | | | | with hues are referred to as achromatic colors. |
| The GIA or Munsell system is made ideal for | | | | GIA uses a numerical system, with its written |
| judging the color of gemstones because they are | | | | definitions, to evaluate neutral and achromatic |
| built with 3D plastic pieces that resemble faceted | | | | colors alike. For transparent colored gemstones, |
| gemstones. | | | | however, only grades or tones two to eight are |
| Elements of Color | | | | considered. |