Color assessment is an important factor in determining a gemstone's quality and, consequently, its price.
60% of the overall value is influenced by color,
while the remaining 40% is split between cut and clarity.
In contrast to diamonds, which are assessed by comparison with a group of master stones, color evaluation is extremely subjective and has a complicated standard definition.
We must examine a color's three components in order to characterize it precisely:
Color or Hue
Tone
Saturation
We also need to include another factor concerning the gemstone's distribution and coverage.
The Hue
Based on its precise placement on a color grading chart, as shown in the image, the hue is defined. Color grading charts and classification systems are produced by numerous companies. The Munsell Color System and the GIA GEM SET, which are used in many professional price lists to classify gemstones, are the most widely used.
The gemstone in the center has uniquely a green hue. The gemstone on the left can be defined yellow green and the oval gemstone on the right, blue-green.
Vivid red is the best and most valuable shade of red for rubies, followed by slightly purple red and orange-red. Ruby is replaced by a fancy sapphire beyond intense violet-red and orange-red (sapphires and rubies are both members of the corundum species).
"Pink or orange sapphires with a little tinge of red are frequently offered as rubies in Eastern countries. If in doubt, we suggest you to get the gemological certificate because a mistake of this nature in assessment might be very expensive".
Saturation and Tone
A color's intensity or richness are both considered to be aspects of saturation. While color saturation and tone can vary between stones of the same species, they frequently have the same hue. From very light to very dark, a color's tone describes its level of brightness or darkness.
The best categorization is an intermediate phrase since it denotes a fair balance between light and dark in the gemstone's color.
The name of the color and the term "strong" or "vivid" are used to characterize the greatest saturation values, which indicate how intense or brilliant the color is.
Every gemstone has the most saturation when it is in the best condition. But we can't ignore the rarity element. Due to their distinctiveness, even low saturation colors frequently become recognized.
Color Coverage and Zoning
The gemstone must have a consistent color throughout. Zones of different colors lower the gem's quality and, thus, its value. For instance, zoning is fairly popular in sapphires. While color zoning is less significant from the pavilion side and shouldn't be visible from the crown