I own a Y/Z GIA split graded one carat stone as a "master" for my color grading sets. I am sure it would get a fancy yellow if submitted now for grading. It is way more yellow than many "light fancy" color yellows we have seen. It is not a vivid fancy however.

That was a tough one for me and I hoped you'd stoped by

To say Z is the same as intense yellow is like saying J is the same as D

HI
I m interested in diamonds.
I would like to know that Z colour is same as fancy vivid or fancy yellow,
Some one told me that it is same.
Thanks[/QUOTE]

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Originally posted by diamondguy425:
Z is the bottom of the scale for "white diamonds" the next grade is Fancy Light Yellow, then Fancy Yellow, then Fancy intense Yellow, then Fancy Vivid
Intense and Vivid are commonly called Canary Yellow

To say Z is the same as intense yellow is like saying J is the same as D.

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I agree that you are right and this is exactly what is taught by GIA, but in reality and in practice, a round diamond of Y/Z color, face up, with an older GIA report would now likely get a "fancy yellow" grade and surely get a "light fancy yellow" GIA grade. I sense a nuance change has occured in the approach to where fancy begins. Surely we see this in radiant cut diamonds where the body color is really about R yet due to smart cutting the face-up color is intensified enough to get a "light fancy yellow" rating. Many radiant cuts with less body color than my Y/Z master are getting "fancy yellow" grades on recent GIA reports. It isn't scandalous, but just a reality.

It is a system that favors the BEST end result, not a purely scientific approach. I don't say this is unethical or incorrect, but it is from observation that one discerns what the strategy of the grading system truly is versus what is taught on a more simplistic basis.