According to the Federal Trade Commission, only a diamond that is either bluish color or colorless may be referred to using this term, therefore it is not applicable in most situations.

A term used for many years that refers to a diamond without a distinctive body color. It has been used inappropriately to describe yellow tinted stones. An American Gem Society ruling prohibits the use of this term by its members. Legally a Blue-White diamond must have a blue body color. The many flagrant misuses of this term have rendered it almost meaningless.

A diamond of a very slight blue tint which together with the pink, mauve, and red tinted gems is among the rarest; Commercial white, lightly tinted with yellow or brown; Cognac, softly tinted with a shade varying from light to dark cinnamon brown; Yellow, the paler shades are known as straw or champagne, the darker as canary or jonquil. Emerald cut The most popular cut for an emerald. It is rectangular with bevelled corners. A diamond cut in this shape is called an "emerald cut diamond".

According to the Federal Trade Commission, only diamonds with a distinct blue body color may be traded as "blue-white." For many years the term referred to a diamond without a distinctive body color, however misuses of this term have rendered it almost meaningless.

A term that has been used to refer to a diamond without body color. Unfortunately it is applied frequently to diamonds that have a distinct yellow tint. Flagrant misuse has made the term totally meaningless. The term is rarely used today, and if, it is usually for deceptive purposes to imply a better color.