---
title: "Hue, tone and saturation: meaning in gemology"
description: "Hue, tone and saturation are the three parts of a color. Hue is the color itself, tone is how light or dark it is, and saturation is how strong it is."
url: https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/hue-tone-saturation
image: https://digitalgemology.com/img/og-digital-gemology.png?v=d224fb01
---

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[Glossary](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary) · Color and fluorescence

# Hue, tone and saturation

Hue, tone and saturation are the three parts of a color. Hue is the color itself, tone is how light or dark it is, and saturation is how strong it is.

## In more detail

Fancy color grading uses all three. The hue names the color, and one fancy-grade word describes the effect of tone and saturation together.

## On a grading report

Combined in the fancy color grade, for example "Fancy Vivid Blue".

## Related terms

- [Fancy color grade](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/fancy-color-grade): A fancy color grade names a colored diamond by its hue plus one grade word, such as Fancy Intense Yellow. The word sums up the tone and saturation of the color.
- [Fancy color diamond](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/fancy-color-diamond): A fancy color diamond is a colored diamond with enough color for a fancy grade. To GIA, any diamond outside the D-to-Z scale is a colored diamond.
- [Hue](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/hue): Hue is the basic color of a gem, such as red, blue or green. A second color can modify it, as in purplish red.
- [Tone](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/tone): Tone is how light or dark a gem's color is, from very light to very dark.
- [Saturation](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary/saturation): Saturation is the strength or purity of a gem's color, from grayish or brownish to vivid.

## Learn more

- [Fancy color diamonds and fluorescence: beyond the Z grade](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/four-cs/fancy-color-diamonds-and-fluorescence)

[All 328 terms](https://digitalgemology.com/learn/glossary)