LANTHANIDE metals are SILVERY white but the trivalent lanthanide ions show different colours. The colour of the ions depends on the number of UNPAIRED electrons because the elements with (x)f electrons often have a similar colour to those of (14-x)f electrons.Gd3+ = ColourlessLa3+ = ColourlessLu3+ = ColourlessSm3+ = Yellow colourThe lanthanide ION Sm3+ is COLOURED.