This worked (the numbers were darkgray and there was a red dot separator) until the last beta or two. With the new betas, those colors disappear in the bodymatter mode and in appendices mode

% When start/stop bodymatter is enabled, the number color and
%   separator colors are lost. When they are disabled, all is
%   as expected
%
\defineseparatorset[reddot][][{\color[red]{·}}]
\setuphead[chapter][sectionseparatorset=reddot,numbercolor=darkgray]
\setuphead[section][sectionseparatorset=reddot,numbercolor=darkgray]
\starttext
% \startbodymatter % enable and lose colors
    \startchapter[title={Chapter}]
      \startsection[title={Section}]
      \stopsection
    \stopchapter
% \stopbodymatter % enable and lose colors
\stoptext

--
Rik