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Traditionally diamonds are known to be colourless, light yellowish or something close to the colours in the D-to-Z colour range. However, fancy diamond colours are consisted of colours outside the colour range. They could be brown, yellow, red, pink or any other colour of the spectrum. Basically any diamond with a noticeable hint, whether it’s in light tone and saturation or concentrated, is considered as a fancy diamond. Rare and valuable, coloured diamond will create a treasured heirloom for generations to come.
Putting a grade to a fancy diamond is extremely complex and can only be done by specialised laboratory graders. The system that is used is the GIA system that considers the fact that coloured diamonds have different colour depths. Blue diamonds, for example, have a limited saturation of the colour while yellow diamonds have a wider colour range.
Some fancy diamond colours are rarer than others. The rarer the diamond colour is, the more value it fetches. With diamonds in the D-Z colour range, the colourless ones are the most valued because they are the scarcest. When it comes to fancy colours, saturated greens, blues and pink are the rarest and therefore the most expensive ones. Fancy Pink and Yellow diamonds also have a very high value. Diamonds with a blue, green and red hue in light, moderate or extreme saturations are also said to be scarce and therefore very expensive.
Connoisseurs put many other considerations when pricing fancy colours. Some of the factors include the clarity of the colour, the carat weight and the cut.
Fancy pink diamonds are a rare diamond type. The pink colour has an alluring feel that takes the romance to a whole new level. The vibrancy and intensity in fancy pink diamonds are simply unique. Moreover, the pink colour is associated with femininity, grace and love. The Argyle mine in Australia is the only mine in the world that produces a consistent volume. A whole year of Argyle's intense pink diamond production can be held in the palm of one hand. To put the true rarity of these stones in perspective, of every million carats of rough diamond production at Argyle, only one carat is suitable for sale in its tender. Pink diamonds have the intensity and vibrancy of colour not seen in any other diamond. There are a variety of pinks, including bubblegum and coral coloured. There are also brownish pink and purplish pink diamonds.
The natural fancy coloured diamonds that grow on earth are also called colour enhanced diamonds. However, these diamonds still have to go through a treatment process to perfect their tone. The treatment is not a coating but an internal permanent change. Colour enhanced pink diamond gems are deeply rich in colour and rarely found in light pastel tones. The colours range from burgundy colour to bubble gum pink to earthly pink.
Unlike colour enhanced diamonds that grow on earth, lab created diamonds are made in the labs. Since their molecular levels are same as those of earth diamonds, their internal characteristics and hardness are also the same. However, the pink colour in these diamonds appears to be more natural than those of colour enhanced earth diamonds. The variety of the colours is from light to medium pink, all in natural hues of their colour enhanced sisters.
Choosing a pink diamond colour can be a great challenge considering the variation in the GIA colour grade. You have to make decisions regarding the budget, the intensity of the pink colour and also the type of pink colour you want.
Yellow diamonds are the most popular among all the fancy diamond colours out there. For this reason, many investors prefer investing on these beautiful stones. Fancy yellow diamonds are not the same as the natural yellow diamonds on the D-Z diamond colour scale. During their formation, there are some irregular impurities that are created; thus giving them a natural fancy colour.The real cause for the colour of natural fancy yellow diamonds is said to be the presence of a nitrogen molecule that absorbs the blue light in the diamond. Natural fancy yellow diamonds are extremely scarce. In fact, in every 10,000 carats, there might only be one fancy coloured diamond; and 60% of the time, it is a fancy yellow colour. This makes them highly priced and sought after.
There are dozens of different shades of yellow diamonds, depending on the lightness and intensity of the yellow hue. While pure, rich shades are the most prized, lighter tones are softly dramatic. The saturation of colour is dependent upon the amount of nitrogen present. There are dozens of different shades of yellow diamonds, depending on the lightness and intensity of the yellow hue. While pure, rich shades are the most prized, lighter tones are softly dramatic. There are dozens of different shades of yellow diamonds, depending on the lightness and intensity of the yellow hue. While pure, rich shades are the most prized, lighter tones are softly dramatic.
The GIA colour grading scale for yellow diamonds is:
The GIA fancy yellow diamond grading categorises the yellow diamonds into natural, deep, and orange-yellow diamonds. This description also encompasses the possibility of two or three colour combinations. Yellow diamond colour combinations that are very popular include orange yellow, green yellow, and brown yellow. The second colour is said to have the secondary tone.
Pricing fancy yellow diamonds requires the eye of highly trained lab experts. Factors like colour combination can either increase or decrease the value of the diamond. For example, an orange or green hue in the yellow diamond will increase its value, while a brownish tint will decrease it. Also the clarity and intensity of the yellow will increase the price of the yellow diamond.
Choosing a yellow diamond colour can be a great challenge considering the variation in the GIA colour grade. You have to make decisions regarding the budget, the intensity of the yellow colour and also the type of yellow colour you want.
Blue diamonds are one of the most rare and valuable of the fancy coloured diamonds and like fine art, they are a sign of prestige and elegance. One of the most famous blue diamonds is the Hope diamond, which is housed in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. This diamond is rare not only for its mere size, but also for its deep blue colour. Fancy blue coloured diamonds are extremely rare and each shade is exquisite. They range from very light shades through to a steel blue hue.
These diamonds are not colour-treated or enhanced to get their blue colour—it is natural. The mesmerising colour of the blue diamond comes from traces of boron in the diamond’s carbon composition. Blue diamonds are incredibly rare and can only be found in three areas of the world: Australia, South Africa, and India. The more intense the colour of the blue diamond is, the more rare and expensive it is.
The colour enhanced diamond goes through a treatment process which changes the tone of the diamond. This is a permanent and internal treatment; it is not a coating. Colour enhanced blue diamonds are not available in light pastel tones. They have deep rich colours, with a green overtone, giving them a sparkly, turquoise ocean feel. These diamonds are very close in price to natural white diamonds, and sometimes are even a little less.
Lab created blue diamonds are grown in a laboratory, not in the earth. They are identical on a molecular level as natural diamond, therefore they have the same hardness and internal characteristics as a natural diamond. The blue colour of a lab created diamond is more natural than the colour of a colour enhanced blue diamond
Choosing a Blue diamond colour can be a great challenge considering the variation in the GIA colour grade. You have to make decisions regarding the budget, the intensity of the Blue colour and also the type of colour you want.
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