When we think of diamonds, we automatically think of the transparent, white sparkling gemstones.
But did you know diamonds come in a variety of natural colors? These are called "Fancy Color Diamonds".
There are diamonds in yellow, brown, green, pink, blue, red, black, orange, purple and grey.
It is actually very rare to find a diamond without any color at all;
most of them are a little bit yellowish or brownish and the less color, the more expensive.
Except for the fancy color diamonds.
Some natural colored diamonds are very rare and therefore extremely wanted: the more exclusive, the more expensive.
But also in coloration there is a variety. The more intense the color, the higher the price.
About 60% of all fancy color diamonds are yellow.
That sounds like a lot but it is actually 1 : 16.500 diamonds found worldwide. They get their beautiful yellow color thanks to a small part of nitrogen that’s contained in their structure.
Regular “colorless” diamonds can have a yellowish hue, which is generally considered a negative quality; diamonds that are completely clear and colorless command a higher price. However, once the color reaches a level to where yellow is the dominant color, its value begins to rise again as a Fancy Color Diamond.
Fancy Yellow Diamonds can have shades of other colors present as well, such as orange or brown. The most desirable and valuable yellow diamonds, however, are those with a pure, intense yellow color. These pure yellow diamonds are often referred to as Canary Diamonds, or Canary Yellow Diamonds.
Canary Diamonds, named because their shade resembles that of a canary bird, are the most desirable of all yellow diamonds, and thus command the highest price.
Brown diamonds, also referred to as chocolate, champagne, and cognac, are among the more affordable fancy color diamonds. Having said that, brown diamonds do number higher than most other fancy color diamonds and are considered one of the more common and less expensive color diamonds. This does not mean that you will be able to buy these precious stones by the dozens, unless you are multi millionaire of course.
It does though mean that if you fancy a color diamond and don't have the highest budget, you might just be able to squeeze a brown diamond in. In fact, the lower intensities are even more affordable than a high quality colorless stone diamond is made up of compound elements and may or may or not contain impurities, all which can affect the visual appearance of the stone. Nitrogen, an impurity found in yellow diamonds, is the component responsible for the yellow or brownish coloring. A brown diamond also receives a large part of its unique color from the light that was absorbed through structural defects in the stone's crystal lattice.
Pink diamonds are as rare as they are beautiful. 80% Of all pink diamonds are found in the Argyle Mine in Australia. This is the most famous mine for brown diamonds. Only 1% found here is actually a pink diamond.
Gemologists aren’t entirely certain how the pink diamond obtains its color. Unlike other stones in the Fancy Color Diamond family, pink diamonds don’t contain impurities that they derive their color from.
Various theories have been presented regarding the origin of the diamond’s unique hue. Some suspect that the enormous pressure undergone by pink diamonds during formation is a likely cause, though others believe it could be related to a seismic shock that impacted the stone’s molecular structure. Experts think there are only 500 pink diamonds to be discovered of gem-quality.
Have you already read the blog about the pink diamonds in the Alphabet key for a customer?
After red, blue is the most rare color of a diamond, only to be found in a few mines in the world: the Cullinan mine in South Africa, the Argyle Mine in Australia, and the Goloconda mine in India. The carat weight and intensity of blue color dictate how much a blue diamond is worth. Because of blue diamonds’ rarity, they’re usually more expensive than white diamonds and other Fancy color diamonds. Blue diamonds are real, natural diamonds that form beneath the earth’s surface over billions of years. These diamonds are not color-treated or enhanced to get their blue color—it is natural. The mesmerizing color of the blue diamond comes from traces of boron in the diamond’s carbon composition. Depending on the color intensity, blue diamonds look like pale blue gemstones, vibrant blue stones or a mix of two colors like blue and purple. Secondary hues add tint and character to the stone. No matter where a stone falls on the blue diamond color chart, it’s bound to be a stunning, rare gem.
The color of a green diamond originates from the exposure to radioactivity and the atomic radiation that the stone endured over millions of years. Even though the green color is a result of exposure to radioactivity, there’s no need to worry, as holding the stone isn’t dangerous at all. The formation process, however, is incredibly rare, resulting in a color diamond that’s extremely difficult to obtain. Green diamonds are considered one of the rarer colors within the fancy diamond world. In fact, the only colors that are more difficult to find are red, pink, blue, violet and orange. Because of green’s extreme rarity, these diamonds are often far pricier than other colored diamonds. Even though green diamonds are technically less rare than a pink diamond, it’s still more difficult to source a good quality fancy green diamond.
Last but not least: The Black Diamond
Black diamonds are diamonds with a very high number of inclusions. While inclusions on a regular white or colorless diamond may show up as tiny dark specks, at extremely high levels, the diamond appears completely black. Thus, you have a black diamond.This makes it a very unique and rare kind of color diamond. Black diamonds differ from other fancy color diamonds, as these color diamonds are usually formed by chemical impurities present during the diamond’s composition.
Black diamonds, however, are more similar to white diamonds than yellow or blue diamonds, for example.
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