Diamonds are beautiful and classic gemstones which have been loved for generations. They are usually associated with class and elegance and have the ability to catch the light in a special way, commanding attention. The value of a diamond is generally associated with its rarity. Since colourless diamonds are the rarest, they tend to hold the most value. However, for fancy coloured ones, there are certain colours that are more valuable than others.
Though white or colourless diamonds have been the most popular kind of diamonds for a long time, coloured diamonds are quickly becoming the next big thing. It’s difficult to find stones having the exact same colour or shade. This is why, when someone is looking for something unique for their jewellery, they consider coloured diamonds. Read this guide before purchasing your next fancy coloured diamond.
What exactly are fancy coloured diamonds?
Coloured diamonds are generally gemstones that have a visible hue other than brown and yellow. Their colour is caused by certain defects and impurities as opposed to their colourless or ‘pure’ ones. They are extremely rare gemstones in which the colour appears strongly. Shades of fancy coloured diamonds can range from brown, yellow, purple to green, blue and red. Sometimes these colours can also be added artificially.
Natural coloured diamonds generally owe their colour to various natural causes, the presence of boron elements, crystal lattice defects caused during formation, nitrogen and various impurities present. Only one in every 10,000 diamonds are known to be formed naturally, which makes them extremely rare and expensive.
What are the 4 C’s of coloured diamonds?
Colourless diamonds and fancy coloured diamonds are both graded differently than each other. Like among transparent diamonds, the lesser the colour on it, the better it is since colourless stones are considered to be the rarest. But, whereas coloured gems are greatly influenced by the four C’s (Cut, Clarity, Carat and Color), the intensity of the colour is more important along with how evenly the colour is distributed throughout the stone.
The Colour Descriptors
To better understand coloured gems, it will help for you to know the different ways in which they are described:
- Saturation – The intensity of the colour present within the diamond.
- Tone – On a scale of 0-100 (black), how dark or light the colour is
- Hue – The base colour of the diamond (blue, pink, green etc.)
Types of Coloured Diamonds
Every coloured diamond has its unique reasons for its exclusivity. Likewise, the saturation, vividness of the colours along with the rarity of the diamond plays a huge role in its price. Here are some different types of coloured diamonds.
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- Red Diamonds
Of all of the colours available, red diamondsare the rarest and most valuable of them all. The Moussaieff Red is the most famous red diamond and comes in at 5.11 carats.
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- Blue Diamonds
It is very hard to find a blue diamond and they generally do not have a range of colour strength. The colour is caused by the presence of an element called boron within the gem. The more boron is present, the bluer the stone will be.
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- Purple Diamonds
These diamonds are extremely rare and can only be found in Siberia and Australia. They are almost always exclusively less than 5 carats and have colours that hardly ever reach vivid saturation. Their colour comes from crystal distortion.
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- Pink Diamonds
They are rare with the bulk of them being mined from Argyle located in Western Australia. Only about 1 out of a million carats that are mined are fit to be sold.
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- Orange Diamonds
Though incredibly rare, a low market demand helps keep their prices relatively low. Many of the hues available can be vivid and can be secured at a good value.
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- Green Diamonds
It is interesting to know how these gems come about. Radiation is known to displace the carbon atoms present within the structure of the crystal. Due to the fact that it is nearly impossible to tell if any enhancements have been added to the gem, usually, most cutters add a ‘natural’ along the girdle of the gem.
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- Yellow Diamonds
They are also referred to as canary diamonds and can be found mostly in South Africa but sourced all over the world. Although common, they are available in quite intense saturation.
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- Brown/Champagne Diamonds
They are the most common fancy coloured gemstones and often appear in brown tones caused by nitrogen being present when the stones develop. They appear in a wide range of intensities and saturation.
Coloured diamonds are considered to be extremely beautiful by many. If you aren’t planning to invest in coloured diamonds, selecting the perfect one comes down to what suits your style. They are featured in brooches, necklaces, engagement rings and earrings.