Fancy Color Diamonds

Indulge your senses in the world of fancy color diamonds, where nature’s artistry unfolds in a kaleidoscope of hues. These are the most rare and exotic stones on earth, formed under immense pressure and heat, are adorned with colors that range from the softest pinks to the deepest blues.

With odds of 1 in 10,000, encountering a naturally colored diamond is a testament to nature’s extraordinary power. Elements like boron, nitrogen, and hydrogen infuse these diamonds with unique colors, creating breathtaking spectacles that have captivated humanity for centuries.

What are Fancy Color Diamonds?

Fancy color diamonds are a rare and exquisite category of diamonds that exhibit a distinct color, ranging from delicate pastels to vibrant hues. Unlike traditional white diamonds, these gems owe their unique appearance to trace elements present during their formation. These elements, such as boron, nitrogen, or hydrogen, interact with the carbon atoms, resulting in a diverse spectrum of colors.

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The Allure of Fancy Colored Diamonds

Fancy color diamonds are prized for their rarity, beauty, and investment potential. Their unique colors and limited availability make them highly sought-after by collectors and connoisseurs. As a result, they have become a symbol of luxury, elegance, and individuality.

The rarity of fancy-colored diamonds stems from the specific conditions required for their formation. Only a small fraction of all diamonds exhibit color, making them exceptionally valuable. Their captivating colors, ranging from delicate pastels to vibrant hues, add to their allure.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, fancy color diamonds also offer investment potential. Due to their rarity and increasing demand, they can be a valuable asset. As a result, they are often considered a wise investment choice for those seeking to diversify their portfolio.

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4 Cs of Fancy Color Diamonds

While the 4Cs of cut, color, clarity, and carat are fundamental to evaluating any diamond, their relative importance shifts when
assessing fancy color diamonds.

Cut

When accessing the quality and value of a fancy-colored diamond, nothing creates more value than the color of the diamond. However, a fancy color diamond cut adds value by enhancing the size of the diamond through weight. When a fancy diamond is cut, the size of the stone and the shape of the cut can influence how deep the diamond’s color comes through. The larger the diamond is, the deeper than diamond can be cut to allow light to travel through it. This enhances the intensity of the color of the stone.

A round-cut diamond is by far the most popular cut in the colorless realm because of its brilliance. In the fancy diamond realm, mixed cuts such as radiant or cushion will add intensity of color in fancy diamonds and even in lower graded M-Z colored diamonds. This can improve the price per carat of the diamond and increase its value.

Clarity

Diamond clarity does not add as much value in fancy-colored diamonds because a diamond’s color is most sought after. Even a diamond with visible inclusions to the naked eye is pursued by collectors and aficionados if the specific color of a diamond is desired. The only time that clarity may play a role in assessing a fancy diamond’s value or desirability is if its clarity may play a role in that diamond’s durability. Some fancy diamonds may contain different shades of one color (i.e., shades of lighter blue and darker blue), which may also be considered an inclusion in the grading.

Carat

As with colorless diamonds, the carat weight of a fancy color diamond influences its value. Larger, high-quality, fancy-color diamonds are rarer and more valuable. However, the color quality and intensity often outweigh the diamond carat weight in terms of determining overall value.

Color

When it comes to diamonds, the rarer a diamond is, the greater the value will be. Since fancy color diamonds are the rarest on earth, they carry the most value no matter how slight the color is. Certainly, the more saturated or deep that color is within the diamond, the greater the value will be.

The diamond color type will also play an impact on the value of a diamond. While fancy diamonds with yellow or brown color are still unique compared to colorless diamonds, the highest value fancy diamonds are ones that carry red, greens, or blues in different shades.

Diamond Color chart

These are extremely rare. Blue diamonds will not have the deep blue color that you find in sapphires. Generally, they will be a lighter shade of blue and have a hint of grey. The blue color itself is caused by Boron impurities within the diamond. The higher the percentage of Boron, the deeper the blue color.

Pink diamonds are among the most popular of the fancy colored diamond class. Many diamond connoisseurs believe the pink diamond is the ultimate symbol of love, affection, femininity, and grace.

The Argyle mine in Northwestern Australia is considered the only mine in the world to have a consistent output of pink diamonds. However, pink diamonds have been found in India, Brazil and Tanzania as well. These diamonds are so rare, that for every million carats of rough mined, only one carat is deemed suitable enough for selling quality.

Red diamonds are the rarest diamonds on Earth. Their color is synonymous with strength and confidence. Unlike other fancy diamonds that have impurities containing chemical elements such as Nitrogen or Boron, red diamonds are created by a deformation in their atomic structure known as plastic deformation.

As of today, the red diamond carries a magnificent value. A red diamond at 0.20 carats typically starts with a $100,000 price tag and grows exponentially from there.

Fancy green diamonds are typically light in tone, low in saturation, and often muted with slight grey and/or brown. The hue is generally in the yellowish green category. In most green diamonds, the hue is confined to the surface, and rarely extends through the entire stone. That’s why cutters try to leave as much of the natural rough around the girdle as possible.

Green diamonds naturally occur when a diamond deposit rests near radioactive rocks. When the radiation displaces the carbon atoms from their normal position within the crystal, the light will disperse in a green hue towards the surface of the diamond.

Naturally colored green diamonds are extremely rare. With the rarity and the very real possibility of treatment, green diamonds are always regarded with suspicion and examined carefully in gemological laboratories. Even so, advanced gemological testing can’t always determine color origin in green diamonds.

These are the most common of the fancy colored diamonds and were the earliest diamonds to be used in jewelry. They can be dated back as early as the second century when Romans set these diamonds in rings.

Brown diamonds gained popularity in the 1980’s when an abundance of brown diamonds became available from Argyle mines. To market these rings and increase popularity, they were given names such as “cognac” and “champagne” diamonds leading them to be continually used in jewelry pieces to this day.

Yellow diamonds are the second most common fancy colored diamond because of its abundance of stones found throughout the world.

Black diamonds have increased in popularity in recent years due to use in contemporary jewelry. A black diamond is created due to impure forms of polycrystalline containing elements of diamond, graphite, and amorphous carbon. These diamonds are typically mined in Brazil and Central African Republic.

Grey diamonds come in a variety of shades from light to dark, and a variety of hues including yellow, green, blue, and violet. The grey found inside the diamond is due to high levels of hydrogen within the diamond itself.

Yes! There are also fancy white colored diamonds. For the most part, these diamonds will have a frosty white color, similar to refined sugar.

Fancy Color Diamond Scale Explained

To categorize and evaluate fancy color diamonds, gemologists use a specific grading scale. This scale considers factors like hue, saturation, and tone to determine a diamond’s color grade.

Hue: This refers to the specific color of the diamond, such as blue, pink, yellow, or green.

Saturation: This measures the intensity or strength of the color. A highly saturated color is deep and vivid, while a low saturation is pale and muted.

Tone: This refers to the lightness or darkness of the color. A light tone is closer to white, while a dark tone is closer to black.

By analyzing these factors, gemologists can assign a specific color grade to a fancy color diamond. For example, a “Fancy Intense Blue” diamond would have a deep, intense blue color.

Why Choose Mark’s Diamonds for Your Fancy Color Diamond Journey?

At Mark’s Diamonds, we’re passionate about helping you find the perfect fancy color diamond. Our team of experts has years of experience in sourcing, selecting, and curating the finest fancy color diamonds. We’re committed to providing you with unparalleled expertise, an extensive selection, personalized service, and trust and transparency.

Indulge in our luxurious private jewelry consultations, where you can explore our exquisite collection of fancy color diamonds in a private and exclusive setting. Our knowledgeable gemologists will guide you through the intricacies of these rare gems, helping you find the perfect piece to complement your unique style.

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