Colored Diamonds
Color And Brilliance Beyond Compare – Colored Diamond Jewelry
Colored diamonds offer yet another choice in diamond selection.
Natural colored diamonds, though less well known than white diamonds, are very rare and very valuable. Quality color diamonds are much more valuable than even high quality white diamonds because they occur so infrequently in nature. But like white diamonds, colored diamonds exist in varying grades of diamond quality and so have varying values and price points. When it comes to diamonds and color, diamond choices exist on every level of affordability.
Loose colored diamonds are graded in much the same way as white diamonds, with their own set of the four C's. Cut, clarity, carat, and color are all rated, but in the case of fancy color diamonds, color takes on new meaning.
Color grades made in reference to fancy colored diamonds refers to two qualities. The first quality is the basic hue, or color, of the diamond. Natural fancy colored diamonds exist in every color of the rainbow. The most common natural fancy colored diamond color is yellow. Red, green, and blue colored diamonds are extremely rare.
The second factor colored diamonds are graded on is color intensity. In most instances the more intense the diamond color, the more valuable the diamond is. Pale colors in colored diamonds are more common than deep, intense colors. Loose color diamonds are graded on a nine-step scale by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). GIA colored diamond grades are:
• 1. Faint
• 2. Very Light
• 3. Light
• 4. Fancy Light
• 5. Fancy
• 6. Fancy Dark
• 7. Fancy Intense
• 8. Fancy Deep
• 9. Fancy Vivid
Other factors can influence the value of a colored diamond. Things like what color streak do color diamonds have, how pure is the diamond’s color, and whether secondary colors exist in the diamond, all have an effect on the diamond’s value. The most valuable colored diamonds are monotones without inclusions and flaws, but sometimes such flaws can enhance the look of the colored diamond, and although it is less valuable in gemological terms, unique color flashes may make a “flawed” colored diamond highly desirable and truly unique.
Not all colored diamond jewelry is the work of nature, however. Diamond manipulations can be used to bring color into a diamond. Synthetic colored diamonds are also available. These options breathe new life into the colored diamond market, bringing affordable colored diamond choices to the masses. Manipulation can also turn an otherwise invaluable poor color white diamond into a marketable piece of color diamond jewelry.
Most colored diamonds are used as fashion jewelry. The rarity of colored diamonds limits their use as engagement rings and wedding bands. Because colored diamond rings are not often used in wedding jewelry, unique engagement and wedding jewelry options open up to fancy colored diamond aficionados. Fancy color diamond wedding rings and engagement rings, accented with choices of precious metals and white diamonds, provide wedding jewelry options beyond compare - a true statement of a couple’s individuality and belonging.
Colored diamonds are increasing in popularity, spurred by a couple of predominant market factors. The first factor is that the general public is now better educated about colored diamonds; they are recognized as extremely rare and valuable pieces of jewelry. The second factor is the introduction of diamond manipulations and synthetics which put affordably priced colored diamond jewelry within reach of mainstream populations.
Whatever the choice and motivation, colored diamond jewelry is a sight to behold. Only in a diamond can the beauty of color and the brilliance of the diamond come together to produce sparkling color such as that found in colored diamond jewelry.
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