The beautiful world of coloured Diamonds
Coloured diamonds are perhaps some of the most sought after jewellery at the moment, prized by celebrities and Royals alike, these precious gemstones truly are some of the most beautiful stones to own, and there is a whole exciting and unique world behind each one! Read on as we take you through everything you need to know about these beautiful gemstones!
How much do coloured diamonds cost?
Coloured diamonds are so sought-after because they are so rare. Fancy coloured diamonds are not as common as white diamonds, which adds to their appeal (and their value). Red diamonds are the rarest. Equally, they are the most expensive. Green diamonds are not far behind, but blues and oranges take the second-highest value.
The latest jewellery auctions that occurred in Geneva recently demonstrated exactly how high fancy coloured diamonds can be sold for. Christies’ sold a 16.08-carat vivid pink diamond for $28.5 million to a Chinese buyer, while the now famous 12.03-carat vivid blue “Blue Moon”, sold for $48.4 million.
The depth of colour is important
There's a big difference between a diamond that is slightly discoloured and one that is 'fancy' coloured. The grading of coloured diamonds is complex, as every stone has a different depth of colour. They are ranked on a different scale to white diamonds (which are graded from D to Z) and are classed as 'coloured' if they are found to be more intense in hue. The coloured diamond scale grades from 'faint' and 'very light', through to 'fancy light', 'fancy', 'fancy intense', 'fancy vivid' and 'fancy deep' - although it's worth noting that the latter is less valuable than 'vivid' as the colour saturation is too great. This is then cross-referenced by colour (for example blue, bluish-green, blue-green or green). Diamonds have to reach a certain colour saturation before they can be classed 'fancy'.
Diamonds are coloured in different ways
The colouration in diamonds is caused by the addition of different elements and conditions. For example, green diamonds are caused by natural irradiation. Green diamonds have traveled from 150 miles under the earth’s surface and are exposed to natural radiation during their journey. Only polishing the green diamond will say if the radiation went all the way through. Natural green diamonds are extremely rare … and are often treated. Blue diamonds are formed by the addition of Boron; and yellow by the addition of Nitrogen. The cause of pink and red diamonds is largely mysterious, though some evidence has found that high pressure and heat can result in the deformation of structure.
Colour means value
The colouration of a diamond has an enormous impact on its value. Essentially, the brighter and more colourful, the better. For example, a fancy orange-pink diamond might be less than half the value of a fancy purple-pink stone, purely because the purple boosts the pink, giving it a more desirable colour, while orange can take it towards a more brownish hue.
If you’re interested in visiting our showroom in the heart of Hatton Garden to see any of our coloured jewellery, simply book an appointment online or give us a call on 0203 116 0069 and speak to one of our friendly, expert members of staff who can help guide you through any type of jewellery purchase.
We’ve helped 1000’s of customers over the years design custom rings (with our design your engagement ring service), choose the perfect present for an anniversary, sell jewellery and choose jewellery for many special occasions, so if there is something you’d like but can’t see online, we’re confident we can make it to your exact needs, just get in touch.
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