In the past, wedding bands have always been paired with colourless or clear white diamonds. The traditional diamond has long been celebrated for its simplicity, brilliant white sparkle, and exceptional clarity. However, among these exquisite traditional diamonds, fancy coloured diamonds emerge as remarkable and highly sought-after treasures within the world of jewellery. Unlike the traditional colourless diamonds, fancy coloured diamonds exhibit a mesmerising array of hues, making them truly exceptional and rare.
An introduction to fancy coloured diamonds?
Fancy coloured diamonds are created at the atomic level. Certain conditions in the formation of a diamond can cause it to take on a colour. Most commonly, this is due to changes or unique layouts in the atomic structure of the diamond. The presence of different elements can cause the diamonds to take on one of 12 different colours, including red, blue, yellow, green, and violet. With over 200 possible colour combinations, you’re sure to have an endless selection of colours, hues, and tones to choose from!
Fancy coloured diamonds are an excellent alternative to the traditional colourless diamond. You get a wide variety of different colours and shades to choose from, and it’s a sure way to really make your wedding band pop! Different colours can also carry different meanings for couples, and so a fancy coloured diamond can be a more intimate and personal way of representing the love you have for each other as a couple.
How Can I Tell Fancy Colored Diamond Quality?
The Enchantment of a Blue Diamond in a 18K White Gold for Your wedding Ring
A Pink Diamond in a Halo Setting: A Perfect Choice for Your Proposal Ring
When it comes to coloured diamonds, These characteristics tell us everything we need to know about the value and the rarity of the coloured diamond being inspected.
Colour Intensity and Hue
Firstly, we look at the colour – for colourless diamonds, the more colour there is, the less valuable the diamond is. For coloured diamonds, the opposite is true–the more rich and brilliant the shade, the more valuable and more rare the diamond. The colour saturation of a coloured diamond can range from “light” to “intense” to all the way to “vivid.”
Tone also plays an important role in determining the colour of a coloured diamond. This is the quality of how light or dark a coloured diamond is, and is determined by the presence of brown, black, grey, or white.
Grading Certificate
The quality of fancy coloured diamonds is determined through the GIA’s colour grading system, which evaluates the diamond’s hue, tone, and saturation. A stronger colour presence leads to a higher grade and subsequently, an increased value.
Clarity
Clarity is more highly valued in fancy coloured diamonds than it is in colourless diamonds, though in both cases high clarity will increase the value of a diamond. On the opposite end, however, low clarity does not always affect the value of fancy coloured diamonds in a negative way.
This is because the colour of a fancy coloured diamond can sometimes mask the imperfections or make them difficult to see compared to a colourless diamond, where inclusions and imperfections are highly visible. The only exception, of course, is an inclusion that could threaten the durability of the fancy coloured diamond. In such a case, it is best to consult a professional to inspect your fancy coloured diamond and ensure that the inclusion is harmless.
Does Michael Trio Have Fancy Coloured Diamonds?
At Michael Trio, we have an assortment of fancy coloured diamonds available, in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown, and grey. With such a wide range of colours, you’re sure to find a fancy coloured diamond to your liking!
Different colours can have different meanings, and each colour of fancy coloured diamonds can have varying meanings and levels of rarity.
Pink coloured diamonds
Pink coloured diamonds are among the rarest, most difficult to obtain among fancy coloured diamonds. This is largely because of the Argyle pink diamond mine in Australia, which was responsible for up to 90% of the global supply of pink coloured diamonds until it closed permanently in November 2020. Rumour has it that only 30 remain in circulation on the market today!
If that’s true, then Blake Lively has just one out of those 30 remaining diamonds sitting on her finger from Ryan Reynolds!
Black coloured diamonds
A contrast to the traditional white diamond, black coloured diamonds are a great and subtle way to wear diamonds. Due to the dark shades in the stone, black colour diamonds exude mystery.
With dark shades come heavy inclusions, so the stone is more difficult to cut than other diamonds, and overall more durable. For these reasons, black coloured diamonds are quietly becoming a favourite of jewellers and consumers everywhere.
Green coloured diamonds
As green is the colour we see in plants and nature, it is most often associated with life, growth, and renewal. Green coloured diamonds that are naturally occurring are exceedingly rare, and this is because of their awesome background.
For green coloured diamonds to form, the rock that eventually becomes the diamond must have been exposed to trace amounts of radioactive material like uranium or thorium.
Nonetheless, the fact that green coloured diamonds are rare and are formed from radioactive elements are enough to make excellent conversation starters!
Blue coloured diamonds
Fancy coloured diamonds can also come in an amazing blue shade, and depending on the depth of its colour, can resemble the sky or the ocean. The colour blue in a diamond is thought to represent spirituality, eternity, and devotion.
To the naked eye, the ocean and the sky both stretch on forever, reaching distances unfathomable without special seeing equipment. This definitely makes for a poetic diamond!
Other Colors: Fancy colored diamonds can also appear in shades of purple, brown, gray, and even red, each with its own unique appeal and price point.
Hollywood Stars and their Coloured Diamonds
Considering how unique, vibrant, and breathtaking coloured diamonds can be, it’s no wonder that many Hollywood stars are fascinated with these colourful diamonds.
Married in 2012, Blake Lively sports a beautiful and incredible 12-carat pink diamond, set solitaire-style from her husband, Ryan Reynolds. Valued at a staggering $2 million USD, Blake Lively considers the pink diamond ring one of her most prized possessions!
A prolific collector of coloured diamonds, Jennifer Lopez also wears her engagement ring from Ben Affleck. The 8.5-carat naturally green diamond, which Jennifer Lopez calls her “lucky colour,” is not the first coloured diamond Ben Affleck has gifted to her! When the couple first dated in 2002, Affleck gifted Lopez with a 6.1-carat pink diamond, though the engagement shortly fell through before they rekindled their romance 20 years later.
What Makes Coloured Diamonds an Investment?
It’s no secret that both due to steadily increasing demand and the dwindling supply of coloured diamonds, the price tag for these precious chromatic gems is slowly rising. Take the Argyle pink diamonds, for example, which are considered the rarest diamonds in the world! Over 90 percent of the world’s pink diamonds are mined at the Argyle diamond mine in Australia, which ceased all mining operations in November 2020.
Since the closure of the mine, prices everywhere for pink diamonds have skyrocketed to as much as $1 million per carat!
Over the past decade, coloured diamonds have shown a trend of increasing in price across the board. While some stones can be truly pricey, such as the Argyle pink diamonds, any purchase of a coloured diamond is sure to retain, and in most cases increase in value. Not only will you have owned an exquisite diamond, you will also have made a profit!
Distinguishing Between Natural and Lab-Grown Fancy Colored Diamonds
| Aspect | Natural Fancy Colored Diamonds | Lab-Grown Fancy Colored Diamonds |
| Origin | Formed over millions of years through natural geological processes | Cultivated in controlled lab environments using advanced tech |
| Rarity and Value | Extremely rare due to unique natural conditions; high market value | Generally more affordable |
| Inclusions and Flaws | Natural diamonds can carry inclusions and flaws formed during their extended geological journey, adding uniqueness. | The controlled environment often results in fewer inclusions, leading to stones with remarkable clarity |
| Ethical and Environmental | May raise ethical concerns | Considered ethically and environmentally conscious |
In conclusion, fancy colored diamonds are a testament to the marvels of nature’s artistic palette. Their rarity, vibrant hues, and ever-increasing value have cemented their place as some of the most coveted and enchanting treasures in the world of diamonds. Whether you’re an investor, a collector, or simply an admirer of beauty, the allure of fancy colored diamonds is undeniable, shining brightly as a testament to both nature’s brilliance and human passion.