Fancy diamonds are naturally colored diamonds that are rare and valuable. They can be yellow, green, blue, brown, orange, pink, or red. The intensity of the color is graded, and the cut, clarity, and carat weight are also important factors in determining their value. Most colored diamonds on the market are artificially colored.
Fancy diamonds are diamonds that are richly colored, rather than clear or white. True fancy diamonds are rare, and most colored diamonds on the market are artificially colored through a variety of laboratory techniques. The value of this type of diamond can vary greatly, depending on the hue and intensity of the diamond, along with its cut and carat weight. The popularity of colored diamonds for formal jewelry has waxed and waned, although some of the world’s most famous diamonds, such as the Hope Diamond, are fanciful.
The unique colors of fancy diamonds are naturally caused by impurities in the stone. The high pressures diamonds are subjected to during their formation often admit impurities, which can detract from the price if they discolor the stone only slightly. If the impurities appear in large quantities, however, the diamond will be considered fancy and can command a very high price, especially if the color is rare. Both nitrogen and boron cause colors to appear in diamonds, as does irradiation, which causes the diamond to turn green. When artificially coloring diamonds in the laboratory, they are subjected to radiation, heat treatment or high pressure.
When grading a fancy diamond, the first thing to determine is the hue of the stone. The range of colors for diamonds includes yellow, green, blue, brown, orange, pink and red. Brown diamonds are sometimes listed as “claret” or “champagne” diamonds, because the brown color has a low selling value. After determining the hue of the diamond, the intensity of the color is graded. Many diamond graders use the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) scale, which starts with “weak” and moves through very light, clear, fancy light, fancy, fancy dark, fancy intense, fancy deep, and fancy vivid. A vivid patterned will have the richest color and tends to be more valuable.
Like other diamonds, fancy diamonds are graded using the four Cs of cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. The carat weight is the size of the diamond; in general, a diamond with a higher carat weight will be more valuable, especially if it has a strong color. Cut is also an important appraisal tool, because a cut can make or break a diamond in its setting. When cut well, the facets of a diamond will brilliantly reflect light, creating the dazzling effect on the eyes that most consumers associate with diamonds. If cut poorly, the diamond will appear dull and dull. The shape of the cut is also important and fancy diamonds are often cut into unusual shapes to enhance their natural beauty. Finally, the clarity of the diamond is examined. Clarity is not as important for these diamonds as it is for clear ones, but a high number of inclusions devalues the stone.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
