The Ultimate Guide to Colored Diamonds
Colored diamonds are a stylish choice. There is something exquisite about colored diamonds, especially in their opulent beauty, that enhances the wearer. Now, you might wonder how they have come to be.
Generally, you will find white diamonds adorning most jewelry pieces. Their dazzling looks can turn anyone's eye. However, there are various colored versions of diamonds that might interest you!
One fun fact about these vibrant diamonds is their rarity. The range goes from white to yellow, where all other colors fall in between. And these are determined by the standard GIA classification. On this scale, the white ones are considered "purer" than the colored ones. However, nature’s “less pure” imperfections and impurities result in stunning colors.
How Are Colored Diamonds Formed?
In total, there are around six distinctive colors for these fancy diamonds, and they are:
- Yellow
- Blue
- Green
- Red
- Black
- Purple
If there are trace elements in the diamonds, they absorb light, causing blue and yellow diamonds. These rich hues vary according to the intensity of light absorbed by the impurities and the angle of light absorption on different spectrums.
This means that your blue diamond turns out pale sky blue or a rich violet blue depending on the specific angle of the spectrum. Crystal structure and deformities, as well as irradiation, help diamonds undergo a color change, all with the help of light reflection and refraction.
6 Types of Colored Diamonds
While processing, cut clarity, and purity results in a diverse range of colored diamonds, there are six basic hues. And these hues, of course, darken or lightens the gems depending on the reasons mentioned above.
The hues are:
- Green diamonds
- Yellow diamonds
- Blue diamonds
- Red diamonds
- Black diamonds
- Purple-Pink diamonds
1. Green Diamonds
Green diamonds have an intense hue due to strong radiation. While radiation exposition is common among all diamonds, some jewelers expose these gemstones to more radiation to achieve a richer color.
Green diamonds are rare, making them a must-have piece of elegant jewelry. Larger green diamonds are a tad paler than medium-sized or small gemstones, so most connoisseurs opt for the smaller sizes with a more impeccable green finish.
Remember, only a handful of green diamonds are perfect enough to reach the stores. You will find them to be an admirable ornamental collectible.
2. Yellow Diamonds
The yellow color of diamonds comes from the impurities present inside these gemstones. These impurities are nitrogen content present since the formation of these gemstones and absorb light. Thus, they reflect a brilliant yellow tinge.
Now, the yellow tinge varies within the scale D-Z. Any diamond falling within the D to J scale has little to no traces of yellow, i.e., they are colorless.
On the other hand, the scales between K-M have mildly faint traces of yellow hues visible to the naked eye and untrained eye. And the range between N-Z holds a paler yellow hue but is not too attractive for buyers.
All in all, the fainter the shade, the more desirable a yellow diamond is to a jewelry enthusiast.
3. Blue Diamonds
Blue diamonds are the only ones that conduct electricity due to the presence of boron inside them. And the bluer these diamonds are, the more charming and popular they are to customers.
The boron traces react to heat to exude a brilliant blue color that ranges from blue-gray to a pure blue hue. However, it is not purity but the depth of blue that makes these diamonds valuable.
For example, the greyish-blue diamond with more traces and a better blue hue costs more than its pure blue counterpart.
4. Red Diamonds
When the atoms inside the diamond crystal shift around under excessive pressure during the gem's formation, it produces red diamonds. The reddish hues are due to structural flaws which prohibit the gem from absorbing red light.
These are not only the rarest colored diamonds but also the most expensive ones among these vibrantly-hued gems.
5. Black Diamonds
If a regular diamond is too flawed, it loses its sparkle, resulting in a black diamond. This means black diamonds are just faulty white diamonds with more impurities inside that block light from reflecting out to create the white look! However, nature's imperfection is a fashion statement; black diamonds are a stylish choice for someone looking for something unique.
6. Purple Diamonds
If a red diamond has high amounts of hydrogen, it forms a purple diamond. These gemstones have higher traces of hydrogen. Purple diamonds are a beautiful choice for engagement rings.
Explore Luxury Colored Diamonds
In conclusion, colored diamonds result from different chemical inclusions, deformities, and stress on the gemstone during formation. And depending on their values, they can be collectors' prized possession or wedding showstoppers.
To know more about these elegant gemstones, speak with Wabby’s today!
