Colored diamonds represent some of the most unique offerings of nature
and quickly capture the hearts and desires of those who undertake even a cursory
study of diamonds. The quest and passion for colored diamonds lies in their diversity
and rarity, making them highly prized and often even more valuable than many well
known certified diamonds. Colored diamonds come in virtually every hue from brilliant
white to opaque black. These natural colored diamonds result from chemical interactions
that take place during their formation deep in the earth, and the color diamonds
have depends on the specific elements that are present. more »
For example, colored diamonds that give off different hues of yellow and orange
usually have nitrogen molecules present. Green colored diamonds result from the
present of radiation during their formation (don’t worry – they’re no longer radioactive!),
while blue diamonds contain molecules of the chemical boron. Green diamonds are
incredible rare – on the average, only one new green diamond comes on the market
every year – making them exquisitely valuable for diamond jewelry.
Interestingly red diamonds – which are some of the rarest color diamonds – do not
typically have chemical impurities, but are the result of intense geologic pressure
that compresses the carbon molecules in an abnormal way.
Some three hundred different colored diamonds have been identified by gemologists.
These gems can vary a great deal in value; some “clear” or white diamonds may be
dramatically less in value when they have a yellowish tinge, whereas colored diamonds
that are intensely pink or blue can command high prices.
Other natural colored diamonds that are popular for use in diamond jewelry include
steel gray, purple (another incredibly rare variety), and brown. What is happening
with these diamonds is that the chemical impurities within the stones are absorbing
certain wavelengths of the light spectrum and reflecting others. This results in
the color that viewers perceive; it is similar to what causes human eyes perceive
a clear sky as being blue.
Today’s diamond jeweler is now starting to see increasing appreciation for black
color diamonds. These jewels reflect virtually all of the light that enters them,
giving them what some describe as a “hypnotic” effect on the viewer. Such black
diamonds also contain a wide range of modifying colors that can affect the opaque
sheen of the gem in unique ways.
When considering diamonds either as an investment or for mounting by a professional
diamond jeweler, remember that the “traditional” white, or clear diamonds are just
the tip of the iceberg. Contact GemFind today and we can arrange for you to view
samples of the wonderful different colored diamonds that are available.