Naturally colored diamonds are an incredible sight! The deep grey/blue color of the Hope Diamond or Jennifer Lopez’s 6.10ct pink diamond engagement ring with Ben Affleck give us a wow-experience! But, what exactly is a naturally colored diamond, and why is it so special?
Natural Fancy colored diamonds are truly the rarest of the rare! In fact, only 1 in 10,000 diamonds have a fancy color, according to the Gemological Institute of America. They come in a rainbow of colors with red, pink, green, purple, orange, and blue being the most-rare.
Here are the causes of color:
· Red, Pink, Purple, and Brown – Slight changes in the crystal structure
· Blue – The presence of Boron
· Yellow and Orange – The presence of Nitrogen
· Green – Radiation exposure that displaces the carbon atoms from their normal positions in the crystal structure. Green diamonds are often looked at with suspicion because it is difficult to tell if the radiation exposure happened in the ground while developing or as a treatment after it was mined.
· Black – Large quantities of mineral inclusions like graphite, pyrite, or hematite
Diamonds can be treated after they are mined to change the color of a diamond, and the two main ways are Irradiation and High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT). These diamond treatments bring the cost of a colored diamond significantly and make them more plentiful and cost effective to use in fashion jewelry. Treating diamonds for color isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but they must be disclosed in the sales presentation and paperwork.
I would love to help you with a fancy, colored diamond! Angela Cisneros Jewelry Concierge brings back the joy and confidence of jewelry shopping, so that you can celebrate with ease! My by-appointment approach means:
One-on-one appointments (personal attention and no crowds!)
Discretion and privacy (surprises remain surprises!)
Expert help from a Graduate Gemologist with 26 years of experience (yep, that’s me!)
Learn more about me and my process: www.AngelaCisneros.com
Book your FREE appointment with me today! www.AngelaCisneros.com/book-appointment
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