They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but those are colorless diamonds set in engagement rings, pendants, and other diamond jewelry. Some of the most iconic and expensive diamonds in the world are not colorless, but naturally colored, which begs the question - How did they get their color? Keep reading to learn more about how these diamonds get their color, and where they can be found!
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How Do They Get Their Color
Diamonds are formed deep within the Earth, under extreme heat and extreme pressure, but only 1 in every 10,000 will come out as a naturally colored diamond. Each color has different trace minerals, as well as lattice defects, that cause them to gain their hues. Boron causes diamonds to be blue, nitrogen causes them to become yellow and orange, and imperfections in the arrangement of the atoms within the crystal, known as lattice defects, cause diamonds to become red and purple. These colored diamonds are evaluated using the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Colored Diamond Grading Report. From least to most valuable, colored diamonds can be: Faint, Very Light, Light, Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Dark, Fancy Deep, Fancy Intense, and Fancy Vivid.
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Where Do They Come From
Interestingly, different regions of the Earth tend to have higher chances of producing specific colors of diamonds. Africa is best known for supplying orange diamonds, but they also supply a small amount of green, yellow, and blue diamonds as well. Most of the blue diamonds, however, are found in Southern Asia, in India’s Golconda Region. As for purple diamonds, they are found in the most remote areas of Siberia, buried deep beneath the snow. The most notable supplier of naturally colored diamonds, though, is Australia’s Argyle Diamond Mine, which supplies 90% of the world’s pink diamonds.
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World Renown Colored Diamonds
Although colored diamonds have been increasing in popularity over the past decade, some of the most well-known, and expensive diamonds are naturally colored diamonds, which have histories that date back centuries ago. Probably the most well-known diamond worldwide is the Blue Hope Diamond, which is on display in the Smithsonian Institution. Another recognizable colored diamond is the Tiffany Yellow Diamond, which gained its popularity when it appeared in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Other famous colored diamonds include the Wittelsbach-Graff Blue Diamond, the Dresden Green Diamond, and the Pink Star Diamond, just to name a few.
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Increasing in Popularity and How You Can Get Them
Over the years the desire for naturally colored diamonds has been steadily rising. Whether it be due to their rare and one-of-a-kind nature, or their stable appreciation even in times of economic instability, the value of colored diamonds has appreciated 70% in the last decade! But not everyone has the wealth to spend millions of dollars on a single diamond. With the rise in popularity of colored diamonds, many new techniques have been developed to enhance the color of diamonds, or even change them completely. These processes allow consumers to get their hands on colored diamonds, but at a fraction of the cost!
Now that you know a little bit more about naturally colored diamonds, hopefully you can appreciate their beauty even more! These rare and magnificent gemstones are brilliant when colorless, but gain so much more allure when colored. Although naturally colored diamonds are outrageously priced, you can still get your hands on colored diamonds at a much more reasonable price. If you are interested and want more information about getting colored diamonds for yourself, click here!
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Learn all about the trendiest new thing within the diamond industry, and among collectors - naturally colored diamonds!!
