Not Just Natural: Colored Diamond Jewelry

Contrary to what we commonly know, diamond jewelries are not always clear. Colored diamonds are becoming more popular compared with the usual white and transparent diamonds even though naturally colored diamonds are more expensive. Some companies are giving some of their diamonds color treatment to make it more suitable for some customers, budget-wise.

Treating diamonds with color would be by inducing the stones into extremely high heat to change the color. It could also be painted. When appraising color-treated diamonds, they tend to be more affordable since the color are less intense compared with the natural ones.

There are different shades and colors for naturally colored diamonds. But there are popular color shades and combinations, they are the pink, blue, brown, yellow, orange, green and red. Interestingly, there are also black diamonds. Yellow colored diamonds are the most common, while those in red, blue and green are the rarest.

When buying naturally colored diamonds, they are evaluated and checked just like the white and transparent ones. The 4 Cs are still used in grading colored diamonds: cut, clarity, color and carat. However, the way or the factors how colored diamond are inspected are different.

• Color. Naturally colored diamonds’ value would depend on the intensity of its color and its hue. The more intense and vivid the color is, the value of the diamond also increases. There would be times when there are traces of other color. If the traces of the secondary color magnifies the beauty of the stone, then that would be great for the value of the stone. But if the underlying color is not complementing the main color, then it lowers down the diamond’s value.

• Cut. A diamond’s cut gives the brilliance to the diamond. The cut would enhance the intensity and the shade of the diamond’s color. Most colored diamonds are in round, oval, and princess cuts. There are also some that would be heart shaped and other unique shapes.

• Clarity. Clarity is important for white and transparent diamonds, but for naturally-colored diamonds they may not be as important.

• Carat. Carat is all about the weight of the diamond and not about the size. Of course, the bigger it is the heavier it will be. The heavier the colored diamond, the higher its value.

Just like when purchasing white diamonds, obtain a grading certificate from the retailer. Make sure that the certificate is issued by international laboratories like the IGI, GIA or EGL. This certification would be your assurance that what you have bought is indeed a natural colored diamond and not a stone that was tampered with.

The most popular colors would be in yellow and pink. There are celebrities who fancy wearing colored diamonds. Over the years, the demand for other colors is also increasing. Another subject of curiosity would be the black diamond which is sometimes associated with both luck and being unlucky. Most legends would say that black diamond jewelries are cursed and would bring bad fortune to those who own it. But different from other colored diamond jewelries, black diamonds are mainly used for industrial purposes.