While majority of engagement and wedding rings come with colourless, white precious stones, the world of diamonds is not limited to these. There are fancy coloured diamonds for those who prefer tinted gems on their jewellery and it’s gaining a lot of popularity among celebrities too.
So, if you are thinking of buying fancy coloured rings, here are some helpful information to guide you through the process.
- Colour Grading
In the same way that we look at the 4 Cs of diamond quality for colourless stones, we have to consider these grading standards for fancy coloured diamonds as well. The 4 Cs evaluate diamonds based on colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight. However, unlike the colour grading criteria for white diamonds, fancy coloured diamonds are graded based on increasing intensity. This means that the more intense the colour or the higher the saturation, the more rare and pricey the coloured diamond is.
Colour grades start from Faint to Fancy Deep. Diamonds.co.nz has variety of fancy colour diamonds ranging from red, blue, pink, yellow, orange, green, purple, violet, grey, and brown. Aside from varying intensities, the selections also include varying carat weights from 0.08 to 15.00, with one carat equals 0.200 grams (or 200 milligrams).
Diamonds that come in red, pink, green, blue, and their variations are the rarest colour diamonds. The second most common fancy colour diamond is the yellow variety, next to brown diamonds. Although brown diamonds are the most common fancy coloured diamonds and are the least expensive, they are not popular choices among these coloured gems. Recently though, brown diamond options are gaining more patronage as they are marketed in varieties of chocolate, champagne, and cognac, among others.
- Natural vs. Colour Enhanced
Another important distinction that you should know when shopping for fancy colour diamonds is whether the colour occurs naturally or it is enhanced or treated. This is why it is crucial to buy from a reputable dealer and to verify that the diamond you are buying is a natural fancy colour diamond or a colour enhanced diamond, also known as treated colour diamond.
Naturally fancy coloured diamonds are the rarest and most valuable. This means that the colour occurred in natural conditions, so the hue you see is the diamond’s colour before it was mined. There are a number of phenomenon that cause diamonds to get colours in natural conditions, including the presence of trace elements, radiation, mineral inclusions, and possible strain and colour zone defects.
Enhanced or treated colour diamonds are exposed to artificial colouring techniques. Enhancements can drastically change the value of the diamond. If you opt for a colour enhanced diamond, it would help to find reputable dealers who inform you that their precious stones have been exposed to coating, irradiation, or the application of high pressure and high temperature.
Enhanced diamonds also come at a lower price compared to their naturally coloured counterparts since they are created from cheaper diamonds. To tell the difference between a natural fancy coloured diamonds from a treated coloured diamond, you just need to check the saturation of colour. Usually, treated diamonds have very strong colours that make them appear like semi-precious coloured gems.
- Pricing
With fancy coloured diamonds, the rule of supply and demand dictates the prices. Being extremely rare, making up less than 0.1% of the total mined diamonds, natural fancy coloured diamonds are logically more expensive. But there are also varieties of fancy coloured diamonds that are more affordable and are even less pricey than white diamonds.
Now that you have come to know about fancy coloured diamonds, you are ready to look for that unique ring that your beloved can’t say no to.
