Truly beautiful colored diamonds have been found in every color of the rainbow, and are a decidedly different animal than the more commonly seen colorless diamonds. Colored diamonds exist beyond the boundary of the D-Z diamond color scale and are usually much more valuable than diamonds of light color saturation.

There is a big difference between a true colored diamond and other precious colored stones. The true difference exists in the chemical composition of the stones. Diamonds are made of highly compressed carbon whereas emeralds are made of beryllium, and rubies and sapphires are made of alumina. The varying chemical compositions of these stones affects their hardness. Diamonds is the hardest material on earth, which makes it exceptionally resistant to surface damage. This trait, combined with it’s rarity, yields the most precious stone known to man.

Colored diamonds are graded using modified versions of the same 4 C’s that evaluators use for colorless diamonds. Obviously the most significantly different C is color. Different labs have different ways of describing and naming the colors of diamonds. Some labs use solid colors printed on paper to name color, while other labs use a set of master stones to compare colors. There are inherent problems with each approach. Comparing a lustrous and three-dimensional diamond to an opaque color on a piece of paper can cause some disagreement. The simple differences in the variations of color in a diamond make it hard to pin stones down to one, solid color. Using master stones is difficult because, due to the price, rarity and infinite color variety of colored diamonds, no lab can ever have a complete set of masters.

Pricing for colored diamonds can be astounding. It is well known that they are typically more expensive than colorless diamonds, but the truth is that the range is huge. A brown diamond (sometimes called a cognac diamond or, on the lighter and more yellow end, a champagne diamond) can be anywhere in the range of $1,500 – $3,500 per carat. In the middle of the scale are diamonds that are greenish-blue and purple-red. These diamonds typically fetch between $500,000 and $700,000 per carat. The very top of the scale is where red, intense purple and intense green diamonds sit. The extreme rarity (less than ten are found each year) and high color saturation of these colored diamonds give them a market value of $1,000,000 or more per carat.

Needless to say, you better have some serious coin to invest in color diamonds.

James has more than a passing interest in fine diamonds and precious metals. He has been studying diamonds for many years, beginning with the purchase of his wife’s engagement ring. To learn more about what to look for in diamonds, visit his site at Unique Diamonds. You will find a wealth of information about purchasing the diamond of your’s or your loved one’s dreams.

When looking for that perfect diamond for you, it is important to have someone you can trust and that is involved in the diamond trade. James can guide you with people that stand behind and guarantee their diamonds.

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