Colored Diamonds
The most beautiful natural colored diamonds relate to white diamonds in the same way a Ferrari relates to a BMW: Rare, exotic, and expensive.
Less than one percent of the thousands of diamonds graded by the GIA annually receive a natural ‘fancy color’ grade.
The criteria to establish value when considering colored diamonds should be re-aligned because unlike white diamonds that increase in value for their absence of color, ‘fancy colors’ are desired precisely because of the intensity of color.
White diamond colors are classified on a D to Z color scale, with D being whitest and Z denoting a yellow hue. Once color grade goes beyond 'Z' and the yellow hue turns to canary [fancy yellow] diamonds become more rare, beautiful and valuable.
Color 'intensity' is described by the GIA in ascending order of rarity and value:
1. faint
2. very light
3. light
4. fancy light
5. fancy
6. fancy intense
7. fancy vivid
8. fancy deep
The GIA describes color in many interesting ways with infinite possibilities.
Examples:
orangish yellow, greenish yellow, purplish pink, bluish green, brownish orangy pink:
Often described as ‘canary’ yellow diamonds are more reasonably priced than pinks, blues, greens, purples and reds.
Variations in color are caused by the presence of different natural trace elements at the time the diamond crystallized under enormous heat and pressure millions of years ago.
Yellow diamonds have nitrogen in their atomic structure, blues have boron, pinks - titanium etc.
When cutting colored diamonds, the priority is to achieve deep, even color distribution and often unusual proportions, facet lengths and angles are used to optimize color and brilliance.
Clarity in a fancy colored diamond is secondary to color, and the GIA will certify "color only" for a fancy color diamonds if they are asked to do so.
Each fancy colored diamond has its own unique charm and should be judged and selected based on whether it speaks to you rather than because of the technical details on a certificate.