| When it's time to buy diamonds, we spend a | | | | undertone that enhances the color of a stone is |
| significant amount of time looking for gemstone | | | | considered a plus. On the other hand, a secondary |
| qualities that suit our style, needs and budget. | | | | undertone that detracts from the color is a |
| Factors such as cut, clarity, settings and metal | | | | negative. For example, a purplish pink diamond can |
| are all taken into account. Color also plays an | | | | be worth more than one that is just pink. A |
| important role in our search because any tint in a | | | | brownish tint in a pink stone will usually decrease |
| white diamond will make it less desirable. But what | | | | it's value, making it more affordable. |
| about the stones on the other end of the | | | | The Grading Chart |
| spectrum? The ones that are highly sought after | | | | Loose colored diamonds are graded based on two |
| for their vibrant hues? Known as fancy color | | | | factors. The first is their basic hue, such as red, |
| diamonds, these gems exist in a rainbow of | | | | pink, blue, green or yellow. The second is based |
| yellows, pinks, reds, greens, blues, purples and all | | | | on their intensity. Both of these characteristics |
| shades in between. If you are looking for loose | | | | form the basis for determining the value of a |
| colored diamonds, here is what you need to | | | | fancy color gemstone. The more intense the |
| know. | | | | color, the rarer and more expensive it will be. |
| Just How Rare Are They? | | | | When grading colored stones, the GIA uses nine |
| Fancy hued gemstones are extremely rare and | | | | grade categories. |
| expensive. Considering the journey a colored | | | | - Faint |
| stone takes before reaching the market, it's no | | | | - Very light |
| wonder they are so highly valued. Diamonds are | | | | - Light |
| formed 75-120 miles below the earth's surface | | | | - Fancy light |
| and are carried to the surface by kimberlite pipes | | | | - Fancy |
| in volcanic eruptions. All natural stones are over a | | | | - Fancy dark |
| billion years old with most of these eruptions | | | | - Fancy intense |
| occurring a million years ago. In order to extract | | | | - Fancy deep |
| the diamond from the ore, it has to be crushed | | | | - Fancy vivid |
| with great care so as not to destroy large stones. | | | | Let's Talk Prices |
| Only a very small fraction of the diamond ore | | | | Vibrant red diamonds are the rarest and most |
| consists of actual diamonds. It is estimated that | | | | valuable of the colored stones. One of the highest |
| approximately 20 percent of colorless diamonds | | | | per carat prices ever paid was for a purplish red |
| are gem quality. Of that 20 percent, 1 out of | | | | gemstone weighing just over 0.95 carats. Sold at |
| 10,000 is naturally colored. | | | | auction in 1987, it brought an astounding $926,000 |
| The Color Scheme | | | | per carat. More recently, a 5.11 carat red diamond |
| Colorless gemstones are made of 100 percent | | | | is said to have sold privately for $8 million. |
| carbon. For a stone to be naturally colored, it | | | | However, not all loose colored diamonds sell for |
| must come in contact with another mineral, which | | | | such extravagant prices. Here are some round |
| in turn reacts to the carbon, producing a colored | | | | numbers for highly saturated stones at the |
| hue in the stone. The specific shade it takes on | | | | minimum price per carat: |
| will depend on what element is reacting with the | | | | - Brown - $1,000 |
| carbon. | | | | - Black - $2,000 |
| - If hydrogen is present, this will produce unique | | | | - Grey - $3,000 |
| violet hues. | | | | - Cognac-olive - $4,000 |
| - If boron is present, this will produce blue shades, | | | | - Yellow - $10,000 |
| ranging from deep blue to sky blue. | | | | - Orange - $30,000 |
| - If nitrogen is present, this will produce yellow or | | | | - Pink-blue - $100,000 |
| orange shades. | | | | - Bluish green, greenish blue - $400,000 |
| - If tremendous pressure is exerted on a | | | | - Purple, purplish red - $500,000 |
| diamond deep in the earth, this can abnormally | | | | - Red, intense purple, intense green - $1,000,000 |
| compress it's structure and create a red, pink, | | | | Elusive and highly priced, finding loose colored |
| purple or brown stone. | | | | diamonds can be likened to finding a needle in a |
| - When radiation is present during the creation of | | | | haystack. If you happen to be on the receiving |
| a stone, this will result in green hues. | | | | end of one of these gems, consider yourself |
| It is interesting to note that a secondary | | | | lucky. |