------> see also pink diamonds

In addition to the usual white diamonds in which any hint of color reduces the value of the diamond, there are fancy color diamonds which are extremely rare in nature, but command a much higher price due to their rarity.  In nature, fancy color diamonds are  formed due to the presence of trace elements in the diamonds at the time of formation.  Fancy yellow color diamonds, for example, are formed due to the presence of nitrogen in the diamond. Green color diamonds are  formed when there is radiation present during the formation of the diamond.

Inclusions in a white diamond are undesirable, but they can create unique flashes of color in fancy color diamonds.  Fancy color diamonds are found in many colors, including red, pink, purple, blue, green, yellow and all intervening colors.  Scientists now can manipulate less desirable diamonds to arrive at the beautiful synthetic color diamonds. It should be noted that it is the color that is synthetic, having been created in a laboratory, not the diamonds that are synthetic.  In either case, the information on the origin of the diamond should be disclosed. Simply put, affordable color diamonds are not likely to be a natural fancy color diamond.

Fancy color diamonds are usually smaller than other gemstones and are often found in fashion jewelry.  The most common fancy color diamonds are yellow.   Color diamonds in green, blue or red are extremely rare.  Color names for the diamonds always use the main color as the noun name color, such as a pink diamond.  A secondary color will be expressed as an adjective with the suffix 'ish'.  So a yellowish orange diamond is one which is orange with tints of yellow.  If both colors are expressed as nouns, there is not one color predominant over the other.

The color grading for fancy colors is different from that of white diamonds.  There are two factors which enter into fancy color grading.  The first is the basic color, of course such as green or red.  The second grading factor is the intensity of the color.  Both factors form the standard for grading the worth of the fancy color diamond.  Generally more intense colors are rarer and thus more costly.  So a fancy vivid green diamond will be more expensive than a fancy light green diamond if the other Four C's factors are similar.

The color saturation scale for fancy colors has nine categories or grades used by such laboratories as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).  These include Faint, Very Light, Light, Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Dark, Fancy Intense, Fancy Deep, Fancy Vivid.

PINK DIAMONDS

One of the rarest and most beautiful diamond colors is pink diamonds.  Natural fancy color diamonds are rare enough, but the pink diamonds are perhaps one of the rarest and most desirable colors.  At approximately 185 carats, the Darya-i-Nur diamond is a significant part of the Iranian Crown Jewels and is a light pink color.

Natural pink diamonds are so scare that the majority of jewellers have never even viewed one and will never actually possess one.  Scientists are now able to use treatment processes to change the color of some gemstones to pink, and the enhanced diamonds are more affordable, but the natural pink diamonds are the ones which are so intriguing because of their rarity.

Pink diamonds are the rarest in the world.  Only one of the top sixty-six largest diamonds in the world is pink.  The Argyle mine located in Australia has been producing quite a few fancy color diamonds recently, including pink diamonds. About 90% of the world's supply of this fancy color diamond originate in the Argyle mine of Australia.

Pink diamonds are even more cosly than near colorless white diamonds of the same grade.  Some pink diamond prices are simply astonomical. Even enhanced diamonds with the pink hue are more costly than white diamonds of like quality. Of course, pale pinks are less espensive than the vivid pinks.

With the fancy color diamonds as with the white diamonds, the cut is absolutely critical in presenting the beauty, brilliance and scintillation to its best advantage. It is difficult to describe color adequately, but anyone who has viewed a pink diamond seems to want to possess one, making them very popular at the present time.

As with any of the diamonds, color diamonds in shades of pink can be cut in nearly any shape, The most popular of the shapes, no matter what color the diamond is has traditionally been the round brilliant cut.  This is true of pink diamonds as well as others.

The heart shape, which is a modification of the round brilliant shape, is also popular for a pink diamond.  In fact, the heart shape, as well as some of the other fancy cuts, lends itself well to the fancy color diamonds.  The heart shape is a prime example.

An octagonal shape diamond uses a step-cut such as the emerald cut.  The octagonal shape can also be done as a radiant cut.  Many jewellers prefer the radiant cut, in order to display the diamond to better advantage.

The pear shape is another adaptation of the round brilliant cut.  This is another shape which is more attractive with the fancy colored stones.

The princess cut is a successful modern cut for diamonds.  It displays a square shape but has the brilliance of the classical brilliant cut and sets off the pink color diamonds to maximum advantage.
Another modification of the round brilliant cut is the navette or marquise cut.  This is a beautiful display of any diamond, but particularly of any of the fancy color stones, including pink.