In 1817, R.J. Hauy, an eminent French mineralogist, wrote "Gems are the flowers of the mineral kingdom .... fancy color diamonds are the orchids." Fancy color diamonds, like orchids, are truly exotic and rare beauties of nature.


Yellows, reds, pinks, purples, blues and greens are not what you expect from diamonds. Anyone who has studied the 4 Cs can tell you, "When it comes to diamonds, the less color .... the better." While this is true, it is only true up to a point. Slight traces of color can be annoying and detract from a diamond's beauty and value. But when a diamond sparkles with brilliant, intense color, it is a gem of great rarity and beauty. These extraordinary gems are known as "fancy color diamonds."
Fancy color yellow diamonds in hand-crafted platinum ring.

The rarest and most valuable colored diamonds are vibrant reds. In fact, one of the highest per-carat prices ever paid for a diamond was for a purplish red stone weighing just over 0.95 carats. Sold at auction in 1987, this fiery beauty brought an astounding $926,000 per carat. More recently, a 5.11 carat red diamond is rumoured to have sold privately for $8 million. However, not all fancy color diamonds sell for such colorful prices (please excuse the pun).

Fancy color diamonds attain high values because of their great rarity and the attraction they have for gemstone collectors and connoisseurs. It has been estimated that only one out every 10,000 natural diamonds is a fancy color. Among natural colored diamonds the rarest shades are red, pink and green. More common are various shades of yellow and brown.

If a natural red diamond does not fit your budget or your color scheme, you may want to consider one of the more affordable, but equally striking alternatives. Pink diamonds from the Argyle mines in Australia are stunning when set in platinum. Yellow diamonds make striking center stones, especially when set between two smaller colorless diamonds. And purple and blue diamonds will capture you with a unique mystique all their own. While these shades are not as rare as red diamonds, they are just as beautiful and desirable.


A brilliant fancy intense blue diamonds set in a hand-crafted platinum ring.

Evaluating Fancy Color Diamonds - the 5 Cs

When evaluating a fancy color diamond, the 4 Cs are still important, as is the fifth C - cost. However, for colored diamonds some of the rules change.

Color, Color, Color

The most important factor in evaluating a fancy color diamond is, of course, the richness and beauty of the color. A number of grading systems exist for colored diamonds, but the most prevalent is a 9-tiered scale developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The GIA grading scale ranges from "Faint" and "Very Light," which strictly speaking are not fancy color grades, to "Fancy Deep" and "Fancy Vivid" where the saturation and intensity of the color just reaches out and grabs you.
Fancy intense purplish-pink diamond set in a hand-crafted platinum ring.

When considering a fancy color diamond, it is important to acquire an origin-of-color report from the GIA or one of the other qualified gemological laboratories. This report will indicate whether the diamond's color is natural or the result of human intervention. The report will also indicate the diamond's color grade. But, do not buy a diamond solely based on a grading report. Even within a color grade, diamonds will be found in a variety of shades and with many subtle variations in hue, tone and saturation. Beauty in a diamond is like beauty anywhere, it is in the eye of the beholder. Always examine and compare fancy color diamonds firsthand before purchasing one.


Vivid yellow emerald-cut diamond ring.

Cut

Diamond cutting is a demanding and precise craft requiring a blend of artistry and technical mastery. All diamonds should have a pleasing outline and a beautifully balanced arrangement of facets. But, that is where the similarities between well-cut fancy color and colorless diamonds end.

When cutting a fancy color diamond, a master diamond cutter strives to enhance the intensity and beauty of the stone's color. Thus, the angles, proportions and arrangement of the facets are set to lengthen the path of the light passing through the stone. The further a light ray travels through a colored diamond, the more it picks up and deepens the stone's color.

In contrast, for colorless or near-colorless diamonds the goal is to maximize the brilliance of the stone and minimize the effect of any trace colors. This is accomplished by shortening the path of light as it is reflected within the stone.

What are often called "ideal cuts" for colorless diamonds may not be ideal for a fancy color stone. While round brilliants are the most common cut for colorless diamonds, among fancy color diamonds square radiants and ovals are the most prevalent.

Trilliant yellow diamond set in a hand-engraved platinum ring.

Clarity

Like cut, the clarity of a fancy color diamond is usually less important than the color. Although large and obvious inclusions can detract from a colored diamond's beauty, they are often masked or partially hidden by the intensity of the diamond's color. Compared to colorless stones, clarity is less of a factor in determining the value of a colored diamond.

Carat Weight

Fancy color diamonds tend to be smaller stones, usually weighing less than a carat. Larger fancy color diamonds are much rarer than their colorless cousins and, as a result, are significantly more valuable. As the size of fancy color diamonds increases, their costs increase very rapidly. The good news is that even smaller well-cut stones can display beautiful, intense colors.


Oval diamond set with 6 brilliant pink diamonds in a custom rose gold and platinum ring.

Cost

The fifth C is cost. The value of colored diamonds is largely determined by the color and weight of the stone. In the lower color grades of "Light" and "Faint," colored diamonds usually trade for no or only a slight premium over near-colorless stones of comparable weight, cut and clarity. The relatively low premium for these stones reflects the weak, washed out appearance of their color. When set in a jewel, the color in these stones is often masked by the color of the surrounding precious metal.

In the middle color grades, "Fancy" through "Fancy Intense," there are many fancy color diamonds that are beautiful and can be found in affordable sizes. These diamonds are wonderful additions to any gemstone collection and striking center stones when set in a custom designed jewel.

As diamonds approach the top color grades, "Fancy Deep" and "Fancy Vivid," their rarity and cost increases sharply. However, these diamonds are truly striking and worth acquiring, if they are within your budget.


Yellow radiant-cut diamond with heart-shape diamonds in a custom platinum ring.

Synthetic and Treated Colored Diamonds

The great value of fancy color diamonds has enticed many modern-day alchemists to try to recreate these rare and beautiful gems in their laboratories. As scientific knowledge of the origins of natural fancy color diamonds increases, the efforts to create synthetic and treated colored diamonds become more successful.

Synthetic diamonds are artificial diamonds that have been created in a laboratory. By varying the heat and pressure during formation, adding foreign elements, and irradiating the finished crystals, synthetic diamonds can be made to imitate natural colored stones. There is currently a wide spectrum of synthetic colored diamonds available.

Treated diamonds are natural diamonds that started out with an unappealing or slightly off color. By exposing these less desirable stones to the same high-tech alchemy used to create synthetic colored diamonds, the apparent color and appearance of these diamonds can be significantly improved. Recently we have seen treated diamonds with vibrant yellowish green, red and blue colors enter the market.

Natural fancy color diamonds are significantly more valuable and rarer than comparable treated or synthetic stones. Although treated and synthetic diamonds can be beautiful in their own right, the origin of their color should be fully disclosed by the seller. They should also cost significantly less than natural diamonds. Ethical practice and the law require that synthetic gemstones and treatments be fully disclosed to consumers. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. As always, be careful!

Platinum wedding bands with pink fancy color diamonds.

A Word of Advice

Fancy color diamonds are among the rarest and most beautiful gemstones. They are, like orchids, true treasures of nature!

Acquiring a colored diamond requires a special expertise. In light of the recent advancements in creating treated and synthetic diamonds and the sometimes deceptive practices of sellers, you may want to seek guidance from an impartial expert. An independent gemologist/appraiser, with a knowledge of fancy color diamonds and the diamond markets, can help you acquire a stunning diamond of high value at a fair price. As always, education and expertise are your best protection against the games and shenanigans in the diamond market place.

The options available for purchasing a diamond are almost limitless. The consumer can choose between mall discount stores, independent retail jewelers, home shopping channels and even diamond vendors on the internet. Deciding where to shop for a diamond is almost as difficult as deciding which diamond to buy.

One alternative which is gaining popularity among consumers is to hire a diamond broker. The legitimate diamond broker acts as your representative to help you locate and purchase a diamond of high quality and value. The broker does not own the diamonds, but acts as your agent to find just the right gemstone in one of the alternative markets. Among these alternative markets are private sales, auctions, diamond cutters and wholesalers. For this service the broker charges a preset fee.

The advantages of working with a diamond broker are three-fold: lower cost, higher quality and time saved.

1. Lower Cost - By working with a broker the consumer is in effect buying a diamond from a cutter, dealer or wholesaler. The total cost to the consumer is the wholesale cost of the stone plus the broker's fee, usually an additional 10 to 20% of the wholesale cost. This is significantly less than the typical 50 to 200% retail mark-ups.

2. Higher Quality - A qualified diamond broker is an expert in the grading and evaluation of diamonds. The broker assures that the stone you are buying has been accurately graded and is fairly priced. As an expert in the diamond markets, the broker also knows where to go to get just the right gems to meet your needs.

3. Time Saved - At Bijoux Extraordinaire when we broker a diamond for a client we locate the best 3 or 4 diamonds that meet the client's desires. We then have the diamonds shipped to our offices where the client can examine each stone and select the one that he/she likes the most. This saves you the time and frustration of "shopping around" and mentally trying to compare diamonds from different stores.

Once you have decided to work with a diamond broker, your next challenge is find one who is qualified and will work diligently for you. In my next artcile I will discuss how you select a qualified diamond broker, but for now I offer a few words of caution.

Caveat emptor! Not all diamond brokers are created equal.

Increasing consumer interest in working with a diamond broker (and saving time and money) has lead some unscrupulous retailers and diamond merchants to misrepresent themselves as brokers working for the public.

Whether you are shopping at the mall, in an independent jewelry store or on the internet, you should be wary of vendors offering to sell you "diamonds at or below wholesale cost." Often times they are merely selling stones they have purchased for inventory and are misrepresenting the quality grade and wholesale value of the diamonds.

A true diamond broker does not own the diamonds they help a client purchase. The broker's responsibility is to help the client locate and purchase the best diamond available in the marketplace.

Bijoux Extraordinaire is a practice of diamond and jewelry experts who can help you purchase a beautiful diamond of high quality and value. Among the services we offer are diamond brokering, custom jewelry design and jewelry appraisals. For more information about our diamond brokering services, please visit our Diamond and Gemstone Brokering page.

Although the round diamond shape is the most popular shape of all there are many fascinating and beautiful alternatives.

Use this list to familiarize yourself with the top 10 diamond shapes before deciding to buy a diamond ring. For illustrated examples of all these shapes see the Diamond Ring Tutorial in the resource box.

Asscher

Named after the Asscher brothers of Holland at the turn of the 20th century, this square diamond shape has an almost octagonal appeal.

Cushion

If you want to be a little different, this is the shape for you. Cushion shaped diamonds can be almost square or slightly elongated giving a soft pillow shape.

Emerald

Emerald shapes are normally cut to a rectangular outline but some can be cut more square. Get advice from the supplier regarding length to width ratios.

Heart

Regarded by many as the most romantic of all the shapes, skilled cutting is necessary to maintain the diamond’s brilliance due to the complexity of the shape.

Marquise

If you want to flatter the finger and make it appear longer choose the Marquise. It’s shape is elongated with tapering points at the ends.

Oval

Another shape to flatter and accentuate a slender finger. Being similar to the Round shape, it has brilliance and fire.

Pear

This teardrop shape is regarded by many as very feminine. The cut is very important with a Pear shape so the light is reflected evenly, especially at the point.

Princess

This shape has the distinction of being the most popular next to the Round shape. It boasts clean, dazzling, square lines.

Radiant

The radiant shape is similar to the Princess but can be more rectangular. It combines the classic Emerald cut with Round.

Round

By far this is the most popular shape of all. The 306 degree symmetrical shape contributes to the dazzling brilliance of this shape. It suits almost every kind of mounting.

For more information on all these shapes plus the four c’s – cut, clarity, color, carat, consult the tutorial listed below:

What is it about a pair of diamond earrings, or a solitaire diamond ring that makes women around the world, "oooh" and "aahh" to it? Why is it that a diamond tiara is used to honor the most beautiful woman in the world year after year? What is it about a diamond that its beauty continues to astonish us?

A diamond lives for eternity, it is said. It's the ultimate symbol of love, used by men around the world to confess their undying love for a woman! The capacity of a diamond to make a woman feel cherished, loved and special is one to which no gem can compare. It's a feeling so unique, so different, and so exquisite, it's unexplainable.

Jewelry has been known to enhance a woman's beauty, and even add a finishing touch to her ensemble! Be it for a Saturday night party, or for a classy wedding, jewelry adds that special "zing" to an outfit. More often that not, the jewelry on a woman is more likely to draw someone's attention than the outfit itself. It can be a simple gold chain, or a more elaborate and stylish diamond necklace, but at the end of the day, it holds it all together. Jewelry can say a lot about your personality, it's said. You can either be flamboyant with bold tastes in your jewelry or you can be simplistic in your essence. But it can safely be said that while jewelry can have compliments coming your way, it's really diamond jewelry that can make you the envy of any party!

Diamond jewelry is always going to be the flavour of the season. Be it antique diamond jewelry or contemporary diamond jewelry, it somehow never goes out of fashion!

What is so fantastic about diamond jewelry is its versatility. It can be expression for appreciation, tradition, and most importantly one of love. It can be a graduation present for your daughter, or a Mother's day present for your mom. Diamond jewelry enchants, bedazzles and bewitches. It's the perfect gift for any occasion. But what makes a diamond really beautiful, is its design. Like the two halves of a heart, a diamond and its design will be incomplete without each other.

A diamond is testimonial to the fact that nature even its crudest form, is beautiful enough to stun us all. But the fire, the brilliance, and the beauty of diamond jewelry can meet its match, only when the perfect woman wears it. Make the perfect woman in your life, feel more beautiful, more enriched, and simply wonderful with the best gift she can have. Show her that just like diamonds, your love for her will too last for eternity.

The large range of diamond jewelry often makes it very difficult for men to decide what type of jewelry to purchase for their loved ones.

Diamonds symbolize love, commitment and friendship, which makes it hard to choose the right piece of jewelry from the large variety of Diamond rings, Diamond earrings, Diamond pendants, Diamond necklaces, Diamond bracelets and of course Loose diamonds - which are always perfect since they can be set in any type of jewelry.

We can't choose the perfect diamond jewelry for you but we can help you with 5 easy steps:

Step 1- Knowing what she likes:
Narrow down the type of jewelry she likes to wear by observing the jewelry she wears in general, and on different occasions. The jewelry she wears may vary.

For example, her daytime jewelry may be different from the jewelry she wears when she goes out or to formal occasions.

Step 2- Knowing the color and size of the jewelry she wears:
Now that you have noticed the type of jewelry that she likes, it's time to look closely at the details of her jewelry style. The first thing you should check is if she likes White gold, Yellow gold or Rose gold. You should also check if she prefers conservative or flashy jewelry.

For example, her earrings. Are they small and conservative like studs or are the big and detailed like chandelier or hoop earrings.

Step 3- Knowing her ring size (if you are buying a ring):
Knowing her ring size makes her ring perfect for many reasons, one of which is the fact that she can wear her ring right away. Another reason is saving the hassle of having the ring resized.

Step 4- Learning about diamonds:
Learning about diamonds will help you choose and understand the quality and prices of diamonds.

Learning about the Four C's will help you understand- Color, Clarity, Carat and Cut, and choose the perfect diamond.

Step 5- Begin shopping:
Now you have an idea for her perfect gift and you can start shopping. We recommend looking online at diamond jewelry websites.

Don't forget!
Buying diamond jewelry is an investment. Now that you are educated in diamond jewelry, you can finally give her the perfect gift.

Good luck !!

Researchers have discovered evidence indicating that Chinese craftsmen might have learned to use diamonds for the grinding and polishing of ceremonial stone burial axes, as far back as 6,000 years ago. Prior to this most recent discovery, scientists had put the earliest use of diamonds at around 500 BCE.

The findings were reported in the February 2005 issue of the journal Archaeometry. The research also represents the only known prehistoric use of corundum, the mineral group that encompasses ruby and sapphire.

One of the researchers, Peter J. Lu, a graduate student in physics at Harvard University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, studied four ceremonial axes, ranging in size from 13 to 22 centimeters, found at the tombs of wealthy individuals. Three of these axes, dating to the Sanxingcun culture of 4000 BCE to 3800 BCE and the later Liangzhu culture, came from the Nanjing Museum in China; the fourth, was discovered at a Liangzhu culture site in Zhejiang Province.

The stones which comprise forty percent corundum - second only to diamond in hardness - must in all probability have been finished with diamond. "It had been assumed that quartz was used to grind the stones, but it struck me as unlikely that such a fine finish could be the product of polishing with quartz sand," says Lu. Using an atomic force microscope to examine the polished surfaces at nanometer resolution, he determined that the axe's original, exceptionally smooth surface most closely resembled - although was still superior to - modern polishing with diamond. "What's most amazing about these mottled brown and grey stones is that they have been polished to a mirror-like luster. It's absolutely remarkable that with the best polishing technologies available today, we couldn't achieve a surface as flat and smooth as was produced 5,000 years ago."

The use of diamonds by Liangzhu craftsmen is geologically credible. Diamond deposits exist within 150 miles of where the burial axes studied by Lu were found. These ancient workers might have sorted diamonds from gravel using an age-old technique where wet diamond-bearing gravels are run over a greased surface such as a fatty animal hide; only the diamonds adhere to the grease.

Lu's co-authors are Paul M. Chaikin of New York University; Nan Yao of Princeton University; Jenny F. So of the Chinese University of Hong Kong; George E. Harlow of the American Museum of Natural History; and Lu Jianfang and Wang Genfu of the Nanjing Museum. The work was supported primarily by Harvard University's Asia Center, with additional support from MRSEC grants and Princeton University's Department of Physics.

Birth of a Legend

The prestigious US magazine, Advertising Age, in its January 1999 edition, proclaimed "A Diamond is Forever", the most recognized and effective slogan of the twentieth century. Today, diamond engagement rings are commonplace, but were it not for a single company and its drive to dominate the diamond industry, history would have turned out differently.

Diamonds are not as rare as many people think; they are certainly not the rarest of gemstones - that honor goes to rubies - but they are the hardest. The illusion of diamond scarcity and its instant association with the concepts of romance and affluence can be traced back to a successful meeting in New York between Harry Oppenheimer and the president of N.W. Ayer & Son, Gerold M. Lauck, in September 1938.

Harry Oppenheimer was the son of the founder of the company that would become the most successful cartel of the twentieth century - De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd. The South African company incorporated in 1888, during the burgeoning local diamond rush. At its formation and over the ensuing years, De Beers would successfully acquire countless interests in diamond mines and production facilities throughout the world.

The gift of love

N.W. Ayer & Son, a leading advertising agency in the United States, and the young Oppenheimer,encouraged by his bankers, sought to reverse the declining price of diamonds with a well-funded advertising campaign. Europeans were not yet taken with the idea of purchasing engagement rings featuring diamonds as the gemstone of choice. Moreover, impending war in Europe forced Oppenheimer and his bankers to promote their interests in their biggest market - the United States. At the time of the meeting with Ayer, three quarters of the cartel's diamonds were being sold there. But difficulties beleaguered this market too; diamonds were of an inferior quality to those sold in Europe, and prices were low - an average of $80 per stone.

Oppenheimer told Ayer that De Beers had not approached any other agencies and that if Ayer's plan was accepted, it would become the exclusive agency for promoting De Beers' interests in the United States. This shrewd tactic proved to be a strong motivating factor for N.W. Ayer, and after extensive research, the agency proposed a campaign to "channel American spending toward larger and more expensive diamonds".

To achieve this goal, Ayer further recommended strengthening the association of diamonds with romance. Young men, who purchased 90% of engagement rings, would be bombarded with the idea that diamonds were the gift of love. The first campaign aimed at men was launched in 1939 emphasizing the male's business savvy. Women, too, would be targeted with the idea that no courtship would be complete without a sparkling diamond. Famous houses of worship were featured in follow up advertisements, establishing a link between diamonds and the sacred tradition of a religious wedding.

A question that surely weighs heavily and inexorably on the minds of the readers of Tidbits--and any other breathing human being for that matter--is unquestionably this: Is there a cost versus location situation when it comes to operating a diamond mine? In other words...is it more or less expensive to operate a diamond mine in the valley than on the mountain top? The answer to this tantalizing rebus is that it makes no difference at all. The reason is in the final product. Unlike gold or iron or copper or lead...we don't need enormous carting facilities like railroads and pipe lines to ship out the day's yield. One hundred million dollars worth of product can weigh only a couple of pounds at most...and can be hauled away in a light aircraft.

South Africa. Land of the lion, the leopard, the cheetah, and the diamond. Our gem is in good company. Ten thousand feet up, over the Lesothan mountains, our plane heads directly into a mountain wall. Mists hang heavily in the air. Suddenly, micro-seconds before what is surely destined to be a crash, a landing strip appears and we touch ground with little bump. Brigadoon? Well...close, but no cigar. We're in Letseng-La-Terai--the highest diamond mine in the world. We're on the roof of Africa. Welcome my friends. Let's stroll about, shall we?

Against the side of the mountain is a square tower--a citadel of iron reaching through the fog. It's the separation plant. Large stones are the mainstay of this operation...large being defined as any rough diamond weighing over 14.8 carats. This plant produces about 200 such stones a year, and it is only one of two where large stones are regularly gleaned, the other plant being in Sierra Leone. Hit a forty carat rough gem, you got a half a million dollars coming into the coffers.

It's the fifteenth of the month. A bell begins to clang with grating persistence. A large diamond has just been found...the first one this month, and it is for it the bell tolls. There's excitement in the air. The mine needed a find like this in order to remain solvent. There was an ever increasing belief that the mine was tapped out with larger goods. Everyone hurries to the sorting house. Relief is in the air. For now, the mine will not have to be closed...though it needs two or three such finds a month in order to survive.

It weighs fifty eight carats. It's is top grade color quality. How much will it bring in? As a rough...about 340 thousand dollars. Maybe a little more. This money will support the mine for two weeks...then that's it. Another one better be found soon. This enterprise employs 800 workers at an average gross collective salary of 20 grand a week for labor alone. If you take in the salaries of the engineers and other support crew... supervisors etc., cost of fuel and machinery...our little mine residing as close to heaven as a mine can get...cost about 150,000 dollars a week to operate. One diamond a month, clearly, doth not do it. The logistics are overwhelming. This mine needs to sort through three to four tons of kimberlite-- the material in which diamonds are found--in order to glean one single carat of diamonds.