What Are They And Where Do They Get Their Color From?

Did you know that all diamonds have color? Only the rarest of diamonds are colorless, and they are so valuable that 99 percent of the world’s population could never afford one. The rest of us purchase our diamonds from a pool of colored diamonds that vary considerably, from one stone to another.

What is a colored diamond?

The term “Colored Diamonds” is a tricky one, and here’s why. You may think the term refers to pink, yellow, blue and red diamonds but it doesn’t. When you hear this term used, it refers to white diamonds that have color. The term used to indentify red, blue, yellow, and pink diamonds is “Fancy Colored Diamonds.” Neither of these terms should be confused with color-enhanced diamonds.

What are color-enhanced diamonds?

Diamonds that are labeled as “Color-enhanced” are real diamonds that have been manually-enhanced to a specific color. The process can significantly increase the value of the diamond. There are three methods used to enhance the color of a diamond.

They include, Irradation, a process that exposes a diamond to radiation for a specified amount of time, thus altering the color of the diamond; High Temperature High Pressure (HTHP) which mimics the natural environment deep within the earth where diamonds are formed, and a process called “Coating” in which a vacuum film coating (Similar to the magnesium coating found on camera lenses) is applied to the diamond giving it color.

What gives a diamond its color?

The color of a diamond is determined by the presence of certain gases and other components such as nitrogen, boron and hydrogen in the stone as it is being formed into a diamond. The amount of these gases and components naturally determine what color a diamond will be and to what intensity that color will ultimately be.

When diamonds are enhanced, the chemical makeup of the gases found within the diamond are altered which alters the natural color of the diamond. With irradiation, the longer the stone is exposed to the radiation, the darker the color of the diamond will become.

Can the shade of a colored diamond be altered naturally?

Yes it can. It’s worth noting that the color of your diamond can change under natural conditions. This is because ultraviolet radiation can alter the color of diamonds, and ultraviolet radiation is a natural component found in fluorescent lighting and natural day light.

Additionally, colored diamonds are always graded when they are in their loose diamond state. This is because their color can appear different when the diamond is mounted in a setting.

Why are some colored diamonds more valuable than others?

The degree of color a diamond has is graded in the color categories listed below from least rare to most rare.

Faint

Very light

Light

Fancy light

Fancy

Fancy intense

Fancy dark

Fancy deep

Fancy vivid

Yellow colored diamonds are more common, and red colored diamonds are rarer

Many people assume they aren’t able to purchase diamonds because the cost of these precious gems is outside of their financial reach. This just isn’t so. There are many retailers who offer terrific online bargains for diamonds; USA diamond retailers are some of the best.

There’s a real advantage to purchasing diamonds online. Not only do you have a much better selection, the prices are much cheaper too. This means getting high quality diamonds at wholesale prices is possible. Why is it possible?

One reason is that online retailers aren’t financially bogged down with having to hire lots of employees in order to operate their business. They don’t have to worry about having sales clerks standing behind glass-top counter cases laden with diamond jewelry. Nor do they have to be concerned with dressing storefront windows with eye-catching décor in order to lure you in.

It’s cheaper for them to do business selling online diamonds. USA diamond retailers sell high quality diamonds at wholesale prices to consumers all over the world so it doesn’t matter where you live. They know the importance of making high-end diamond jewelry available to consumers for reasonable prices. And, there’s no need to worry about being duped.

Online USA diamond retailers understand the apprehension that can sometimes come along with making online purchases; especially diamonds. A reputable online retailer will welcome your questions, address your concerns, and provide you with the documentation to prove the diamonds they’re selling are real.

Diamonds are inspected and graded by a number of different laboratories. One of the most reputable independent laboratories is the GIA; the Gemologist Laboratory of America. When the GIA inspects and grades diamonds, they provide an official certificate that indicates the diamonds were inspected and graded by that laboratory.

An honest online retailer will always provide this certificate to the consumer. A retailer who won’t offer you a certification with a diamond isn’t one you should do business with. If you’re not sure what a real certificate looks like you can always go to a traditional brick and mortar jewelry store and ask to see one.

Finding high quality diamonds online is indeed possible, and you definitely don’t have to pay exuberant prices for those high quality diamonds. USA diamond retailers have an excellent and extensive selection of fine diamond jewelry you can browse through; including a great selection of diamond engagement rings.

You can also purchase loose diamonds, and create your own unique diamond engagement ring. Choose from fancy colored diamonds or white diamonds of all carats and shapes. Then design a setting. It’s always easier to create a setting around a loose diamond than it is to create a setting and then try to find a diamond to fit into it.

What does diamond certification mean?

Simply put, diamond certification means that a diamond has been evaluated by a third, unbiased party with regard to a diamond’s quality of cut, depth of color, degree of imperfections and the diamonds overall weight; measured in carats. These 4 characteristics of a diamond are referred to as the 4 C’s of the diamond industry.

Who are third parties?

Reputable third parties are independent diamond laboratories that examine and grade diamonds. The most reputable, widely known and respected of these third party laboratories are located in the United States and Europe. They are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA)t he American Gemological Society (AGS) the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL) the Diamond High Council (HRD) the International Gemological Institute (IGI) and the International Confederation of Jewelry, Silverware, Diamonds, Pearls, and Stones (CIBJO).

Though all of these laboratories are highly respected, the most widely used diamond laboratory is the United States based, GIA which is considered to be an industry-standard setting laboratory that is the most widely trusted laboratory in the entire diamond industry.

A diamond certification from any one of these third party diamond laboratories can be construed as absolute proof that a diamond has been examined and graded properly.

Do they all use the same grading scale?

There is no singular grading system used among these laboratories; though there has been a concerted effort to standardize all grading systems with the system used by the GIA. Each of the grading systems used, however, are accurate, and reliable scales. It’s worth noting that over time, some of these diamond laboratories have adjusted their grading scales in an attempt to comply with these standardizing efforts. Older diamond certifications may not match up with the current grading scales; this does not diminish the legitimacy or accuracy of these older certifications.

Each of these laboratories issues their own certificate that stands as a signature that signifies their laboratory as an individual within the diamond industry. The GIA certificates are called a GIA Diamond Dossier or a GIA Diamond Report while the AGS calls its certificates Diamond Quality Documents/Reports or Diamond Quality Analysis. The certificates do not all include a grade for every C of the industry, and that’s why there is no one universal certificate used among them.

What’s the difference between a certification and an appraisal?

A certification gives a final grade to a diamond’s quality of cut, depth of color, carat weight and degree of clarity, while an appraisal places a monetary value on it.

How can you tell if a certain certificate is meant for a specific diamond?

Many diamonds have a serial number inscribed on the girdle with a laser. This serial number will match the certification number. This isn’t a failsafe way of identification, however, because the serial number can be removed with polishing.

A better way of ensuring the diamond and the certification matches up is to ask that the stone and certificate be matched up by a reputable third party professional. Most diamonds will vary to some degree no matter how similar they may appear. These slight variations in cut, color, weight and clarity are a signature way of distinguishing one diamond from another.

An independent gemologist who doesn’t buy or sell diamonds would be the best choice for an independent third party review.