Brown Diamonds
By Rubina Posh January 21,2017
On average, Fancy Brown Diamonds are around AUD$3,500.00 per carat.
The price varies slightly depending on the intensity and secondary colour of the diamond as well as the shape.
Brown Diamonds that have a pink, purple or green tint are more expensive then the other brown diamonds.
A 1.15ct SI1 Round Cut Diamond graded as Natural Fancy Yellow Brown was available on 8th December 2017 for around AUD$4,500
A 1.45ct VS2 Princess Cut Diamond graded as Natural Fancy Brown was available on 8th December 2017 for around AUD$4,800
Brown Diamonds are the most common of all the natural diamond varieties. Because they don’t sparkle as much as the others they are less desirable and mostly used for industrial purposes. Their colour comes from the enormous heat and pressure in their surroundings.
These diamonds are separated into:
Champagne diamonds – light to dark brown with a yellowish tint and
Cognac diamonds – darker and deeper brown with an orange tint;
The diamonds which have a very light brown tint are graded as follows:
TTLB – Top Top Light Brown and – can include the use of one of these letters “J-L”
TTLC – Top Top Light Champagne – can include the use of one of these letters “J-L”
TLB – Top Light Brown – can include the use of these letters “M-N”
TLC – Top Light Champagne – can include the use of these letters “M-N”
The rest of the brown series diamonds are then separated into seven categories with 1 being the lightest and 7 to 8 being the most vivid or intense colour.
C1-C2 – Light Champagne – can also include the use of one of these letters “N-V” and/or Very Light Champagne/Chocolate/Cognac
C3-C4 – Medium – can include the use of one of these letters “W-Z and/or Light Champagne/Chocolate/Cognac
C5-C6 – Dark – usually followed with Fancy Brown
C7-C8 – Cognac – can include Fancy Dark Brown
Interesting Facts
Brown diamonds which have a darker hue closely resembling a chocolate brown colour, are known as “Chocolate Diamonds” and have been trademark owned by the Le-Vian group.
80% of the worlds Brown diamonds come from the Argyle mine in Australia. Other countries where brown diamonds are found in, include Angola, Borneo, Brazil and South Africa.
A 601ct rough brown diamond with a pink hue was found in the Letseng-la-Terai diamond mine in Lesotho South Africa in 1967. Purchased in 1968 by Harry Winston and exhibited at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C and the Museum of Natural History in New York, was firstly cut into two pieces which was broadcast live on American Television in March 1968.
Out of these two pieces, 18 smaller diamonds were later cut and polished.
One of these 18 diamonds is the Lesotho I, a 71.73ct emerald cut internally flawless brown diamond with a pink hue. In 2008 The Lesotho I with an estimated value of $3million to $5 million, was offered for sale at the Sotheby’s Geneva auction, however, it failed to sell. Recently, the House of Harry Winston regained possession of the Lesotho I from its previous owners.
The Lesotho III is another one of the 18 diamonds cut from the rough. This 40.42ct marquise cut brown diamond which was set in a ring was graded by GIA as L VS2 and owned by Jackie Kennedy. In 1996 The Lesotho III was sold by Sotheby’s US$2,587,500
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