Fancy Colour Diamonds

By Rubina Posh January 21,2017

The intense and vivid coloured diamonds are the rarest and most valuable. Even very slight colour differences and how even that distribution of colour is, can affect the value.

Red, green, and blue diamonds are exceptionally rare.

Grading Fancy Colour Diamonds is difficult and requires a team of highly trained laboratory Diamond Graders to complete the process accurately who examine the diamonds by comparing them to a set of master stones.

All diamonds are graded based on the 4C’s:

Colour; Clarity; Cut & Carat.

The white/colourless diamonds are graded based on the absence of colour, whereas, the Fancy Colour Diamonds are graded based on the intensity of their colour. These Fancy Colour Diamonds have an assortment of colour strengths, they are cut for best colour and are always graded table up (flat side facing up).

The following are taken into consideration when grading the colour:

Hue – the most noticeable colour present;

Saturation – how strong & vivid the colour &

Tone – how dark or light the colour of the diamond is.

Hue and rarity greatly affect the value of the Fancy Colour Diamonds.

They are divided into four categories:

1. Fancy Light

2. Fancy

3. Fancy Intense and

4. Fancy Vivid.

They are then further divided based on their secondary colours, listing the secondary colour first followed by the main colour of the diamond. The last colour mentioned is the most dominant colour.

As an example, a Blue Diamond will be graded as “Fancy Light Greyish Blue” and a Pink Diamond will be graded as “Fancy Intense Purplish Pink”.

The best shapes for Fancy Colour Diamonds are Cushion, Oval, Pear and Radiant but can be cut in other shapes too. These shapes maximise and best display the evenness of that colour. The round brilliant cut is usually best for the colourless diamonds as this shape maximises the brilliance and light return – makes the diamond shine more.

Fancy Colour Diamonds can be found in these colours:

1. Black;

2. Blue;

3. Brown;

4. Chameleon;

5. Green;

6. Grey;

7. Orange;

8. Pink;

9. Purple;

10. Red;

11. Violet and