The Vibrant Story Of Colored Diamond Engagement Rings

When Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively announced the news of their secret wedding, all eyes were on Lively’s dazzling engagement ring.

For it was unique just like their chemistry, an oval cut light pink diamond weighing roughly 12 carats and valued at $2 million!

The stunning ring is made in art deco style and is one of the most talked about celebrity engagement rings. Some like Blake Lively like it pink, but others like it yellow or red.

Are you wondering what we are talking about? Colored diamond engagement rings, of course!

And when it comes to colored diamond rings, how can one not mention Posh Spice? One of the prominent connoisseurs of diamond and gemstone rings is a former designer and Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham. She has an extensive collection of gorgeous rings that she alternates from time to time.

No surprise that Beckham has not one but two, colored diamond engagement rings.

One of her exquisite diamonds is a light-pink oval-shaped diamond set in pave halo and platinum with dazzling brilliance. If you are fond of diamonds then you probably know the source of these rare pink diamonds is the Argyle mine in Western Australia.

Her other favorite is an emerald cut fancy yellow diamond ring set in traditional gold. Beckham clearly has a soft spot for vintage diamond rings in classic cuts.

WHAT ARE COLORED DIAMONDS?

In case you are wondering about the nature and origin of colored diamonds. Those with colors are more saturated than ‘Z’ grade and are considered fancy colored diamonds. The grading system is entirely unique for fancy colored diamonds and uses criteria such as hues and depth of color.

The next factor in deciding the value of these colored diamonds is the carat weight. Since larger, colored diamonds occur very rarely in nature, their prices are exorbitant, not to mention their value. And since in diamonds, the value is all about rarity, the rarer the color, the higher the price.

Remember when Ben Affleck proposed to Jennifer Lopez with a stunning pink colored diamond engagement ring, back in the days of ‘Bennifer’. Pink diamonds are quite rare and high in demand because of their short supply and the fact that the mine is set to close down in 2020.

Jennifer Lopez’s ring is still considered to be one of the most beautiful colored engagement rings of all time. It stars a radiant-cut, fancy pink diamond, surrounded by baguette cut clear diamonds in a platinum band.

The Harry Winston pink diamond engagement ring reportedly weighed 6.1-carat and definitely made headlines for all the right reasons. Too bad, they split up and she had to return it.

IS A FANCY COLOUR DIAMOND THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT?

Why blend in when you can stand out? A color diamond engagement ring can speak volumes about your personality. Imagine a cognac or chocolate diamond ring set in rose gold!

If you are a colorful person in general, drawn to artful accessories, vintage fashion, classic Hollywood or royal families, then a color diamond engagement ring will suit your sense of style. You can choose a color that is special to you or based on their popular meaning.

If you are heart is set on a colored diamond engagement ring, then the radiant diamond cut is a very popular choice for fancy colored stones, because they bring out the beauty of round diamonds with a step-cut. These shapes involve less wastage of the incredibly rare rough diamonds, so you can craft a bigger, finished diamond.

As mentioned earlier, the hierarchy of colored diamonds varies with their rarity. Here is what it looks like:

• Most common colors: Black, Brown, Yellow (up until Fancy Yellow grading)
• Rare colors: Orange and Yellow (Fancy Vivid and Fancy Intense Yellow grading)
• Very Rare: Green, Pink, and Blue
• Rarest of them all: Red. Because of their rarity and short supply, red diamonds are the most expensive diamonds in the world. Unlike the other fancy colors, red diamonds do not derive their color from impurities and are all pure carbon — just like colorless diamonds.  They owe their red color to the deformation in the crystal lattice structure. These are found only Antarctica, Russia, Africa, and Brazil. And because of their unique anomaly, they only occur in smaller sizes. 

If you have the budget, then opt for a unique cut, colored diamond engagement ring in a rare color. Not only will it be a great conversation starter decades down the line, but it will also be a great investment, even an heirloom piece of jewelry.

Original Source: http://mybeautifuladventures.com/2019/03/06/the-vibrant-story-of-colored-diamond-engagement-rings/

Colored Diamonds are everyone's best friend!

If chasing diamonds is your cardio, then you are sure to know all there is to know about diamonds. But did you also know that some of the world’s most famous diamonds are colored? The Blue Hope Diamond, or the Dresden Green and the Great Conde Pink, are all fancy colored diamonds. These are undoubtedly, some of the most valuable and celebrated diamonds across the world.

Until the 16th century, all diamonds including fancy coloured ones were sourced from India.  However, later,  more recent sources  of diamonds were found in South America, Brazil and ultimately Africa. 

It was only in the late 20th century that coloured diamonds started gaining widespread popularity and became a collector’s item and connoisseur’s delight. Ever since, their demand and popularity have steadily risen, especially blue and red diamonds that have achieved record prices. Today, Africa is one of the primary suppliers of fancy colored diamonds. Here’s what you need to know about the various colors and what they mean: 

But first, let’s look at the color grading scale used for diamonds across the world:

Regular Diamond Color Grading Scale:

D, E or F – Colorless

G, H, I or J – Near Colorless

K, L or M – Faint Yellow

N, O, P, Q or R – Very Light Yellow

S, T, U, V, W, X, Y or Z – Light Yellow 

Any other colors are simply termed as ‘Fancy Diamonds’. 

Fancy Diamonds:

All other colors apart from yellow and brown are classified in the ‘fancy’ diamonds category. Their colors are more intense than the Z rating on the scale. As mentioned earlier, some of the world’s most famous diamonds are fancy with vivid coloring like pink, red, or blue.

The famous Blue Hope Diamond has  a dark, blueish grey shade. Fancy colored diamonds are valuable because they are so rare. you’ll find fancy diamonds in the following colours:

Steel Gray

Blue

Orange

Red (the Rarest Colored Diamond)

Green

Pink/Purple

Black

So how are fancy colored diamonds graded?

Color:

Since their intensity is beyond Z, there is a different grading system for fancy colored diamonds. Starting from ‘faint’ and ‘very light’ through to ‘fancy light’, ‘fancy’ and ‘fancy intense’, ‘fancy vivid’ and ‘fancy deep’ etc. 

The diamonds are later cross-referenced based on their color. For instance, blue, bluish-green, blue-green or simply green.

Price points depend on the color saturation and diamonds do have to reach a certain intensity before they are termed fancy.

Carat:

After  , the weight in carat is the most important criteria that has an impact on the price of fancy colored diamonds. Bigger gems are rarer than rarest and therefore, more valuable. This is why, prices rise exponentially with carat weight, in case of colored diamonds. Carat weight has the most impact on price for colored diamonds.

Clarity:

Relative to regular diamonds,clarity is less important when it comes to coloured diamonds owing to the fact, that color will mask the diamond’s inclusions.

Cut:

The cutting of colored diamonds is carried out  in a way that emphasises their natural color. Where regular/  diamonds are cut to bring out their sparkle or brilliance. Such is not the case with their colored counterparts. While colored diamonds still shine and sparkle, color is the defining characteristic for their pricing.

Shape:

The shape is an important factor for customers buying diamonds because shape gives them the overall finish and outline for the setting. It is worth remembering that sometimes colored diamonds are cut to unconventional shapes to bring out their beauty. Due to the rarity of these stones, the conventional shapes are not always available and you will find them in unusual shapes.

Investing in Colored Diamonds:

Fancy colored diamonds are fast emerging as an investment option. In fact, the rarer the color, the higher the demand and value. Deep shades of pink, red, green and blue are highly sought after and have the highest appreciation prospects. There are many factors that influence demand and value.

For instance, one of the biggest producers of colored diamonds and pink diamonds, in particular, is the Argyle mine in Australia. This is on the verge of closing down and it is the source for nearly 90% of the global supply of pink diamonds. Owing to this, several people are now rushing into buying pink diamonds before they are completely out of stock.

 As a result, pink diamonds have witnessed phenomenal growth in their value since 2005. Experts predict that there will be a further appreciation for pink and other fancy colored diamonds in future due to their rarity. So, what are you waiting for? Start collecting and investing in these beautiful keepsakes!

Original Source: http://www.becomegorgeous.com/blogs/pratikg/colored-diamonds-are-everyones-best-friend-P72806