My Pink Diamonds

Click the Certificate link below to learn all about A.G.S – American Gem Society or the G.I.A – Gemological Institute America.

CUT…A diamond’s cut is not only about its shape, but how effectively the stone can return light back to the viewer’s eye. A well-cut diamond will appear very brilliant and fiery; while more poorly cut stones can appear dark and lifeless, regardless of color or clarity.

Color…When shopping for a diamond, it is generally preferred to have the least amount of color possible. Diamond color is divided into five broad categories:

Colorless: Diamonds within the colorless range are the most rare and valuable of all the colors. color stones display virtually no color, whereas colored diamonds will display a nearly undetected amount of color when viewed face down by a gemologist.

Near Colorless: Diamonds within the near colorless range appear colorless in the face up position, but do display a slight amount of color when viewed face down against a perfectly white background. This trace amount of color will be undetectable to an untrained eye once the diamond has been mounted. Near colorless diamonds offer a tremendous value for the money.

Understanding Fluorescence – How does it effect a diamond?

Some diamonds can display a visible light called fluorescence when exposed to an ultraviolet light source. This fluorescence will be measured as inert, faint, medium or strong. Blue fluorescence is most common, however diamonds can also fluoresce white, yellow, and orange (among other colors). Fluorescence usually has no effect on a diamonds appearance in regular light conditions. Strong blue fluorescence can make a yellow colored diamond appear more white, but in rare cases can cause a stone to appear milky or oily. This milky or oily effect is called an “over blue” and only applies to a small number of “strong” and “very strong” fluorescent stones.

Which Color should you Choose?

Most people find it very difficult (if not impossible) to tell the difference from one color grade to another. The difference in price, however, can be significant.However, you can find a tremendous value while still achieving a “colorless” look. Shopping on a budget or trying to maximize the size of your stone? If so then “J” diamonds are most affordable and still near colorless. You may also want to consider choosing a diamond with medium or strong fluorescence. Since these diamonds are discounted slightly in price you can often afford a higher color stone without paying the premium.

Angola

In 1998, the United Nations (UN) placed Angola under sanctions forbidding countries from buying diamonds from them. This was the first resolution of the UN which specifically mentioned diamonds in the context of funding war. Reports estimated that as much as 20% of total production in the 1990s were being sold for illicit purposes, and 15% were specifically conflict in nature.By 1999, the illicit diamond trade was estimated by the World Diamond Council to have been reduced to 3.06% of the world’s diamond production.The World Diamond Council reported that by 2004 this percentage had fallen to approximately 1%.

Angola is a former colony of Portugal and gained independence in 1975. Although independent, the country saw civil war between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (PMLA) faction, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) faction. During this war, diamonds were traded by rebel groups to fund their war. The UN recognized the role that diamonds played in funding the UNITA rebels, and in 1998 banned countries from buying diamonds from Angola. Today Angola’s civil war has ended and the country is now a legitimate part of the diamond trade.

Sierra Leone

In July 1999, following over eight years of civil conflict, negotiations between the Government of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front led to the signing of the Lome Peace Agreement under which the parties agreed to the cessation of hostilities, disarmament of all combatants and the formation of a government of national unity. The United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) helped facilitate the negotiations. In resolution 1270 of October 22, 1999, the Security Council established the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) to help create the conditions in which the parties could implement the Agreement. Subsequently, the number of personnel were increased and tasks to be carried out by UNAMSIL adjusted by the Council in resolutions 1289 of February 8, 2000 and 1299 of May 19, 2000, making UNAMSIL the second largest peacekeeping force currently deployed by the United Nations (the largest such contingent is in the Congo.

Following international concern at the role played by the illicit diamond trade in fueling conflict in Sierra Leone, the Security Council adopted resolution 1306 on July 5, 2000 imposing a ban on the direct or indirect import of rough diamonds from Sierra Leone not controlled by the Government of Sierra Leone through a Certificate of Origin regime. An arms embargo and selective travel ban on non-governmental forces were already in effect under resolution 1171 of June 5, 1998.

On July 31, 2000 and August 1, 2000, Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1132 (1997) concerning Sierra Leone, presided over the first ever exploratory public hearing by the Security Council in New York. The hearing was attended by representatives of interested Member States, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, the diamond industry and other relevant experts. The hearing exposed the link between the trade in illicit Sierra Leone diamonds and trade in arms and related material. The ways and means for developing a sustainable and well-regulated diamond industry in Sierra Leone were also discussed.

As called for by resolution 1306 of July 5, 2000, the Secretary-General, on August 2, 2000, established a Panel of Experts, to collect information on possible violations of the arms embargo and the link between trade in diamonds and trade in arms and related material, consider the adequacy of air traffic control systems in the West African region for the purpose of detecting flights suspected of contravening the arms embargo, and report to the Council with observations and recommendations on ways of strengthening the arms and diamonds embargoes no later than October 3, 2000. The Chairman of the Panel was Martin Chungong Ayafor (Cameroon). The other members were Atabou Bodian (Senegal), Johan Peleman (Belgium), Harjit Singh Sandhu (India) and Ian Smillie (Canada). The Panel submitted its report to the Security Council on December 19, 2000. On January 25, 2001 the Security Council, at its 4264th meeting, considered the report of the panel of experts.

Diamond revenues in Sierra Leone have increased more than tenfold since the end of the conflict, from $10 million in 2000 to about $130 million in 2004,although from 1989 to 2003 Liberia was engaged in a civil war. In 2000, the UN accused Liberian president Charles G. Taylor of supporting the RUF insurgency in Sierra Leone with weapons and training in exchange for diamonds. In 2001 the UN applied sanctions on the Liberian diamond trade. In August 2003 Taylor stepped down as president, and after being exiled to Nigeria, now faces trial in the Hague. On July 21, 2006 he pleaded not guilty of crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Liberia today is at peace and is attempting to construct a legitimate diamond mining industry. The UN has lifted sanctions and Liberia is now a member of the Kimberley process.

It’s an important time in your life when you get engaged but don’t let emotion overwhelm your shopping savvy when you purchase a diamond engagement ring.
Diamonds are valued on:
Color – the purer and whiter the more valued
Clarity – the transparency of the stone and any inclusions (visible flaws)
Cut – how well cut the diamond is (not the shape)
Carat – how much the diamond weighs
Color can be manipulated in several ways. The diamond is shown under a colored light that offsets any yellowness in the stone or is shown against a black cloth backdrop instead of white. The setting of the stone can influence the perception of the color. A white gold or platinum setting contrasts with a yellowish diamond making the yellow cast more obvious, while a yellow gold setting doesn’t make the yellow color as obvious. None of these methods are dishonest as long as the seller states the actual color grade.
However some dishonest sellers misstate the color grade intentionally or enhance it. Yellowish diamonds can be made to look whiter by touching the side of the diamond with indelible purple ink which neutralizes yellow. The diamond can also be painted to neutralize the yellow. The “paint” isn’t at all obvious, can’t be washed off and may take months of cleaning before it wears off.
All natural diamonds have some flaws. The diamond can be set to hide an obvious flaw on the edge of the diamond, the prong of the setting hiding the flaw. If you’re buying a one or more carat diamond in your engagement ring it should be examined unset. Diamonds can have a crack or fissure filled thereby concealing it. Sometimes an inclusion can be lasered out. These techniques are not unethical as long as the seller discloses they’ve been used.
The weight of the diamond is measured in carats and increases exponentially. In other words a two carat diamond with similar clarity, color, and cut, will cost much more than twice the price of a one carat diamond. Some diamonds are cut to leave a bit of unpolished area on the girdle to make sure the diamonds reaches that important one carat weight. A .95 carat diamond price per carat cost is much less than a 1.00 carat diamond price per carat cost.
A three carat diamond engagement ring can vary tremendously in value depending on how many diamonds make up the three carats. A two carat center stone offset by two 1/2 carat diamonds would be costlier than a ring with a one carat center stone offset by four 1/2 carat stones, even though both rings have three carats of diamonds.
Diamonds that are two carats don’t look twice as big as a one carat stone. The increase in perceived size is only about 50%. A word of warning: Be leery when someone says a diamond spreads 1.5 carats. That doesn’t mean it weighs 1.5 carats, just that it looks the same size as a 1.5 carat diamond when viewed from above. That can be achieved by cutting the diamond broader but shallower.
Cut is one of the more important factors. A badly cut diamond loses its brilliance and sparkle compared to a well cut diamond. A round brilliant cut diamond is about half the size of that same diamond in the rough, or uncut. Some diamond cutters will try to eke out two one carat stones out of a rough diamond crystal by sacrificing the quality of the cut.
The best way to know that you’re getting what you’re paying for when purchasing your UK diamond engagement ring is to purchase from a reliable dealer that provides a diamond grading report from an independent gemstone laboratory.

A certificate is not the same thing as an appraisal.  A certificate describes the quality of a diamond, but it does not place a monetary value on the gem.  An appraisal places a monetary value on your diamond, but does not certify the quality of the diamond.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the American Gem Society (AGS), and the International Gemological Institute (IGI) are the three most widely known and respected diamond grading laboratories in the world.  Each of the grading laboratories have developed a very similar nomenclature for identifying the 4 C’s of diamonds.  The 4 C’s stand for Carat, Color, Clarity, and Cut.  We will also discuss the Shape of diamonds in this article.

Carat Grading

The weight or size of a diamond is measured in carats.  A carat is 0.2 grams or 200 milligrams and is always referenced within 2 decimal points.  This is a highly accurate grading scale used to determine the weight or size of a diamond.

Color Grading

 D to Z 

All diamonds are compared against to an internationally accepted set of master stones and ranges from totally colorless (D) to pale yellow or brown color (Z).  Brown diamonds darker than K color are usually described using their letter grade, and a descriptive phrase, for example M Faint Brown.  Diamonds with more depth of color than Z color fall into the fancy color diamond range.

Color grades D through F are naturally the most valuable and expensive because of their rarity.  Color G through I will show virtually no visible color to the untrained eye.  Selecting the right jewelry to mount the diamond in can minimize color grade J through M.

The coloration of diamonds can be caused by several factors.  Impurities trapped in the diamond during its formation, the crystal lattice structure of the diamond, and the exposure to radiation can all lead to the wide verity of colors available in diamonds.

Clarity Grading

Clarity is determined by the number of blemishes on the surfaces of the diamond and the number of inclusions such as air bubbles, cracks, and foreign material inside of the diamond.  When both terms are being referenced the term defects is usually referenced.  Nature rarely produces anything that is with out defects and this hold true for diamonds.  Most diamonds will have some type of defect or flaw.

When grading the Clarity of a diamond it is necessary to observe the number and the nature of any internal defects in the stone.  The size and position of the defects are also taken into account.  A diamond is said to be Internally Flawless (I.F) when it presents no internal defects under 10x magnification by an experienced eye of laboratory gemologists.

A diamond is said to be Very Very Slightly included (V.V.S.1 to V.V.S.2) when it presents defects that are very difficult to locate under 10x magnification. A diamond is said to be Very Slightly Included (V.S.1 to V.S.2) when it presents defects that are difficult to locate under 10x magnification.

A diamond is said to be Slightly Included (S.I.1 to S.I.2) when it presents defects that are easy to locate under 10x magnification.

A diamond is said to be Imperfect (P.1 to I.1) when it presents defects that are hard to locate with the naked eye.

A diamond is said to be Imperfect (P.2 to I.2) when it presents defects that are easy to locate with the naked eye.

A diamond is said to be Imperfect (P.3 to I.3) when it presents defects that are very easy to locate with the naked eye.

Cut Grading

The symmetry and proportions of a diamond cut determine the life, brilliance and light dispersion.  If any of these cutting factors are below standard then the appearance of the diamond will be adversely affected.

The cut of a diamond has nothing to do with the shape of the diamond.  The cut refers to the diamond’s reflective qualities.  A good cut give the diamond it brilliance or the ability to handle light in a pleasing fashion.  The brightness will seem to come from the very heart of a diamond.

When a ray of light touches the surface of a diamond, part of the light is reflected back, this is external reflection.  The rest of the ray penetrates the stone and is then reflected toward the center of the diamond. This is known as refraction.  The ray of light is reflected to the surface, where it is seen as the colors of the spectrum. This is known as dispersion.

If light enters the diamond through to top or table and then leaks out from the sides or bottom instead of reflecting back to the eye, then the diamond will seen to have less brilliance and fire.  A diamonds cut is the most important of the four Cs.  If all of the rest of the grading scale is at the higher end of the spectrum and the cut has been utilized to maximize the size of the diamond then a very poor quality stone rill be the result.  Happily this trend in size instead of quality is no longer prevalent in the diamond market.  Today standard mathematical algorithms are used to determine the best cut for any shape diamond. Shape

The shape of diamond will fall into one of several standard categories but there are many variations on each standard categories.  Basic categories include Round, Emerald, Pear, Heart, Marquise, Oval, and Princess cuts.

 Round 

The standard for the diamond shape and is used in most engagement rings.

 Emerald 

Rectangular or square step cut with diagonally cut corners.  Usually has 2 to 4 rows of parallel facets to the center of the stone.  A very popular style of cut used for Emeralds hence the name.

 Pear 

Pear or teardrop in shape and may or may not have a large flat surface in the center of the stone.  This stone is usually cut to have about 56 to 58 facets.

 Heart 

Heart in shape and if a shield shaped cutlet is present (flat center) then it will usually have 32 crown facets.  If no culet is present then 24 pavilion facets is the norm.

 Marquise 

Oval in shape with curving sides and pointed ends and was developed in France in the mid 1700s.  May have been named after the Marquise de Pompador, who was a mistress of King Louis XV.

 Oval 

Oval in shape and covered with triangular facets.

 Princess 

Very popular square or modified rectangular shape.  There are many variations of crown and pavilion facets cuts on the market.

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DharamHK Welcome, here you will find a vast range of diamonds at fantastic discounts. We offer Best Quality Diamonds, Loose Diamonds, Certified Diamonds, Buy Diamonds Online, Buying Loose Diamond, Buying Pearls In India, Loose Diamond Stone, Loose Round Diamond, Loose Polish Diamonds, loose cut diamond, Color Diamonds, Clarity Diamonds, Carats Diamonds Loose Princess Diamond, Loose Emerald Diamond, Polished diamonds,Loose Diamond Stone, Round Diamond, Loose Diamond For Sale, Loose Cut Diamond, GIA Certified Diamonds and also Diamonds Manufactured in India, Diamond Wholesaler, Diamond Distributor in India, Hong Kong, UK, USA, Canada. The difference here at DharamHK.com is the price! Our diamonds discounts and service is supreme.

We offer all types of diamonds, internationally known for its superb drawings. Carefully hand polished diamonds can be easily tree One-Stop-Shop DharamHK. A huge range of diamonds is with us. DharamHK is a professional managed Organization, has extensive experience in all types of diamonds.

We concentrate strictly on the clarity and reliability of our entire range of diamonds. We offer a wide range of colors in diamonds, which are known for their purity and perfection. A true merger of modern science and passion for the work visible in the designs of our diamonds. Finally, all of our production time by the jury of experts with eagle eyes, for optimum utilization of available resources.

Certified Loose Diamonds: We compiled a list of over 5,000 certified loose diamonds in various shapes, carats, cuts, clarity, colors and prices for you to choose from. Whether you are shopping for that perfect diamond for your diamond engagement ring or looking to invest in some wholesale loose diamonds DharamHK can help.

Without a doubt, diamonds are among the most exquisite stones in existence. This is mainly due to the colorless appearance, which is a combination of the diamond characteristics: cut, clarity, color, and carat. For years these core characteristics have help describe the beauty of a diamond.

The cut of a diamond is always the first to be considered—as it is considered as the most important of the characteristics. This is because the cut usually determines the value. For instance, a big or heavy diamond isn’t always valuable if the cut is poor. Although many refer to the shape of the stone as its cut, this term actually refers to the reflective qualities of a diamond. In layman’s terms, the cut determines the diamond’s ability to handle the light passing through the stone. The light that passes through the diamond should reflect back to the eye; with poorly cut diamonds, the light leaks out.

Meanwhile, the clarity of the diamond allows one to see the flaws of the stone. Clarity is rated from F (flawless) to I1 to I3 (the lowest of the grades). Experts do not suggest buyers get diamond with the last three ratings, as diamonds with these ratings have visible internal flaws (meaning the diamond is obviously of poor quality). Needless to say, buyers should opt for colorless diamonds, since this also means it is clear. The highest grade of diamonds is colorless. Next to colorless on the color scale is near colorless, faint fellow, and very light yellow. Diamonds with a light yellow color are of low quality.

The final characteristic is the carat, or the weight of the stone. A carat is 200 milligrams, although bigger doesn’t always mean more valuable. Good diamonds should always strike a balance between all four characteristics.

HPHT Treated Diamond

History of HPHT

The history of HPHT treatments dates back to 1955, when the General Electric Company first discovered the process for creating diamonds in the laboratory. This led to the creation of HPHT process, whereby GE first created a press where the required pressure and temperature could be maintained for the process. One thing led to another and HPHT treatment evolved through various presses like the tetrahedral, BARS and finally the cubic press. What began as an experiment for diamond color modification in synthetic diamonds has today evolved into usage for natural diamonds also.

Usage of HPHT Diamond Enhancements

HPHT treatments basically serve two purposes

Creating synthetic diamonds: To obtain synthetic diamonds, carbon is put inside a grapite capsule. A seed is then inserted into this capsule and a catalyst is added. The diamond grows on the seed while the catalyst enables the crystallization to take place.

Color modification: Different type of diamonds react differently when exposed to HPHT treatments and a range of colors are obtained. For example, diamonds containing aggragated nitrogen, when exposed to HPHT can cause it to become single substitution nitrogen. In such cases, diamonds having green, orange and yellow hues can be created. In diamonds where nitrogen is negligible, the process is often used to produce colorless diamonds. Thus brownish diamonds when HPHT processed can obtain a colorless hue. A light pink color may also be obtained in some cases. In case of diamonds with negligible nitrogen and presence of boron, HPHT can alter the color. Thus brownish diamonds will lose the brown tone and boron will make the stone bluish in color.

Popular presses used for treatment

Belt presses: This was the initial form of press used for treatment. Here pressure is created by the usage of two high strength pistons that provide equal pressure in opposing directions on a sample. A series of rings surround the sample in order to contain the pressure.

Torid press: In this method, the two pistons apply pressure in a single vertical direction.

Cubic press: This uses many pistons that provide pressure from different directions. It is also known as a tetrahedral press.

Procedure of HPHT

If a customer intends to give diamonds for this treatment, the following procedure is used,

Pricing of treatments: Cost for these treatments varies with the size of the diamond. Also the total number of stones given and additional services like repolishing are charged extra. While these treatments are expensive,

Organizations and HPHT

Because HPHT is controversial, different bodies follow different guidelines for HPHT. As per the Federal Trade commission, HPHT treated diamonds must be disclosed to the user. General Electric follows this norm and all diamonds that are HPHT treated are laser inscribed with the terms ‘HPHT PROCESSED’, IRRADIATED. If GIA notes diamonds to be HPHT treated, it also specifies them as ‘HPHT ANNEALED’ or ‘Artificially Irradiated’. Such details are displayed prominently on the grading report under ‘origin’ in the ‘color’ section of the report.

Pros and cons

The HPHT treatment of diamonds is a controversial issue because it has both advantages and disadvantages. These are further discussed as under.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Disclosure

As HPHT has become more commercially available, today there are various methods available to detect if your stone has been HPHT processed or not. At the basic level diamonds over 0.5 carat can only be HPHT treated. A trained gemologist may use equipment like the SSEF spotter and crossed polarization filter to detect the same. DiamondSure is also used to separate cape diamonds from the rest. At the next level FTIR and UVVIS spectroscopes are used and synthetic and PT treated diamonds can easily be identified ere. Besides this, renowned laboratories have many other proprietary procedures that they use to identify such diamonds.

With all sophisticated equipment it continues to be difficult to detect HPHT processed diamonds at many instances. It is thus important that you purchase diamonds from a trusted vendor online or offline. Diamonds accompanied with a certificate from a reputed laboratory like GIA also ensure that diamonds are completely natural. You could also choose signature or top of the line branded diamonds to protect yourself. Finally, if you cannot afford GIA stones, make sure to opt for a diamond that is accompanied by a certificate from a renowned laboratory.

Fancy Diamond Jewelry

Fancy color diamonds are unique and very rarely found diamonds. A fancy diamond is available in an array of colors such as red, pink, green, blue and various shades of yellow. These diamonds are valuable owing to their rarity and are the most valuable diamonds mainly because their color surpasses the GIA color scale. Fancy color diamonds are based on two features. The first is the basic color such as pink, blue, yellow, green, etc. The second is the concentration. Both the color features form the basis for determining the worth of the fancy colored diamonds. Generally, the more the concentration of the color, the more is the cost and the rarer will be the diamond.

Grading of fancy diamonds is done using nine categories such as light , mild light, faint, , , light fancy, fancy, dark fancy, intense fancy, deep fancy and vivid fancy. The most interesting factor of this diamond is that the secondary undertone is a plus if it enhances the color and the secondary undertone is negative if it detracts the color. Fancy color diamonds were found in Brazil, Australia, Venezuela and many parts of Africa as the conditions were suitable for the natural color to get developed.

Natural diamonds are rough diamonds as they are not cut or polished. The natural diamonds are found in Cubic, Octhahedra, Macle and Dodecahedron crystal shapes. In the earlier 1800s diamonds were located in riverbeds and were traded to noblemen who knew the value of the hard crystal. They used it for armor studding and later on kings and queens used to beautify their crowns and other jewelry. They were not identical to polish stones but were highly prized for their uniqueness. Diamonds became a major trade item and Brazil was the next to follow the development of diamond trade. Later Africa succeeded in diamond production. In the 1990s Canada entered the diamond rush and is believed to accomplish the position of being the world’s topmost diamond producer in next 20 years.

Gemstone jewelry is fun, exciting and also confusing. Gemstones are measured by size, weight, as well as both. The main unit used for weighing gemstones is the carat. Carats are segmented into 100 units known as points. For instance, half carat gemstone means the weight is .50 carats or points. Natural gemstones are available in nature. Similarly, the laboratory manufactured stones possess the same physical and chemical properties as other natural gemstones. Laboratory created stones fail to possess the rarity of natural colored stones and are less expensive. In fact, imitation stones are identical to natural stones in appearance, but may be of glass, plastic or any inexpensive stone. Gemstones undergoing some common treatments vary in many forms such as

• Heating a gemstone lightens, darkens or changes the color of gems, or improves the clarity of the gemstone.

• Irradiation can enhance the color to colored diamonds, gemstones and pearls.

• Impregnating certain gems with wax or resins or colorless oils brings variety of imperfections that are less visible but can work on the gemstones’ clarity as well as appearance.

• Filling cracks in gems using colorless plastic or glass improves the gemstones, durability and appearance.

• Dyeing enhances the color and improves the uniformity in the color in the gemstones and pearls.

• Bleaching reduces some gems, including pearls and jade.

When Ben Affleck proposed to Jennifer Lopez, the act generated the expected amount of media attention. However the majority of that coverage wasn’t focused on the total number of the couple’s prior marriages, or that “Bennifer” name smashup the couple had been adorned with. No, the focus of the majority of mass speculation was the color of Jennifer’s diamond.
They Come In Pink?
Ms Lopez’s engagement ring was topped with a tremendously large 6-carat pink diamond. The word that people seemed to cling to was pink. The realization that diamonds come in colors started to spread, contradicting everything taught about diamond color: the closer to clear, the more valuable the diamond. Was Jennifer’s “pink diamond” actually a diamond?
Are They Still Diamonds?
In a word, yes. While the common color grading scale used for diamonds runs from D (completely clear) to Z (obviously yellow) there is an entire subset of diamonds which fall beyond the Z rating into the umbrella grade of “Fancy.” Fancy diamonds still hold all of the other characteristics of a traditional white diamonds – the hardness, the technical measure of clarity, the cut, and carat are all the same.
A Scale All Their Own
Colored diamonds that fall outside of the white grading scale, still have to have a subjective color grade assigned to them. However, the grading scale for colored diamonds is considerably easier for the layman to understand. Colored diamonds with the faintest hints of color are given a grade of Faint. Lightly colored diamonds are either Very Light, or Light. The bolder colored diamonds, your truly fancy gems, are graded along a scale ranging from Fancy Light to Fancy Dark, with Intense, Vivid, and Deep breaking up the middle.
A Stone of Many Colors
As you might have guessed, pink isn’t the only color for diamonds. The infamous, and rumored to be cursed, Hope Diamond is a 45.52 carat dark grayish blue diamond. Canary diamonds are a brilliant yellow. Both brown and black diamonds are both real and growing in popularity lately. Other colors include orange, red, green, and purple. According to the Gemological Institute of America and the International Gemological Institute, there are 27 official hues which span the color spectrum, and there are diamonds to fill each of those hues.
Not to Get Too Technical
How those diamonds gain those hues is a bit of a technical process. Essentially, when the diamonds are forming from pure carbon, the molecules arrange themselves into a cage called a crystal matrix. As the diamonds are crushed under the earth’s pressure, that matrix closes in on itself. Occasionally, during that process, atoms from other elements such as boron, nitrogen, or hydrogen, will be trapped inside of those diamonds as their respective matrices close. The end result is the colored diamond. As one would rightly assume, when multiple gases are trapped in the diamond, you get diamonds of blended colors, like pink champagne diamonds.
Still Really Rare
While color is certainly one reason why people prize fancy diamonds, it’s certainly not the only one. Fancy diamonds are exceptionally rare. Colored diamonds, with a Fancy or deeper color grade, account for a mere 1.8% of the entire world’s diamonds. When that percentage is broken down by color, those percentages get even smaller. Canary diamonds, diamonds which are known for their brilliantly yellow hue, account for less than 0.1% of the world’s diamonds. Factor in the other common diamond factors – the size of the stone, the inherent shape, and the sense of clarity, and colored diamonds of significant size and quality get even rarer still.
Why Choose a Colored Diamond?
Colored diamonds aren’t for everyone or even for every type of jewelry. However, they do have some very strong selling points. The rarity of colored diamonds makes them special. The variety of colors means that colored diamonds can be used to convey not only the emotions associated with a traditional diamond, but also to cater to the specific tastes of the recipient. It’s those strengths that allow colored diamonds to fill jewelry niches that traditional white diamonds could not. In the end, a colored diamond provides a new and unique spin on a familiar and classic idea.

While shopping for diamond engagement or eternity rings, many buyers are surprised by the large number of diamond ring options available. Whether you are purchasing a ring from a retailer or designing a ring to be crafted by a jeweler, a number of decisions must be made in selecting the perfect diamond ring. Besides being familiar with the 4 Cs which affect the value and appearance of a diamond—cut, color, clarity and carat weight—the following considerations may also help you in your search for the perfect diamond ring:

-What diamond shape do I prefer?

Perhaps the first decision in selecting a diamond ring is which diamond shape you are seeking. Diamond cutters craft diamonds in several shapes for diamond rings, some of which are round, princess, marquise, pear, and oval. The shape of a diamond determines its outward appearance, and you will likely realize a natural preference for a particular shape as you shop. Some rings have one central diamond, as in the traditional engagement ring, while others have several diamonds that may be the same or different shapes.

-What type of metal should I choose?

Yellow gold, white gold, platinum—there are a number of metals that are common for diamond rings. Platinum is a popular option for engagement rings and eternity rings because of its resilience, though it comes with a higher price tag than other metals. Silver, on the other hand, is prone to corrosion and thus is not the best choice for frequently worn rings such as wedding bands and eternity rings. Discuss with your jeweler the metal that is right for you, taking into consideration its color, durability and resistance to corrosion.

-What setting style do I prefer?

Something you will quickly realize when shopping for diamond rings is that diamonds are affixed to rings in a variety of ways. The way that a gem is set and held in place is referred to as its setting. Several setting styles are common for diamond rings, some of which are the bezel setting, channel setting, and prong setting. The shape and size of a diamond and the strength of the metal used may help determine the type of setting that is used in a particular ring.

Perhaps you already have in mind the type of diamond ring you are seeking, or maybe you prefer to explore all of the options until you simply discover the perfect ring. With the multitude of diamond ring styles available, having an idea of the shape, type of metal and setting style you prefer can help you in your quest for the diamond ring that best suits your taste and personality.