My Pink Diamonds

The Radiant cut diamond was created by Henry Grossbard in 1977. The radiant cut diamond combines the elegant shape of the emerald cut, with the brilliance of a round brilliant cut diamond. Radiant cut diamonds come in a wonderful squarish or rectangular cut shape. While not as popular as the other fancy cut diamonds, Radiant cut diamonds are adored by many diamond connoisseurs.

Radiant Cut Diamond is considered the father of ‘branded’ fancy cut diamonds with a birth over 20 years ago. The Radiant Cut Diamond is the first rectangular cut to have a complete brilliant facet pattern applied to both the crown and pavilion.

Radiant cut diamonds have an eye-catching “kaleidoscope” effect that have more “points of light” reflected within the diamond than any other cut.The Radiant Cut diamond: is a straight-edged rectangular or square stone with cut corners. The Radiant cut is a patented cut with 70 facets and is often confused with a “cut corners Princess / Quadrillions”. The cut corners are distinguishing of this fancy shaped diamond, and they aid in the brilliance of the diamond. Radiant cut diamonds are used mainly as centre stones for rings and pendants and look beautiful when set with baguette or trilliant cut shoulder stones.When choosing a Radiant cut diamond consider the colour grade, colour grades below J can cause the colour to appear slightly more visible in the corners. Radiant cut diamonds are cut to either a square or rectangular shape and it is a matter of personal preference.For a Radiant cut diamond that is square in shape a length to width ratio of 1:1.10 is typical, if you are looking for a Radiant cut diamond that is more rectangular then a length to width ratio of 1.20 – 1.50 is best. Due to its large facet, it is important to consider a stone that has a great color and clarity rating. Like other similar cuts, the Radiant cut diamond will show inclusions and imperfections very easily so make sure the stone is of the right quality before purchasing.

Radiant cut diamonds are great for engagement rings and wedding rings, as well as other high quality jewelry. If you are interested in squarish or rectangular diamond cuts, you might also want to consider the Cushion cut diamond, Emerald cut diamond or the Asscher cut diamond.

You may copy this article and place it on your own website, as long as you do not change it and include this resource box including the live linksCopyright © 2008 Diamond Imports Pty Ltdhttp://www.diamondimports.com.au

The Cushion Cut Diamond was an extremely popular diamond shape a century ago. Cushion cut diamonds have a romantic look about them and have once again become extremely popular as a diamond choice especially with Hollywood movies stars and celebrities. Cushion cut diamonds have a romantic look about them unlike other fancy shape diamonds. Cushion cut diamonds have lended themselves to the ‘Halo’ and ‘micro pave’ ring designs which are at present hugely popular. Cushion cut diamonds are also sometimes referred to as “pillow-cut” diamonds. Modern cushion cuts are based on the antique cushion cuts, which are a combination of a round and square outline with a softened square or “pillow” shape.

Some of the most famous diamonds in the world are cushion cut diamonds. These include the Hope Diamond, the Cullinan II and the Tiffany Yellow.

Cushion cut diamonds have rounded corners and larger facets to increase their brilliance. These larger facets highlight the diamond’s clarity, so if you choose a Cushion cut diamond with a SI clarity grade, be sure to review the clarity plot on the diamond certificate.Cushion cut diamonds can vary in the degree of rectangular shape that they have. For cushion cut diamonds that have an almost square look but elegant and classical charm a length to width ratio of 1.1 – 1.2 is best.

Cushion cut diamonds are an interesting alternative to oval shape diamonds or a modern princess cut diamond. The cushion cut diamond has the ability to display a high degree of returning light and brilliance and a sparkle which is dazzling. Cushion cut diamonds come to life, yet they still possess a dreamy quality. You may copy this article and place it on your own website, as long as you do not change it and include this resource box including the live links Copyright © 2008 Diamond Imports Pty Ltd

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Some people said that yellow diamond ring is not worth to buy; some others said that colorless or other fancy colored diamonds are better. But, it’s that true? I don’t think so.

Sometimes, people have misperception about what is the meaning of yellow diamond. If you already learn about diamond 4C’s, you must be know that for a white diamond grading, there are color grading ranging from D (colorless white) to Z (light yellow). Yellow diamond is not a grade Z of white diamond grading, but it’s beyond that. That is why they called fancy colored diamonds.

Yellow diamond ring price could be more expensive than colorless white diamond. Yellow diamond gained its popularity several years ago when many celebrities give yellow diamond ring to his fiancée as an engagement ring.

Deep color natural diamonds are rare and therefore they are so expensive. While there are many pale color yellow diamonds, these diamonds are prized not so expensive and sometimes they categorizes as a white diamond grade Z color.

However, there are also manmade yellow diamonds. These diamonds are produced in laboratory. CVD (chemical vapor deposition) is the name of process to produce a synthetic diamond. With this process, people try to simulate the diamond forming process in the labs as in nature, of course, it’s much faster, and you don’t have to wait million years to get the diamonds.

Synthetic diamond qualities are getting better and better. So, if you want to buy yellow diamond ring with natural diamonds on it, you better buy the one that have certificate. Without diamond certificate, a normal person could be hard to telling the different between the real one with the synthetic.

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.

Most people, when they think of diamonds, think of colourless diamonds.  After all, this is what you see in the shops all the time.

However, few people realise that diamonds actually exist in all different colours.  Natural coloured diamonds – or ‘fancy coloured diamonds’ – represent one of the most concentrated forms of wealth in the world.  After all, you can transport diamonds in your pocket.  They are rare beasts, with only 0.001% of diamonds mined in the world each year are coloured diamonds.

Diamonds exist in red, green, blue, pink, purple, orange, yellow, grey, brown and black.  The colour of the diamond, along with its vividness of colour, determines it value.

Red diamonds are the most rare of all, with less than 20 diamonds in the world having been certified as red.  At auction, these diamonds command incredible prices, often upwards of a million dollars per carat or more.

Green diamonds, blue diamonds are then the most rare and expensive, followed by pink diamonds. 

The vividness of colour is incredibly important when it comes to coloured diamonds.  The more intense the colour, the higher the value. 

Coloured diamonds need to be seen via digital image or in person.  After all, their grading of colour has to be a subjective one – can you imagine, for example, how a ‘fancy light yellow diamond’ would look?

Traditionally, the most sought after coloured diamonds have increased in value by an amazing 10-15% each year, as they become increasingly scarce, with findings of these precious stones becoming less and less.  The demand for these diamonds, however, is strong, and so over the next 5 years, experts predict that these diamonds will continue to represent an excellent investment opportunity.

For many engagement ring buyers, the preferred diamond color is white – indeed, the whiter, the better (and the pricier!).  A pure white diamond, often known as blue-white and graded color “D” is exceptionally hard to come by and these stones demand premium prices.  As you move down the diamond color scale (and down the alphabet towards a grading of “Z”) the diamond becomes less white and tends towards pale yellow colors.  These “tinted” diamonds are considered to be of an inferior color and consequently fetch lower prices.

At a stage however, the yellow color in a diamond is so vivid and so intense that it crosses out of the traditional diamond color chart and is considered a “fancy” colored diamond.  Fancy colored diamonds are exceptionally rare and exceptionally valuable, commanding prices of 10’s and 100’s of thousands of dollars.  But what causes colored diamonds?  Why are some white and some not-so-white and some blue or pink or brown or red?

Quite simply, the color in diamonds is caused by chemical impurities or deformation of the diamond crystal structure.  Ironic, when you consider that on the A – Z diamond color scale, less pure means less value!

Let’s start with white diamonds.  Diamond is comprised almost entirely of the element Carbon and a pure blue-white diamond (graded color “D”) will contain no chemical impurities – it is a pure form of Carbon.  However, the area of the earth where diamonds grow is essentially a chemical hot-pot, with many other elements waiting to be snapped up by minerals as they grow.  One of the more common elements is Nitrogen and, when a diamond has a significant amount of Nitrogen in its structure, the diamond takes on a yellow color.  The more nitrogen in the structure, the more yellow the diamond.

The presence of nitrogen can also impart an orange color, but orange diamonds are exceptionally rare.  Violet colored diamonds are also very rare and are believed to be caused by the presence of hydrogen in the diamond structure.

Blue diamonds are amongst the most prized colors and are found in only a limited number of areas worldwide.  Blue diamonds are caused when the element Boron is incorporated during the growth of a diamond.  As is the case with Nitrogen and yellow diamonds, the more Boron there is in a diamond, the darker the blue color will be.

Black diamonds are the result of a massive number of imperfections and inclusions (often graphite inclusions) within a diamond.  There are so many inclusions that the diamond is almost opaque and allows almost no light to pass through, resulting in a black appearance.  Black diamonds can almost be considered as industrial diamonds and are thus traditionally priced lower than white diamonds.  The degree of imperfections makes black diamonds very hard to cut and you will often only find black diamonds cut into round brilliant shapes.

Brown diamonds and pink diamonds are thought to be the result of the same process – crystal deformation.  Diamonds, like other crystals, have a regular arrangement of atoms and bonds, but under pressure, these atoms and bonds can shift out of position and it is this shift that results in a color change to either brown or pink, possibly depending on the degree of shift.  This process is also believed to account for red and purple diamonds that are occasionally discovered.

Green diamonds are exceptionally rare and are the result of a diamond having been subjected to radiation, normally deep within the earth’s crust or mantle, millions of years ago.  Don’t worry though, if you have a green diamond, it’s not radioactive!

Anything that is rare to obtain is also reasonably expensive and diamonds are valued highly as they are rare gemstones. The diamond is so attractive and unique that all men and women want to own it. The diamond is not only precious and elegant, but it is also obtainable in various colors. People loving of diamonds need to know that there are diamonds which have some relation to colors and as a buyer you should be aware of this factor if you want to get the right type of diamonds.Fancy colored diamonds are priced high when compared to the colorless ones. There can be minor variations in the price of diamonds depending on the place from where the diamond is obtained and the color. Pink is considered to be one of the more expensive colors. There are different subcategories under color and these are ranged based on the variety of factors like regular diamonds, light diamonds, vivid diamonds and intense diamonds.You should know that it is very difficult to obtain a fancy colored diamond compared to the usual white or colorless ones. Because of its shortage, it has become very popular and people clamor for the pink diamonds instead of the colorless diamonds. If you want to know the rarest diamond color, then the pink version is the one most difficult to obtain and hence the more expensive. There are red diamonds as well that carry a higher price but they are rarely available in the markets.If you are determined to buy a fancy colored diamond and not the standard white one, then you need to have a price range in mind so that your decision becomes simple. Your options should always be open so that you make the right choice without any negotiation.Most of us want fancy color diamonds to be packed with exciting hues and these gems come in a range of colors – yellows, reds, pinks, blues, greens, purples and all shades in-between. Synthetic colored diamonds are another reasonable version of diamonds if you desire diamonds of vibrant hues. Synthetic diamonds are real, but they are created in a laboratory and their origins should always be disclosed.Color is one of the components that change the value of a diamond. You need to know that diamonds with the small amount of color, graded D, E, and F, are scarce and command higher prices than diamonds with yellow or brownish tones. Again, vivid fancy color diamonds are still more unique carrying huge prices in consistency with their rarity. So it is but natural that the jewelry industry has devised methods to synthetically treat diamonds to present color diamonds the buyers demand. Turning yellow and brownish diamonds into gemstones with visual appeal has been experienced by gem merchants for a long time.But you must understand that coatings applied to change a diamond’s color are impermanent and are generally resorted to cheat the buyer. Diamonds are sometimes coated with a material that masks yellowish tints. Although it is heat treated, the coating will, over a period of time, disappear with normal wear and cleaning. Irradiation, joined with a high heat treatment, can turn brown and yellow diamonds into fancy colored diamonds. The color is usually permanent, but still could possibly change if high heat is applied during succeeding repairs.High Pressure High Temperature Treatment (HPHT) is a kind of treatment that was earlier used to turn yellow diamonds into fancy colored diamonds, but now it is also used to transform some unpopular brownish diamonds into more expensive colorless diamonds. Many analysts claim HPHT is not a treatment but a technique and this attitude, coupled with the fact that the process is difficult to detect has made HPHT a contentious topic. HPHT will remain a controversial topic, with grading labs trying to explore ways to detect this process so that consumers can receive full revelation report about the diamonds they purchase. The HPHT diamonds positively look gorgeous, but the choice between HPHT and natural diamond is a personal one.

When they think of diamonds, colored diamonds aren’t usually what comes to people’s minds. The fact is however that fancy colored diamonds are not unusual; they come in almost every shade and hue imaginable, and in many cases, are more valuable than “colorless’ diamonds.

A Glorified Lump of Coal?

Diamond – known to the ancients as adamantine – is what is known as an allotrope of carbon, and in chemical terms, is identical to common forms of coal and graphite. The difference lies not in chemical composition, but rather in how the molecules are arranged.

Diamonds form far deeper beneath the earth’s surface than coal or graphite; the carbon is subjected to extraordinarily higher pressures (up to 440 tons per square inch) and temperatures (as much as 2300 degrees Fahrenheit). This causes the molecules to be bonded to each other in a tetrahedral arrangement, accounting both for the hardness of diamond and the eight-sided shape in which they occur.

Shades of Difference

Colored diamonds are ones in which this molecular arrangement has been contaminated by a chemical reaction with some other element. A diamond that is made from pure carbon and has no structural flaws would be as perfectly transparent as pure water ice. However, no such 100% flawless diamonds have ever been found in nature.

Colored diamonds range in color from pale blue and storm gray to dark amber and even black. Pink, purple, reds and oranges have also been found. The color depends on the nature of the chemical impurity; amber and brown diamonds result from nitrogen; when internal flaws are present, they may be pink or red. A grey coloration is caused by boron, whereas a deep blue diamond may be the result of hydrogen.

Are They More Valuable?

Colored diamonds are not necessarily more valuable than clear or colorless ones, although they may be. If a collection of loose diamonds includes gemstones with a yellowish tinge, they may have less value; jewelry retailers often discount the price of such gems. One the other hand, pink and red diamonds are exceedingly rare, and command high prices on the open market when they are available at all.Grading Of Colored Diamonds

Like their clear counterparts, colored diamonds have a unique grading system used by gemologists when analyzing and evaluating such stones. These range from “faint” on one end, to “fancy” in the mid range, and “fancy dark” for those with the most intense coloration.

Famous Examples

The Hope Diamond is a blue diamond that is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institute. One of the most valuable diamonds on earth (and the inspiration for a series of comedy films featuring a bumbling French detective) is the Dar-I-Nur, an enormous pink diamond that is part of the Persian Crown Jewels. Colored diamonds of many different varieties – including a “chameleon” diamond that changes color – are part of the Aurora Collection, which has published photo images of their gems and can be seen at the London Museum of Natural History.

Most people have had experience with diamonds, the beautiful, shimmering and shining gems that are a symbol of eternal love. However, more and more there are colored diamonds being marketed that seem to be the exact opposite of what a diamond is supposed to look like. It is now not uncommon to hear of ruby red diamonds, amber diamonds, yellow or pink diamonds or even blue and green diamonds. There are even very unusual colored diamonds in gray, browns and black colors. This is not a marketing scam, there really are colored or fancy diamonds that are naturally produced in the same fashion that traditional clear diamonds are, they just had additional mineral in the carbon that formed the diamond millions of years ago.
These fancy diamonds are more expensive than the traditional and more common clear diamonds, largely because they are very rarely occurring in nature. It is a true find to discover a fancy diamond and the deeper and more distinct the color is the more costly the diamond is. One estimate states that of 100,000 gem quality clear diamond stones found, only one will be a gem quality colored diamond. Keep in mind that it takes between 200 and 250 tons of mined ore to produce just one gem quality clear diamond, so these really are a rare find.
One of the most famous colored diamonds is the blue colored Hope diamond that was actually cut from a much larger blue diamond with a total weight of 112 carats. The current size of the blue Hope diamond is 45.52 carats, and the famous necklace that features this diamond also has a surrounding setting of clear diamonds. This celebrated diamond also is believed by many to have a curse attached to ownership and it would cost you a cool 250 million dollars to purchase, if the Smithsonian Institute would even consider a sale. Perhaps a bit less well-known pink diamond is the Darya-I-Nur (Sea of Light) diamond that is mounted in a gold brooch setting. This massive pink diamond is a staggering 182 carats and is a very pale pink color. The Hancock diamond, one of the most impressive examples of a red diamond sold for $880,000. Before thinking that this was quite a deal, you might want to consider that the Hancock diamond is less that one carat in size.
Colored diamonds can now be produced in a lab, however these colored diamonds are not as valued as the naturally occurring diamonds. Colors are produced by applying varying degrees of pressure, irradiation and high temperatures to the brownish colored diamonds to produce vivid greens, yellows and blues. Red diamonds can now be produced in a lab through the same general process that includes very high, rapid heating and cooling, irradiation and high pressures. These red diamonds are still difficult to purchase but the lighter pink varieties that are developed in labs are becoming more common and readily available.
Whenever shopping for a colored diamond be sure to use a reputable jeweler and always ask to see a certificate on the diamond. Be very cautious of sales and “deals” on naturally occurring colored diamonds, they are usually not a sale item under any condition.

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.