Diamond Colours for Engagement Rings

We are all familiar with white diamonds, the premier choice for every kind of elegant jewellery from necklaces, to earrings to rings. But there are many other colours available that you can select to set your special piece apart from all of the others. There is something like 130 million carats of diamonds mined every year, 49% of which come from mines in Africa. Most of these are the beloved white diamonds. Yellow is also a common color for diamonds. They can range from pale yellow to bright vivid yellow depending on the number of nitrogen atoms absorbed during the crystallization process. Brown diamonds vary greatly in shade and hue but are less expensive because they are not as popular as solitary gems. Rarely seen in engagement rings are blue diamonds. These are so rare and so desirable that they are extremely expensive. The most famous of these is the Hope Diamond which is over 45 carats in weight. Natural blue diamonds are so uncommon that most jewellers have never even seen one. Another color of diamond that is gaining in popularity is pink. Pink diamonds are as expensive quality for quality and carat for carat as are blue diamonds. The Darya-i-Nur diamond is the world’s most well-known pink diamond and weighs a spectacular 185 carats. Among the largest diamonds in the world, only 1 out of 66 is pink. Also extremely hard to find is the red diamond. It is said that there are less than twenty natural red diamonds in existence today.

The most popular colours, besides white, for diamonds in engagement rings can be obtained through processing. Fancy colours can be created by manipulating less desired diamonds to change their colours. One method is irradiation followed by intense heat which can change brown and pale yellow diamonds into brilliantly colored but still affordable stones. Because naturally colored diamonds are rare and often very expensive, these treatments are common and allow a great many people to enjoy a variety of diamond colours. Another affordable option is selecting a synthetically created colored diamond. The process, which was first experimented with in the 1950’s, involves high heat and high pressure, the same way diamonds are produced in nature. It just is accomplished in much less time. These are real diamonds but are manufactured in a laboratory instead of under ground over millions of years. It allows people on a more modest budget to have their engagement rings shine with the same brilliant colours as the rich and famous without the extravagant price. The vendors of these fancy colored gems, called “cultured” diamonds should always reveal the reality of a synthetic to prospective purchasers. Fortunately the vast majority of jewelers are ethical and will do so without hesitation. These synthetic gems usually sell for one-fourth to one-fifth the price of naturally colored stones of equal clarity, color, cut and carat weight. Finding a reputable jeweler through a personal recommendation is always the best way to ensure that you will be treated fairly when purchasing a diamond.

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