What are Fancy Colour Diamonds?
Most diamonds in the normal colour range are colourless through to a light-yellow shade and are described using the industry’s D-to-Z colour-grading scale. However, fancy colour diamonds exhibit either yellow or brown shades beyond the Z range, or any other colour face-up. These rare variations can be found in any colour of the spectrum, including blue, green, pink, and red. Black, grey, and white diamonds are also considered as fancy colour diamonds.
How do Fancy Diamonds get their Colour?
The colours and hues in any coloured diamond occurs due to the presence of different minerals, such as nitrogen or boron. The presence of nitrogen will give the diamond a yellow hue, and when a large amount of nitrogen is present, the gem ceases to be a M-Z coloured diamond and is instead considered a fancy colour diamond.
Depending on what chemical is present, the diamond can take on a different colour. Blue diamonds occur due to the presence of boron, a rare element found in the Earth’s crust. Meanwhile other coloured diamonds, such as pink, red, green, purple, and orange are caused by radiation and other common natural elements found in the Earth.
The Fancy Four Cs
Fancy colour diamonds will and should be GIA certified. This means they have been graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) based on their colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight, similarly to colourless diamonds.
Colour
With colourless diamonds, the less colour, the higher its value. In the case of fancy diamonds, the opposite is true. Strong coloured fancy diamonds are very rare to find and are therefore valued much higher than lightly coloured fancy diamonds. All fancy colour diamonds follow the same colour grading scale: Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Intense, and Fancy Vivid. As the concentration of colour within the diamond increases, so does its value.
The hue of the diamond also impacts its value. Yellow and brown diamonds, though rare themselves, are the more commonly found fancy colour diamonds. Diamonds with a noticeable hue of any other colour are considerably rarer. Red, green, and blue diamonds with medium to dark tones and moderate saturations are extremely rare and highly valued.
The grading process for fancy colour diamonds is complex and specialised, and requires highly trained laboratory graders to accurately complete. The GIA colour-grading system for such diamonds is based on tone, hue, and saturation, designed to accommodate that not all coloured diamonds have the same level of depth in colour. For example, yellow diamonds can come in a wide range of saturations, while blue diamonds do not.
Clarity
Colour is the most dominant factor in the value of a fancy diamond. Even a diamond with numerous inclusions that result in a low clarity grade is still prized by connoisseurs if it displays an attractive face-up colour. However, if inclusions threaten the diamonds durability, this will lower the fancy diamond’s value significantly. Fancy colour diamonds can also display colour graining, which is considered a type of inclusion.
Cut
Size and shape are two important aspects of cut that can influence diamond colour. The larger the diamond, or the deeper its pavilion, the farther the light can travel in it, which can often lead to a richer, more intense colour.
The style of cut can also impact colour. Cutters have found that certain styles – particularly mixed cuts like radiant – can intensify the yellow colour in diamonds that are on the lower end of the D-Z colour-grading scale. When carefully fashioned as radiant cuts, many yellow tinted diamonds became fancy yellow diamonds when viewed face up. This perceived improvement in colour can increase the price per carat. As an added benefit, the radiant cut allows cutters to retain more carat weight from the rough diamond than a round brilliant cut.
Carat Weight
The carat weight of a fancy colour diamond is graded the same way as a normal diamond in the D-Z colour range. Large fancy diamonds, with a higher carat weight, are rarer and therefore more valuable than smaller fancy diamonds.
Grey Fancy Diamond vs Salt and Pepper Diamond
Grey fancy diamonds are not to be confused with what is often termed as ‘Salt and Pepper’ diamonds. In the case of fancy grey diamonds, the presence of either hydrogen or boron is what gives them their grey hue. This is not the case for salt and pepper diamonds. Salt and pepper diamonds were once considered ‘rough diamonds’ and possess a heavy number of inclusions. The number of inclusions in such diamonds results in a very dull appearance, in contrast to the sparkle a grey fancy diamond can maintain.
Grey fancy diamonds follow the same colour grading system as other fancy colour diamonds and should be GIA certified. The GIA does not, however, certify salt and pepper diamonds due to lack of imitation (no meaningful imitations or lab versions of this diamond are created) and lack of clarity. Salt and pepper diamonds do not follow the 4Cs either, as a result.
Please be mindful of this if you are looking for grey fancy diamonds. GIA certified grey diamonds are not the same as salt and pepper diamonds, although some jewellers may use these terms interchangeably. Grey fancy diamonds should be grey in colour, with little to no visible inclusions, and will sparkle under light. Salt and pepper diamonds are normal diamonds that are heavily included, which prevents enough light passing through and reflecting in the diamond, making the diamond appear as dull.
Fancy coloured diamonds are GIA certified diamonds that contain enough minerals to change the hue of the diamond. Grey fancy diamonds are not to be mistaken with ‘Salt and Pepper’ diamonds, which are just heavily included, cheaper diamonds. Such diamonds cannot be certified and are not considered fancy diamonds.
Fancy diamonds are a gorgeous option for anyone who wants an alternative, more modern look with their diamond jewellery. And they are the perfect choice for anyone looking for a unique diamond engagement ring.
If you are considering a fancy colour diamond, why not give us a visit in-store or book an appointment to have a chat with a member of our sales staff? We would be delighted to help you on your fancy, colourful journey!
