When does yellow become orange, and orange become red? The question may sound a bit philosophical until you tie it to colored diamonds, where slight variations in color can mean huge differences in price.

This stunning collection shows the vast spectrum of color available in colored diamonds.

Determining the color of a diamond is no easy task. There are a number of factors that make it especially challenging.

To start, two people can see the same color differently.  Color Vision scientist Joseph Carroll went so far as to say, “I think we can say for certain that people don’t see the same colors.” One person’s velvety blue might be another person’s deep blue.

Now throw in color memory, which can be faulty. We rely on the past to decide what the color is of the object right in front of us. The red rose we admired last spring becomes the reference for the red rose this spring. But as a species, we have poor color memory: the deep red rose of last spring might have been brighter than you remembered.

Terminology is another challenge. Try describing “periwinkle”or “mauve.” In order to communicate color accurately, we need clearly defined terms and color references that can be shared.

Because the issue of color perception and communication is so complicated, an objective color standard is vital – especially when colored diamonds can sell for millions of dollars. GIA researchers had to take these factors into account when they developed a color grading system for colored diamonds.

The GIA Colored Diamond Color Grading Systemhad its origins in the 1950s, when the Institute started receiving numerous client requests to determine if colored diamonds had been treated to improve their color. GIA continued enhancing the system by assembling masterstones (reference diamonds) in the 1960s, and creating official terminology to describe colored diamonds. It was refined once again in 1994, and this is the GIA Colored Diamond Color Grading System  we know today.

GIA’s proprietary collection of masterstones may well be one of the largest of any grading laboratory in the world. GIA continually assesses the collection and these masterstones serve as permanent color references for graders.

GIA’s Pink Diamond Color Chart shows how the depth of color transitions between stones. (Note that these samples are representative only; not all diamond appearances are included. These gemstones are also not precisely positioned within the grades.)

GIA researchers also recognized that the surrounding environment, the viewer, and the light source all affected color perception.  For example, the color of a red diamond can appear warmer or cooler depending on the lighting.  For this reason, GIA uses the Macbeth Judge II Light Box for grading because it provides a neutral color environment and produces color-balanced lighting.

Another way GIA ensures consistency and accuracy in its grading is in its selection of colored diamond graders. Potential graders have to pass a series of tests and complete special training before they become preliminary colored diamond graders.

The result of these efforts is the GIA Colored Diamond Color Grading System – a repeatable process that removes subjectivity and ensures that a colored diamond is described accurately.

The color circle above shows the GIA hues for colored diamonds.

GIA’s system is recognized as the universal language for colored diamonds by virtually every gem and jewelry professional around the world, so it’s no surprise that that many of the world’s most important colored diamonds have been graded by GIA.

GIA graded this 59.6-carat diamond, named the Pink Star. Other important GIA-graded colored diamonds include: the blue Hope, the blue Heart of Eternity, the orange Pumpkin Diamond, the Moussaieff Red, the Wittelsbach Blue (renamed the Wittelsbach-Graff), and many others. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.

With GIA’s  reliable system in place, buyers around the world can shop confidently for these rare beauties.

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Jewelry connoisseurs have gone crazy for colored diamonds. And their appetites were practically insatiable in 2013.

In October 2013, an 8.77 carat cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut, GIA-graded Fancy Intense pink diamond sold for $6.3 million at Christie’s New York, coming in at $721,200 per carat. The same auction saw a 3.80 carat round-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut GIA-graded Fancy Vivid blue diamond (above) sell for nearly $4 million –a little more than $1 million per carat.

The Orange, a GIA-graded 14.82 carat Fancy Vivid orange diamond, sold for $35.5 million at a Christie’s auction Nov.11, 2013 in Geneva. Photo courtesy Denis Hayoun Diode SA Geneva

As it turns out, the October auction was a warm-up for the main events in November. A 14.82 carat pear modified brilliant-cut Fancy Vivid orange diamond (The Orange) sold for $35.5 million at Christie’s Geneva. This beauty was also graded by GIA, and at $2.4 million per carat, it earned the highest-ever per-carat price for a gemstone at auction.

Also in November, Sotheby’s Geneva saw the sale of the 59.60 carat the Pink Star – a GIA-graded oval mixed cut Fancy Vivid pink that sold for $83.2 million.  Renamed the Pink Dream  by its current owner, it was expected to fetch $60 million, until a bidding war started. As Russell Shor, senior industry analyst at GIA noted, the price of the Pink Dream was comparable to prices paid for artwork by some of the master painters.

The Pink Star, a GIA-graded 59.60 carat Fancy Vivid pink diamond, sold for $83.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction Nov. 12, 2013 in Geneva. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.

So what’s driving the colored diamond craze?

Hollywood A-listers like Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz, and Oprah Winfrey are wearing them, and it’s no secret that celebrities are often trendsetters. The exceptional rarity of these stones is also behind the frenzy: Fancy-colored diamonds are far rarer than diamonds in the normal color range. Some experts estimate that only 2% of total rough diamond production is fancy colored. The percentage is even lower for fashioned diamonds: Only one out of 10,000 carats of fashioned diamonds displays fancy color, and a diamond’s chances of displaying intense color are even lower – one in 25,000. Heightening the craze is the expectation that the Argyle mine, the main source of natural pink diamonds, will be exhausted by 2020. Add all these together, and you have the ingredients for a serious trend.

14k white gold pendant contains a .45 ct pink CVD labgrown diamond. Courtesy of Bostonian Jewelers, Boston.

Not surprisingly, jewelry shoppers have also caught colored diamond fever. Some retailers and online vendors are selling synthetic colored diamonds or treated-color natural diamonds to satisfy the demand. These beauties available in a rainbow of color choices are becoming more affordable than ever before.

If you’re in the market for a colored diamond, consider looking for a GIA Colored Diamond Report. GIA created the GIA Colored Diamond Grading System in 1994, and has graded important colored diamonds, including the Hope, the Pink Dream, and many others. A GIA report is virtually a requirement by all the big auction houses and other key players. Why not make it a requirement for your next purchase too?

Which do you prefer: colorless or colored diamonds? Do you think colored diamonds are a fad or are they here to stay?

Main image is a GIA-graded Fancy Vivid blue diamond. Image courtesy of Christie’s Images LTD. 2013.

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Going once. Going twice. Going three times. Sold for $83.2 million.

That was the winning bid for the 59.6 carat Fancy Vivid Pink Dream in November 2013 – the most ever paid for a diamond. The amount was comparable to prices paid for paintings by some of the masters.

The Pink Star, a GIA-graded 59.60 carat Fancy Vivid pink diamond, sold for $83.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction Nov. 12, 2013 in Geneva. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.

GIA has graded many of the world’s most significant colored diamonds: the Hope, the Heart of Eternity, the Pink Dream, and many others. As some of the hottest items in the jewelry display case, colored diamonds are fetching millions of dollars at auction. Which makes it all the more essential that a proven, trusted way to evaluate them exists

The expanded GIA Colored Diamond Grading System, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, is the universal standard for grading these rare colored marvels. Let’s take a closer look at how it came to be.

The origin of the GIA Colored Diamond Grading System

GIA first developed the grading system in the 1950s to evaluate yellow diamonds falling outside the normal colorless to light yellow (D-to-Z) color range. Over time, the Institute expanded and enhanced the system, publishing its results in Gems & Gemology  in 1994, effectively debuting the Colored Diamond Grading System we know today.  These enhancements included refining the colored grading system and adding the new color descriptions of Fancy Deep and Fancy Vivid.

What defines a colored diamond?

Diamonds whose colors fall outside the GIA D-to-Z color range are described as “Fancy Colors” or “Fancies.” In evaluating their color, GIA takes into consideration three attributes:

1. Hue – the attribute we generally think of as color, for example, red, yellow, green, blue, or anything in between.
2. Tone – the color’s relative lightness or darkness
3. Saturation – the color’s depth and strength

GIA recognizes 27 different hues or “colors” for fancy colored diamonds, and describes tone and saturation with terms like Fancy Light, Fancy Vivid, Fancy Deep.

Fancy color diamond ranges.

In general, the more color a diamond has, the better. Fancy Deep and Fancy Vivid diamonds, for example, have more color than Fancy Light diamonds.

Grading Colored Diamonds

Like D-to-Z diamonds, GIA evaluates colored diamonds under carefully controlled lighting and viewing conditions. Expert graders view the diamond in its face-up position and establish the three attributes of that color by bracketing each of the attributes using reference stones as color comparators, finally assigning one of nine color fancy grades to the colored diamond.

Color grading colored diamonds requires considerable skill, as slight gradations in color can make a big difference in price. Additionally, diamonds can be treated to alter their color. Since naturally colored diamonds are worth far more than treated ones, expert evaluation is essential to determine what is referred to as the “origin of color”.

These four yellow diamond master stones mark the most commonly seen lower saturation boundaries of their respective grade ranges. L-R: Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Intense and Fancy Vivid. (c) GIA & Robert Weldon

Another consideration: The rarer the color, the more valuable the diamond. Red, green, purple, and orange are the rarest colored diamonds. Clarity, cut, and carat weight are secondary considerations (though all things being equal, a larger colored diamond is still more valuable than a smaller one).

Get Ready to be Dazzled

Now that you know what makes a colored diamond desirable and have a better understanding of the GIA Colored Diamond Grading System, get ready to enjoy some dazzling beauties. And remember that the GIA Colored Diamond Grading System helps you know what you’re purchasing – and lets you buy with confidence.

The Bulgari Blue, a distinctive two-stone ring featuring a 10.95 ct Fancy Vivid blue diamond and a 9.87 ct G-color diamond, fetched $15.76 million at Christie’s New York on October 20, 2010.

A 14.82 carat Fancy Vivid orange diamond (The Orange) sold for $35.5 million in November 2013. At $2.4 million per carat, it was the highest-ever per-carat price for a gemstone at auction. Photo courtesy Denis Hayoun Diode SA Geneva

Two rings: (left) 1.86-ct. Fancy Deep blue diamond flanked by pink and yellow triangular cut diamonds, (right) 1.11-ct. Fancy intense yellow-green diamond flanked by 2 triangular cut orangy-pink diamonds. Photo courtesy of American Siba Corp, Moses Jewelers, Isaac Wold and Lazar Wolf.

Ready to learn more about fancy colored diamonds? Visit GIA’s online Gem Encyclopedia

The post GIA Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the Expanded Colored Diamond Grading System appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

As the creator of the 4Cs and International Diamond Grading System, GIA also established color grading standards and terminology specifically for colored diamonds, based on the color’s hue, tone, and saturation. Today, we identify some of the defining characteristics that help make fancy-color diamonds a true feast for the eyes.

Brown diamonds

As one of the most popular gems to make the trend scene, brown diamonds summon images of luxury and pleasure with trade names like champagne”, “chocolate”, and “cognac”. The cause of color in natural-color brown diamonds is still the subject of scientific investigations. It has been proposed that the color is caused by internal parallel grain lines in the diamond or from color centers.  A color center is an atomic-level lattice defect, found in a diamond’s crystal structure, that can selectively absorb light in the visible region of the spectrum.

Yellow diamonds

Yellow diamonds contain trace elements of nitrogen, and are  also abundant.. Highly saturated yellow stones are considered to be the most desirable color. You will sometimes hear yellow diamonds referred to as “canary,” though this is not an accepted term used in grading yellow diamonds.

Pink diamonds

Pink diamonds can range in color  from  very light pink to reddish purple, including pink-purple, orangy red, purplish red, and more. The cause of color in natural-color pink diamonds is still the subject of scientific investigations. It has been proposed that  their color is from graining inside the crystal or from color centers.. This can also produce red diamonds, though they are extremely rare.

Blue diamonds

Also quite rare, blue diamonds are caused by boron impurities in the crystal – the more boron, the deeper the hue. Blue diamonds have traces of grey, so they never approach the deep saturated color of sapphires.

Green diamonds

The color green stems from radiation which displaces atoms from their normal positions in the crystal lattice. This can happen naturally by the effect of nearby radioactive rocks or when man exposes diamonds to radiation in a laboratory. The green color is usually confined to the surface, not through the entire stone. Natural green diamonds are very rare, low in saturation and somewhat greyish or brownish.

GIA has the ability to determine whether color is natural or the result of an artificial process. To learn more about how GIA set the benchmark for colored diamond reports, go here.

Which color happens to catch your fancy?

The post The Timeless Intrigue of Colored Diamonds appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Many people know that diamonds typically come in a range of colors from D to Z on the GIA color-grading scale.  However, most people don’t know how the naked eye sees color in a diamond.

Diamond Color – D to Z

When visible white light enters a diamond, the gem absorbs some of the wavelengths, while transmitting wavelengths to the viewer’s eye. This process is called selective absorption, and it determines the color of any material, including diamonds.

If little or no color is absorbed by an object, then it appears colorless or white. If the entire spectrum of colors is absorbed, the object will appear black, with an infinite number of possibilities in between.

In other words, selective absorption is the very process that determines the color of your diamond. In diamonds, the presence of nitrogen atoms (or other atoms of impurity) determines the level of absorption, and therefore the color of the diamond. A dog, because its eye processes wavelengths differently than a human, would see a completely different color in the diamond than you would.

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Do you know how diamond color is evaluated? GIA kicks off its 4Cs Q&A series with color grading.

Q: Why does the GIA Color Grading System start at D?

A: Before GIA established the D-to-Z Color Grading Scale, a variety of other systems were used loosely, from A, B, and C (used without clear definition), to Arabic (0, 1, 2, 3) and Roman (I, II, III) numbers, to descriptive terms like “gem blue” or “blue white,” which are notorious for misinterpretation. So, the creators of the GIA Color Scale wanted to start fresh, without any association with earlier systems. Thus, the GIA scale starts at the letter D. Very few people still cling to other grading systems, and no other system has the clarity and universal acceptance of the GIA scale.

Q: How is diamond color evaluated?

A: Light source and background can have a significant impact on a diamond’s appearance, so GIA grades color in a standardized viewing environment against color masters. A minimum of two GIA color graders enter independent evaluations of each diamond. Depending on the agreement of these grades and the weight and quality of the diamond, additional GIA graders may enter their own color opinions. The grade is not determined until there is sufficient consensus.

To learn more about how diamond color is evaluated, please visit our 4Cs of Diamond Quality website or download the GIA 4Cs app, now available on iPhone, iPad, and Android.

Color Q&A | Clarity Q&A | Cut Q&A | Carat Weight Q&A

Color diamond images are for reference only and may not reflect true diamond color quality grades. Images are not for color diamond grading.

The post 4Cs Q&A with GIA: Diamond Color Grading appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

The color evaluation of most gem-quality diamonds is based on the absence of color.

A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue, and consequently, a higher value. The GIA Color Grading System measures the degree of colorlessness by comparing a stone, under controlled lighting and precise viewing conditions, to masterstones of established color value. Many of these color distinctions are so subtle that they are invisible to the untrained eye; however, these distinctions make a very big difference in diamond quality and price.

The GIA Color Grading Scale is the industry’s most widely accepted grading system.

Check out this interactive tool for viewing the color subtleties of diamonds that fall within the D-to-Z color range, and tell us what you think. Later this week, we’ll shed some light on diamond clarity.

Click here to return to the Diamond Grading Scales.

Color diamond images are for reference only and may not reflect true diamond color quality grades. Images are not for color diamond grading.

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GIA created the 4Cs (Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight) as a universal method for establishing the quality of any diamond, anywhere in the world. The 4Cs means two very important things: diamond quality can be communicated in a universal language, and diamond-buying consumers can know exactly what they are about to purchase.

All diamond images and diagrams are for reference only and may not reflect true diamond quality grade. Images are not for color or clarity diamond grading.

Interested in learning more about how to buy a diamond? Stay tuned for next week’s tutorial on diamond color or check out these great 1-minute videos on the 4Cs: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight.

The post GIA Diamond Grading Scales: The Universal Measure of Quality appeared first on GIA 4Cs Blog.

Even the slightest change in diamond color can affect the quality and value of a diamond. Although most diamonds are thought of as colorless (that is, not fancy-colored), most colorless diamonds actually contain hints of brown and yellow. These differences in color are often very subtle –  so subtle that an untrained eye can’t tell the difference between a nearly colorless diamond and a colorless one. Yet these minute color variations can have a significant impact on the purchase price of the stone.

All non-fancy diamonds sent to GIA for grading are graded according to GIA’s internationally recognized D-to-Z color-grading scale, with D representing the top end of the scale, as a completely colorless diamond, and Z the bottom end of the scale, representing the obvious presence of a light yellow or brown hue. Each letter in the scale denotes a combination of tone (lightness or darkness) and saturation (intensity), creating a value called “depth of color.”

When GIA color graders grade a D-to-Z diamond’s color*, the diamond  is viewed table down, under highly controlled lighting conditions. It is compared to a set of carefully assembled master comparison diamonds (“master stones”) where each diamond corresponds to an alphabetical grade from D to Z.  This grading protocol ensures that the grade assigned is precisely the letter designated by GIA for that color.

Although each letter in the GIA D-to-Z color scale designates a specific color range, letters are also grouped into broader categories:

• D through F: Colorless. These diamonds are the most chemically pure of the D to Z range.
• G through J: Near colorless. Coloration often unseen except by trained graders. Very valuable.
• K through M: Faint. Coloration still difficult to see by the untrained eye.
• N through R: Very light. Coloration can be seen in larger stones by untrained eye.
• S through Z: Light. Colorations can be seen in many sized stones. Distinctly yellow or brown but not so colored to be considered a “fancy” diamond.

Overall, the important thing to remember is that the lower the letter, the higher the grade, and the more valuable your diamond.

*Color Grading “D-to-Z”Diamonds at the GIA Laboratory, Gems & Gemology, Winter 2008

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When browsing for jewelry, one might be captivated by the glimmer of a diamond’s sparkle, and assume that most diamonds are colorless.  And while it’s true that certain  diamonds have colors so blindingly brilliant that they take on beautiful hues of the rainbow, truly colorless diamonds are actually quite rare.

Diamond colors usually range from nearly colorless, to light yellow to brown, and generally speaking, the differences in color can be subtle. However, those subtleties can cause a dramatic variation in price. Learn more about Diamond Color with this short 1-minute video clip from GIA.

Remember, the value of a diamond is determined only after considering all of the 4Cs of diamond quality, so a colorless diamond may not be the ‘best color’ for you. Learn about the next C, Diamond Clarity.

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