FANCY ColorS

Rare and very expensive, colored or "fancy" diamonds are becoming ever more popular. These diamonds reflect the colors of the rainbow and dazzle in brilliant combinations of red, pink, blue, yellow, orange, green and brown.

Yellow is the most common colored diamond, while pink, red, blue and green diamonds are extremely rare. Colored diamonds also tend to be smaller than other diamonds and they are cut to maximize color, not clarity.

The appearance of color is created from the combined effect of three elements:

• hue - the predominant color
• tone - the darkness of the color
• saturation - the intensity of the color

Colored diamonds are described based on their predominant hue, such as "pink." If for example, the fancy diamond contains hints of a secondary color such as purple, it will be described as "purplish pink." The use of "ish" indicates the subtle presence of purple. However, a fancy diamond described "brown pink" means that the appearance of both colors is virtually even throughout the stone.

The GIA uses specific grades to identify the ranges of color:

• Faint
• Very light
• Light
• Fancy Light
• Fancy
• Fancy Intense
• Fancy Dark
• Fancy Deep
• Fancy Vivid

For example, a fancy intense yellow may be listed as FIY or a fancy light pink as a FLP. These grades play a significant role in determining the value of colored diamonds; the stronger the hue the more valuable the diamond.

Various ways of "treating" a diamond, such as heat, can be used to intensify or enhance the color. However, these treated stones are worth far less per carat than their natural counterparts. Diamonds.com adheres to the highest quality standards and does not sell treated diamonds. We only offer natural colored diamonds.

Learn more about Carat | Color | Clarity | Cut | Shape