March 24, 2010

Not Just Natural: Colored Diamond Jewellery

From: affordable diamond solitaire engagement ring. Contrary to what we commonly know, diamond jewelries are not always clear.  Colored are becoming more popular compared with the usual white and transparent even though naturally colored gem stones are more expensive.  Some companies are giving some of their color treatment to make it more suitable for some customers, budget-wise.

Treating gem stones with color would be by inducing the stones into extremely high heat to change the color.  It could also be painted.  When appraising color-treated , they tend to be more affordable since the color are less intense compared with the natural ones.  

There are different shades and colors for naturally colored .  But there are popular color shades and combinations, they are the pink, blue, brown, yellow, orange, green and red.  Interestingly, there are also black .  Yellow colored are the most common, while those in red, blue and green are the rarest. 

When buying naturally colored , they are evaluated and checked just like the white and transparent ones.  The 4 Cs are still used in grading colored gem stones:  cut, clarity, color and carat.  However, the way or the factors how colored diamond are inspected are different. 

- Color.   Naturally colored ’ value would depend on the intensity of its color and its hue.  The more intense and vivid the color is, the value of the diamond also increases.  There would be times when there are traces of other color.  If the traces of the secondary color magnifies the beauty of the stone, then that would be great for the value of the stone. But if the underlying color is not complementing the main color, then it lowers down the gem stone’s value. 

- Cut.  A gem’s cut gives the brilliance to the gem.  The cut would enhance the intensity and the shade of the diamond’s color.  Most colored are in round, oval, and princess cuts.  There are also some that would be heart shaped and other unique shapes. 

- Clarity.  Clarity is important for white and transparent , but for naturally-colored they may not be as important.  

- Carat.  Carat is all about the weight of the gem stone and not about the size.  Of course, the bigger it is the heavier it will be.  The heavier the colored diamond, the higher its value.  

Just like when purchasing white , obtain a grading certificate from the retailer.  Make sure that the certificate is issued by international laboratories like the IGI, GIA or EGL.  This certification would be your assurance that what you have bought is indeed a natural colored gem and not a stone that was tampered with. 

The most popular colors would be in yellow and pink.  There are celebrities who fancy wearing colored .  Over the years, the demand for other colors is also increasing.  Another subject of curiosity would be the black diamond which is sometimes associated with both luck and being unlucky.  Most legends would say that black diamond jewelries are cursed and would bring bad fortune to those who own it. But different from other colored diamond jewelries, black gems are mainly used for industrial purposes.

For more please see oval diamond rings and vintage diamond solitaire engagement rings.

Tags

Related posts

Filed under Shopping Cart by

Permalink Print