At a stage however, the yellow color in a diamond is so vivid and so intense that it crosses out of the traditional diamond color chart and is considered a ‘fancy’ colored diamond. Fancy colored diamonds are exceptionally rare and exceptionally valuable, commanding prices of 10’s and 100’s of thousands of dollars. But what causes colored diamonds? Why are some white and some not-so-white and some blue or pink or brown or red?

Quite simply, the color in diamonds is caused by chemical impurities or deformation of the diamond crystal structure. Ironic, when you consider that on the A-Z diamond color scale, less pure means less value!

Let’s start with white diamonds. Diamond is comprised almost entirely of the element Carbon and a pure blue-white diamond (graded color ‘D’) will contain no chemical impurities – it is a pure form of Carbon. However, the area of the earth where diamonds grow is essentially a chemical hot-pot, with many other elements waiting to be snapped up by minerals as they grow. One of the more common elements is Nitrogen and, when a diamond has a significant amount of Nitrogen in its structure, the diamond takes on a yellow color. The more nitrogen in the structure, the more yellow the diamond.

The presence of nitrogen can also impart an orange color, but orange diamonds are exceptionally rare. Violet colored diamonds are also very rare and are believed to be caused by the presence of hydrogen in the diamond structure.

Blue diamonds are amongst the most prized colors and are found in only a limited number of areas worldwide. Blue diamonds are caused when the element Boron is incorporated during the growth of a diamond. As is the case with Nitrogen and yellow diamonds, the more Boron there is in a diamond, the darker the blue color will be.

Black diamonds are the result of a massive number of imperfections and inclusions (often graphite inclusions) within a diamond. There are so many inclusions that the diamond is almost opaque and allows almost no light to pass through, resulting in a black appearance. Black diamonds can almost be considered as industrial diamonds and are thus traditionally priced lower than white diamonds. The degree of imperfections makes black diamonds very hard to cut and you will often only find black diamonds cut into round brilliant shapes.

Brown diamonds and pink diamonds are thought to be the result of the same process – crystal deformation. Diamonds, like other crystals, have a regular arrangement of atoms and bonds, but under pressure, these atoms and bonds can shift out of position and it is this shift that results in a color change to either brown or pink, possibly depending on the degree of shift. This process is also believed to account for red and purple diamonds that are occasionally discovered.

Green diamonds are exceptionally rare and are the result of a diamond having been subjected to radiation, normally deep within the earth’s crust or mantle, millions of years ago. Don’t worry though, if you have a green diamond, it’s not radioactive!

An important fact to bear in mind when buying coloured diamonds is to ask the retailer or diamond dealer whether the diamond colour is natural or enhanced. Many laboratory techniques can be used impart, improve or alter the natural colour of diamonds and such information must be given to the diamond purchaser.

We have been invited to a very important wealth seminar sponsored by the Sovereign Society in Panama City in May.  The seminar is expected to bring together over 300 investors to discuss opportunities in the global financial markets.

Our two contributions to Two major investment books in 2008 are expected to be published in the spring.  Both periodicals are expected to see sales in the tens of thousands of copies and we are excited to be working on both periodicals as a means of expanding our client base and helping people understand the fundamentals of the rare colored diamond market.

A diamond is just pure carbon crystal. If you look at the chemistry of diamond, it is pure carbon. The arrangement of the carbon atoms differently makes it a unique gem. A diamond is considered precious from the ancient times and is popular for its strength.

How a diamond is formed?

Diamonds are formed in the earth thousands of years ago under extreme heat and pressure. This extreme heat and pressure in the earth transforms this carbon into crystals and colorless. Although diamonds are formed in the earth, the volcanic activities are thought to have brought them to the surface of the earth in the early days. Hence, these volcanic pipes are found to have diamonds in them. When some of the minerals mix with the carbon, the diamond takes some other color in it. Such diamonds that are colored are very rare and valued much than the normal diamond, which is colorless.

Some of the diamond mines

Diamond mines are found in Canada and Australia. Diavik Diamond Mines is found in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Canada. It is estimated that this diamond mine reserves are 95.6 million carats. The Argyle diamond mine found in the Kimberley region in the far north of Western Australia is one of the popular mines that produce the Argyle diamonds. This mine produces more than one third of the world’s production of diamonds.

How diamonds are valued?

Diamonds are valued by their Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat weight. You should remember the four C’s that are used to value diamonds. Cut, Color, and Clarity are used to measure the quality of the diamond and the final C, which is Carat, is used to measure the size of the diamond. Man creates cut in a diamond and the other C’s are formed in nature.

Types of diamonds

When minerals are mixed in nature with the diamond, it gives the characteristic color for the diamond. Based on the type of mineral that is mixed, we can classify the diamonds in to many types. The following are the colors that are found in the diamond.

Yellow: this color is formed when Nitrogen is combined with diamond crystals.

Blue: During the formation of the diamond if elements of Boron are mixed then the diamond will be in blue color

Green: Green color is caused due to a missed out atom in the lattice of atoms.

Brown: Any dislocation in the lattice of atoms causes brown coloring in the diamonds.

Pink: Dislocations in the lattice missed out atoms, and some impurities that are non-nitrogen causes pink color in diamonds.

Believe it or not, there is a big difference between simulated diamonds and fake diamonds. When you think of a fake diamond, you may think of one that is being presented as genuine when it is actually anything but the real thing. A simulated diamond is one that is designed specifically to imitate the appearance, characteristics and conditions of a natural gemstone and is clearly defined as such. It’s important to note, however, that simulated diamonds are not genuine diamonds. Today, the world’s most popular simulate diamonds are known as cubic zirconia. Retailers who offer this popular manmade diamond replica are enjoying its rising popularity in a ‘shining’ fashion.

There are many benefits to owning simulated diamonds, such as an affordable price, a bold look and less heartbreak if something were to happen to your jewelry. When you wear genuine diamonds, you risk losing something that may cost you a small fortune to replace. With simulated diamonds, however, most jewelry pieces can be replaced without putting yourself or your finances in a pinch.

When it comes to size and appearance, simulated diamonds are created to look identical to a natural diamond. They are available in all of the sizes, shapes, cuts and colors as a real diamond and, in most cases, are eye clean in an effort to provide the wearer with a flawless look.

If you are in the market for simulated diamonds, make sure that you purchase your jewelry from a reputable business. An informed shopper is a happy shopper, and an important part of that is knowing who you do business with. Some retailers who specifically deal in simulated diamonds can provide the best variety and pricing, which makes them a popular pick among jewelry lovers. Not only can they offer beautiful designs in simulated diamonds, but they also offer a wide selection of product where there is almost always something to suit every buyer.

In conclusion, cubic zirconia is currently the most popular and accepted of the simulated diamonds on the market. Because it measures an 8.5 on the scale of hardness, it is harder than all other gemstones with the exception of the diamond, ruby and sapphire. In addition, it’s high reflective index of 2.15 is just short of that of a genuine diamond, which measures a 2.41 on reflection. For the wearer of cubic zirconia simulated diamonds, this means that the brilliance and shine of a cubic zirconia is not far behind that of a diamond. Durability, shine, sparkle and price are among the most appealing characteristics of cubic zirconia simulated diamonds. Not only that, but the fact that most people could never afford a large, flawless diamond solitaire also makes cubic zirconia a popular pick for both engagement rings and wedding rings.