INVESTING IN FANCY YELLOW AND OTHER FANCY COLORED DIAMONDS
Natural yellow diamonds have been prized by collectors for centuries. Some of the most famous diamonds, including the Tiffany Diamond are yellow in color. Their captivating beauty has been noted in historical documents dating back to the 1600’s.
Today, yellow diamonds are thought of as “traditional” and can often be found as the centerpieces of beautiful 3-stone rings. They are among the most abundant of all “fancy colored” diamonds.
From the faint “cape” color to the vibrant hues of intense and vivid, yellow diamonds can be found in a wide variety of hues, tones and saturations .
Yellow diamonds were first introduced into the marketplace in the 1860’s when they were “discovered” in the Kimberly and Dutoitspan mines in the Cape Provenience of South Africa.
The following articles are meant to help you better understand the value of yellow diamonds and get the most out of your special diamond purchase.
F ancy yellow diamonds are defined as diamonds that exhibit colors beyond the traditional D-Z diamond color grading scale. Faint, very light, and light yellows are part of this scale and are not considered “fancy” in nature.
Like most other colored diamonds, their color is intensified by trace elements within the atomic structure of the diamond. In the case of yellow diamonds, the element is nitrogen. Varying amounts of this element allows for more vibrant color saturations to exist beyond the faint yellow of an XYZ colored white.
Yellow diamonds exhibit the highest levels of saturation of all natural colored diamonds. From 1998 to 2003, 30% of all yellows submitted for grading were graded “fancy intense” or higher. (Gems & Gemology, Summer 2005)
INVESTING IN FANCY YELLOW AND OTHER FANCY COLORED DIAMONDS
There are two main yellow diamond color categories. One group contains the appearance of an orangy undertone. The color is described as being “warm” or “golden” yellow. The second group contains the appearance of a greenish undertone.
This group is described as being “cool” or ”lemony” yellow. Neither group is more valuable than the other. The fact that these two types of yellows exist should be recognized, but other than personal preference these color types typically have no effect on purchase decisions. One aspect of yellow diamonds that does affect value is the presence and type of secondary color modifier.
This refers to a second or even third color that can be noticed when applying face-up color grading. These colors do drastically alter the overall appearance of color and ultimately, the value.
Common modifiers found in yellow diamonds are brown, green and orange. As a rule, any colored diamond containing brown will cost less than a similar diamond without brown.
Due to its rarity in nature, green will cause a yellow diamond to be worth more. The same can be said for orange. Color modifiers, while often having a negative effect on price, can also help to create a very unique and interesting yellow diamond.
For those with a taste for the unique, diamonds with secondary colors are both interesting and beautiful. Some common descriptors of these diamonds include “greenish yellow” orangy yellow” “brownish yellow” or even “brownish orangy yellow.” When comparing identically graded diamonds, such as a series of “fancy” yellows, you may notice a slight difference in lightness or darkness from one to the other. This range from dark to light is described as the tone of color.
This aspect of color is not denoted on a GIA certificate but is highly relevant in overall grading and determining which of several options is “better.” The International Gemological Institute (IGI) has recently developed a grading system that measures tone in the form of a numerical scale. This system more accurately describesthe total color of the diamond.
“Fancy” yellows with a darker tone are known as “strong fancies.” To the eye, they may appear closer to “fancy intense” in color and are sometimes so close in tone that it is difficult to tell them apart.
On the other end of the tone scale, “fancy” yellows with a lighter tone are described as “weak fancies” and may exhibit a overall color similar to a “fancy light” yellow. Purchasing a “fancy yellow” graded diamond with a strong tone is a cost effective way to receive the stronger color of an “intense yellow” for the price of a “fancy yellow.” Those that are able to recognize the slight differences in color will be able to make the most out of their yellow diamond purchase. Fluorescence plays a role in overall color grading as well.
With traditional white diamonds, fluorescence is usually looked at as a negative.
When it comes to colored diamonds, especially yellows, fluorescence can increase the overall intensity of the diamond, thus adding value. A common misconception is that there is only blue fluorescence, which will sometimes cause a hazy, cloudy color appearance, and can give a greenish hint color to the overall yellow. Fluorescence can also come in different colors such as green, white, orange, and yellow.
Vivid $20,000 — $35,000/ct
Intense $10,000 — $15,000/ct
Fancy $7,000 — $10,000/ct
Fancy Light $4,000 — $6,000/ct
Light $3,000 — $5,000/ct
Faint $1,000 — $3,000/ct
Average pricing for a 1ct yellow diamond. Based on estimated
retail pricing. Ranges based on overall quality of diamond.
ALL PRICES QOUTED SUBJECT TO CHANGES WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE !
