Diamonds can occur in nearly any color. If the color is strong enough (i.e. pink, yellow, black)
these diamonds are called fancy diamonds by the diamond
industry. Yellow and brown are the most common.

Cognac: Cognac diamonds actually are just a form of brown diamonds. Because brown diamonds
are less appealing to diamond buyers as a whole, marketing of brown diamonds as "cognac"
or "champagne" colored have been widespread. Naming brown diamonds as "cognac"
is an idea that is pushed by the Argyle diamond mine, which is located in Australia.
The cognac diamond is a member of the Carbon family and is the hardest
substance known. Cognac scale grading is as follows: Light Champagne:
C1 & C2, Medium Champagne: C3 & C4, Dark Champagne:
C5 & C6, Fancy Cognac: C7

Red: Crystal lattice defects during the formation of diamonds causes the red color. Only a very few red diamonds have
ever been found. Red colored diamonds are therefore extremely rare and valuable. One of the most famous red
colored diamonds is the Halphen Red (or Hancock Red). Its deep ruby color is unmatched. It was
purchased in Paris by a diamond dealer called Edwin Streeter in the 19th century and famously
sold at Christie's in 1987 setting a new world per carat price for any gem. Red diamonds
are made when nitrogen and pressure creates the brilliant color underneath the
earth's surface. They are considered impure because of the nitrogen, yet they
are so rare that impurities make them extremely expensive. The
concentration of the color is considered the most important
factor, graded with a 9-tiered scale developed by the GIA.

Orange: The orange colored diamond is considered to be a fancy diamond, made naturally through the precense of nitrogen and
carbon lattice. It has the best of the rare red diamond and the brilliance of the yellow colored diamond, so when you see
it through the naked eye it looks orange. When you see the diamond, the secondary hues, such as red, orange, pink,
purple, and yellow combine to make different variations of color depending on how vivid the secondary hue
it is. Orange diamonds are sometimes synthetically enhanced to make them even more vivid then they
are, which actually can make the value more than it already is. In grading the diamond it can be
either faint, very light, light, fancy, fancy intense, fancy vivid, and fancy deep. Of course the
collectors desire the fancy vivid and fancy deep, which are incredibly hard to find.
The most sought after orange diamond is on exibition in museums around the
world. It is called the Pumpkin and was worn by Halle Berry at the 2002
Oscar Awards. It is an intense vivid orange color, and weighs 5.54ct,
an amazing buy for any collector lucky enough to be able to
purchase this rare and beautiful diamond.

Green: Green diamonds, when they are natural, are not only highly sought but very rare. The green diamonds in light hues
are not of execeptional value, but the color grades known as "fancy intense" and "fancy vivid" green are quite valuable.
The fancy vivid grade will usually be valued at twice the value of the fancy intense. Green diamonds have been
discovered in Africa, South America, and Asia. A green diamond can be cut into any shape you design,
but it is important to note that the color will often change and lose intensity, when it is cut or
when it is exposed to heat. Since natural green diamonds are so rare, Certificates of
Authenticity usually bring their prices up considerably. The green diamond is
sometimes called "the chameleon diamond" because it's color can change so
dramatically. it is the ratio of nitrogen atoms, which the diamond may or
may not contain during their creation, that gives them their unusual
hue, and accounts for their extreme rarity.

Pink: The pink diamond is the most precious of natural fancy colored diamonds. Naturally colored pink diamonds are so rare
that most jewelers will never have an opportunity to see one. The rarity of the stone makes it one of the most expensive
diamonds. Natural colored pink diamonds vary in hue from purplish pink to orangey pink. The cause of the color
variation is questionable, but it is believed to be a result of the stone's atomic structure. The increase in
supply and availablility of the pink diamond, coupled with celebrity ownership of the stones, have
caused an increased in the demand as well as price of the precious gem. In the past, pink
diamonds were only made available to royalty. Today, anyone
can own the stone but must pay a hefty price.

Yellow: Yellow is one of the most common colors found in diamonds. Yellow diamonds range from very pale yellow to
vivid fancy yellow depending on the quality of nitrogen atoms absorbed during the crystallization phase. These
stones are the most affordable diamonds and are becoming more and more popular because of their
warm coloring and their ability to blend nicely with white diamonds and white gold. Vivid
fancy yellow diamonds, as like any fancy colored diamond, are rare and rather
expensive. One of the largest known yellow diamonds is the Tiffany Diamond.
Discovered in a South African mine, this famous gem weighed almost
280ct before being cut into a 128ct stone. About 25% of the world's
largest and most famous diamonds are yellow, but only a few are
fancy vivid yellow. Because of the rarity of vivid yellow stones,
color enhancement treatments are often performed to
meet the demands of these beautiful gems.

Blue: The blue diamond gets its color from the boron in its composition. They are mined in Australia and South Africa,
and along with the "red" diamond are the most rare and valuable of the colored diamonds. A blue diamond can cost
as much as $100,000 to $250,000 per carat, depending on clarity, color, and size. The most well known of all the
blue diamonds is the "Hope Diamond." Its weight is reported to be 45.52ct and is classified as a type
I1b, diamond. its current home is in the Smithsonian Institute where it is one of the prime
attractions. It is cut in the cushion shape. It is estimated that the Hope diamond is
over $215 million, but it is doubtful a buyer could easily be found due to its
turbulent history. The diamond is said to be cursed, and many of its
previous owners have not fared very well at all after it came into
their possession. it is said to glow with an eerie glow when
exposed to ultraviolet light; a fact that only adds
to its mystical quality.



2265 Roswell Rd.
Suite 500-B
Marietta, GA 30062

770-973-7881 | blackwells@earthlink.net | 770-973-4508