Colored Diamond Rings
&
Wedding Bands

Interested in colored diamond rings? Here you will find how natural color diamonds are graded and certified, the types of treatments which are used to create artificial colors in diamonds, which colors are the most desirable, and how you can protect yourself as a consumer when you are shopping for color diamond wedding rings or engagement rings.

Colors occur in diamonds when trace elements react with the carbon atoms as the diamond is formed; extreme natural pressure may also cause color to appear in diamonds.

• Colors in diamonds range from the more common gray, brown, and yellow tones to the rarer pink, blue, orange, purple, and violet colors; red and green diamonds are the most rare of the fancy colored diamonds. White diamonds have a milky white appearance (not the same as colorless diamonds), and while they are not as rare as some colors they are not common.
• Yellow to orange colors appear when nitrogen is present while the diamond is being formed, blue occurs with the presence of boron, violet occurs with the presence of hydrogen, green colors appear when a diamond is exposed to natural radiation, and extreme levels of high pressure cause pinks, reds, browns, and purple diamonds to form.





• Diamonds may also color when they have been artificially treated; one of the cheapest ways to color a diamond is to apply a surface coating of colored material over the diamond. Exposing the diamond to radiation (irradiation) in a laboratory setting or injecting carbon dioxide in the diamond will also cause a color change; one of the most common treatments used to produce artificially fancy color diamonds is called HPHT; this process uses high pressure and high temperatures to create artificial fancy colored diamonds.

If you are searching for a specific diamond color for an engagement or wedding ring, check out: Yellow Diamond Engagement & Wedding Rings, Blue Diamond Engagement & Wedding Rings, Pink Diamond Engagement & Wedding Rings, and Black Diamond Engagement & Wedding Rings

Grading and Authenticating Colored Diamonds:

• With the invention of artificial color treatments, it can be almost impossible for consumers to recognize real colored diamond rings from rings made with treated colored diamonds. Obtaining a certificate from an independent gemological laboratory is the only guarantee of a naturally colored diamond's authenticity.
• There are two certificates available from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) on colored diamond rings. The first is a full certificate which contains a grade on the clarity, symmetry, polish, and carat of the diamond (in addition to mapping the diamond and identifying unique characteristics), and the second is a color only certificate.
• The color only certificate grades the diamond on the hue of the color, the tone of the color, and the saturation of the color. The hue of the color identifies the main color of the stone, the tone of the color is how light or dark the diamond appears, and the saturation of the color is a measurement of the intensity of the color.
• A certificate for a diamond of color also indicates whether the color is natural or treated (if the diamond is treated the type of treatment is also listed). In some cases it can be difficult to tell if the diamond has been treated and these diamonds are labeled 'undetermined.' Additional specialized tests may be the only way to confirm the origins of an undetermined diamond's color.
• Consumers should never buy fancy colored diamond rings that have not been certified and graded. Currently the Gemological Institute of America is the only reputable independent laboratory which offers color certificates for fancy diamonds.
• The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades diamonds of color on the following scale:

• Real fancy color diamonds are often priced higher than real colorless diamonds, especially if the diamond is one of the rarer pink, blue, orange, violet, green, and red colors.
• The value of a color diamond increases according to the purity of the color. For example, a diamond that is a dark pure orange is much more expensive than a diamond that has hints of orange and some tones of yellow or brown.
• The carat, clarity, symmetry and polish of the diamond also affect the diamond's value.
• Diamonds that have been artificially treated to induce colors are much more affordable than authentic diamonds. For example, a small real pink diamond can cost more than $100,000 dollars, whereas a treated pink diamond may be priced as low as $2,000 dollars.
• Just like colorless diamonds, color diamonds can be cut into various types of shapes. An excellent cut, such as the round brilliant cut, which maximizes brilliance and fire will increase the value of the diamond.
• Consumers can use the information provided on diamond certifications to compare diamonds of similar grades and colors to make sure they are paying a good price for their colored diamond rings.

Questions Or Comments About Colored Diamond Rings?

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