When does yellow become orange, and orange become red? The question may sound a bit philosophical until you tie it to colored diamonds, where slight variations in color can mean huge differences in price.
When does yellow become orange, and orange become red? The question may sound a bit philosophical until you tie it to colored diamonds, where slight variations in color can mean huge differences in price.
Do you know how diamond color is evaluated? GIA kicks off its 4Cs Q&A series with color grading. (more…)
If you’re shopping for diamonds and have done your 4Cs homework (color, clarity, cut, carat weight), then you already know that diamond color has a lot to do with overall diamond quality. The range of diamond color can be so subtle that your untrained eye may not be able to tell the difference between a nearly colorless diamond and a colorless one. But you’ll have no trouble in seeing the difference in diamond price. So how do you know exactly what you’re buying? That’s where an independent diamond grading report like GIA’s comes in. It provides a definitive, unbiased assessment of your diamond’s 4Cs, including its diamond color grade. (more…)
Going once. Going twice. Going three times. Sold for $83.2 million.
That was the winning bid for the 59.6 carat Fancy Vivid Pink Dream in November 2013 – the most ever paid for a diamond. The amount was comparable to prices paid for paintings by some of the masters.
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Colored gemstone engagement rings are hot. They’re showing up on royalty and celebrities alike. They’re beautiful. They’re unusual. And they can be a great value. Here’s what you need to know when you go shopping.
In this blog, we cover:
The Empress Josephine toi et moi (“you and me”) engagement ring features a 1 carat (ct) pear shaped sapphire and diamond mounted in 18K gold. Photo: PATRICK KOVARIK. Courtesy: AFP/Getty Images
Colorful gemstone engagement rings are decorating the fingers of royals and other style makers, reviving a not-so-new trend for adding pops of color – and personality – to traditional colorless diamond engagement rings.
Some stylistas are achieving the color-me look with pink, yellow or blue diamonds, while others turn to the world of colored gemstones to find their splash of color.
More than 200 years ago, in 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte gave his future empress, Joséphine, a sapphire and diamond toi et moi (“you and me”) ring for their engagement.
Today, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, wears what is probably the most famous colored gemstone engagement ring. A beautiful creation that once belonged to Princess Diana, it boasts a 12 ct sapphire encircled by diamonds.
If you like Kate Middleton’s engagement ring, then you’re sure to love this beauty. A 2.73 ct oval sapphire glows the brighter for being accented by 0.56 carats of diamonds. Courtesy: Omi Privé
Kate’s recently engaged cousin by marriage, Princess Eugenie, daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, opted for a slightly orangy pink padparadscha sapphire, surrounded by round brilliant cut diamonds. The style somewhat resembles the engagement ring her mother (the Duchess of York) received – a ruby with a halo of diamonds.
Like Princess Eugenie’s engagement ring, this 2.02 ct padparadscha sapphire and diamond ring is both beautiful and unusual. Courtesy: Omi Privé
In the celebrity world, actress Jenny McCarthy wears a 10 ct yellow sapphire engagement ring framed by diamonds. Ashlee Simpson’s vintage-style ring features a marquise diamond surrounded by calibré cut rubies. Elizabeth Hurley sports a 9 ct blue sapphire framed by two trilliant cut diamonds in a classic design.
For these trendsetters – and many other brides – incorporating colored gemstones into an engagement ring offers myriad options to display their individual style and personality. It’s a look that’s both timeless and contemporary.
There’s a lot to love about colored gemstone engagement rings. First, there’s the obvious: color. Explore the world of colored gems and you’ll find a rainbow, from the deep reds of ruby and blues of sapphire, to the grassy greens of tsavorite garnet and kaleidoscopic colors of spinel. There’s a gem for every hue imaginable.
Second, with colored gemstones you can add more depth of meaning to the engagement ring. For example, you could include your birthstone and your partner’s birthstone, alone or with diamonds. Colored gemstones also come with historic symbolism, and you could pick one that inspires you. Take sapphire – it has traditionally been associated with sincerity, truth and faithfulness.
You can also use colored gemstones to send secret messages. The Victorians turned this into an art form with acrostic jewelry – using the first letter of each gemstone to spell a word. For example, a diamond, emerald, amethyst and ruby set together would spell the word “dear.” Acrostic jewelry can also be designed to spell birthdays, private messages or a secret shared between you and your beloved.
This acrostic ring was made in England during the Victorian era (1837–1901). The gems spell “regard” from left to right: ruby, emerald, garnet, amethyst, ruby and diamond. Courtesy: Doyle & Doyle
Finally, there’s affordability. Colored gemstones are a great way to add size to an engagement ring. This is especially true if you look beyond rubies and sapphires toward gems that are less well known but equally as beautiful – and usually significantly less expensive. Examples include the pink beryl morganite, the many colors of spinel and tourmaline, or intense green, red or orange garnets.
If your bride-to-be’s favorite colors are orange and pink, this ring featuring a spessartine garnet center stone cut by John Dyer, pink tourmaline side stones and diamond melee is sure to please. Courtesy: John Dyer & Co.
The color of morganite can be very similar to that of a pink diamond, but this 7.07 ct morganite is a striking – and more affordable – option. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
Morganite engagement rings are recent favorites with brides-to-be – and for good reason. Pink has traditionally been the color of romance, and morganite ranges from pastel pink to purplish, yellowish or orangy pink. Similar hues are seen in pink diamonds, but you can have a large, attractive morganite for a small fraction of their cost.
Blue zircon, with its high dispersion, is often mistaken for blue diamonds. Yet while the cost of even a 1 ct blue diamond would be prohibitive for most buyers, a 3 or 4 ct blue zircon engagement ring is obtainable for far less than an average month’s salary.
Find beauty in blue with this 6.74 ct cushion cut zircon ring accented with trilliant cut tsavorite garnet side stones and round brilliant cut diamonds set in 18K white gold. Courtesy: Omi Privé
Spinel and tourmaline are two other gems that offer a wide range of color options and great value. They occur in colors that are very similar to those of fine ruby or sapphire, but a top-quality 5 ct red tourmaline (rubellite) could be purchased for less than a third of the cost of a comparable 2 ct ruby – delivering more bling for your buck.
One of the most exciting, if less well known, colored gemstones seen in engagement rings is the green garnet known as tsavorite. More durable and often brighter than emerald, whose color it mimics, a fine tsavorite garnet is usually less expensive than its counterpart.
An alternative and more durable option than emerald, this 2.86 ct tsavorite ring with diamond accents stands out from the crowd. Photo: Emily Lane/GIA. Courtesy: Sara and Bret Keller
With so many different colored gemstones available, your challenge will be finding one that sets your heart aflame – and making sure the gem is tough enough for daily wear.
Durability is a major consideration when searching for an engagement ring gemstone. The gem you choose must withstand the bumps and bangs of daily wear, plus the effects of heat, light, household chemicals and low or high humidity. Different gemstones have different properties and, as a result, different tolerances to these stressors.
Introduced in the early 19th century, the Mohs scale ranks gem and mineral hardness in a range from 1 (least hard – talc) to 10 (hardest of all – diamond). Illustration: GIA
One aspect of gemstone durability is hardness. The Mohs scale ranks gem and mineral hardness on a scale of 1 (least hard – talc) to 10 (hardest of all – diamond). Ruby and sapphire rank 9, meaning they are able to resist scratching and abrasions. This makes them great choices for engagement rings that will see a lifetime of active wear. Although less hard, spinel (8), morganite (7.5–8), zircon (7.5), and tsavorite garnet and tourmaline (both 7–7.5) are considered durable enough for everyday wear provided care is exercised (no rock climbing!).
Two Montana sapphires weighing a total of 1.19 carats bookend a 2.05 ct round brilliant diamond. Courtesy: EraGem.com
Toughness and stability are two additional factors that determine a gemstone’s durability.
Toughness indicates how well a gemstone resists breaking, chipping or cracking. The way the atoms of a gem bond together and the strength of these bonds determine gemstone toughness. Examples of not-so-tough gems are opal and tanzanite which, if set in rings, are best reserved for special occasions – not everyday wear.
Stability refers to how well a gemstone can withstand exposure to chemicals, light and changes in temperature or humidity. Extreme temperature changes can damage some gems like opal and tanzanite. Opals can crack or craze in low humidity or with exposure to heat. Citrine, amethyst and topaz may fade or change color from prolonged exposure to sunlight. Light and/or heat can also negatively affect most organic gems – such as pearls, coral and amber – as will exposure to household chemicals.
Tanzanite is a beautiful gem that calls for special occasions. At 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale with fair-to-poor toughness, it’s not ideal for an engagement ring that will see a lifetime of daily wear. Courtesy: Omi Privé
It’s important to note that many colored gemstones are routinely treated to improve their color and/or clarity. Designed to bring out the inherent beauty of a gem, many of these treatments are widely accepted in the gem trade. However, you should be aware that some treatments can also affect stability. As a result, your gem may require special care.
For example, treatments such as coating and fracture filling can be removed by heat and strong chemicals. Although emerald ranks 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale, it is not a tough gem and is often treated with oil and/or resin to improve clarity. This treatment also disguises fractures in the stone that can cause it to break if banged against a hard surface. If you have your heart set on a green gemstone engagement ring you plan to wear every day, you might want to consider a more durable tsavorite garnet instead, reserving emeralds for earrings or pendants. Garnets are rarely treated and have good toughness.
A halo of diamonds creates contrast with the emerald and helps protect this popular but fragile stone. Two yellow diamonds add more color and drama to the ring. Courtesy: Omi Privé.
Color is king
Like colorless diamonds, the quality of a colored gemstone is determined by a combination of the 4Cs: color, clarity, cut and carat weight. For colored gems, however, color is by far the most important factor. In some cases, such as whether a gem is called pink sapphire or ruby, or green beryl or emerald, the distinction may be made based on color alone. Clarity is important, but for most colored gems there is no universal grading system or set of standards to evaluate clarity. And cut may vary greatly from stone to stone. The goal is typically to maximize size and color – or, as in the case of fantasy cuts, to create a work of art.
A piece of art to stand the test of time, this 9.05 ct bi-colored tourmaline ring set in 14K white gold features yellow diamonds, tsavorites and rubellites. Photo: Orasa Weldon/GIA. Gift of Derek Katzenbach. In Memory of Nicholas Scott Golden, University of Maine geology student.
There are, however, some important considerations to look for when assessing the quality of a colored gemstone in addition to the durability factors discussed above. Many gems show more than one color. This can be an asset in a bi-colored tourmaline – for the bride-to-be who wants a truly unique colored stone engagement ring.
In other gems, such as blue sapphire, colorless zones seen on close inspection may detract from the overall appearance of the gem. And while high clarity is desirable in most colored gems, as it is in diamonds, a few identifying inclusions in an inconspicuous area (such as the culet) may ensure that the colored gem is natural (not synthetic) and untreated.
Optical phenomena
Colored gemstones also offer the possibility of certain phenomena, such as chatoyancy (the cat’s-eye effect) and asterism (a star), that are not seen in diamonds. These phenomena are caused by the reflection of light off dense inclusions of minerals in gems cut as cabochons. Such phenomenal stones provide exciting design options for a colored gemstone engagement ring.
This 7.57 ct cat’s-eye chrysoberyl seems to symbolize two lives united as one. Add a sparkling halo of round brilliant cut diamonds for strength and you have the perfect sentiment for an engagement ring. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Richard Krementz Gemstones
Where the gem comes from
For some gems, such as ruby and sapphire, country of origin may also play a significant role in determining value. For example, a ruby from Myanmar (“Burmese” ruby) can cost significantly more than a comparable ruby from another locality, such as Mozambique. Similarly, there is a premium for sapphires from Kashmir, due to both their distinctive “cornflower blue” color and their rarity: There has not been major production from this region for more than a century.
Who owned it before
Another important factor in determining price is historical provenance. An antique or vintage colored gemstone engagement ring may come with its own story, and that story may have value. In one of the most striking examples, when the Empress Josephine sapphire and diamond engagement ring mentioned above was offered at auction in 2013, the auction house estimated its value at $20,000 based largely on the gems alone. Ultimately, the winning bidder paid more than $1 million – a huge premium for the ring’s storied association with Napoleon Bonaparte and his first bride.
A ring of Burmese rubies encircles an Old European cut diamond in this Art Deco–era ring. A Greek key motif made of platinum circles the rubies, while another ring of diamonds completes the design. Courtesy: LangAntiques.com
Quality and rarity drive value
Like diamonds, colored gems of high quality are rare, so buyers typically pay a premium for top-quality colored stones. Once you’ve decided on a gemstone for your engagement ring, it pays to comparison shop to understand its quality factors and how they affect value. You should also learn as much as you can about your gemstone of choice. GIA’s Gem Encyclopedia is a good place to start. It provides in-depth information for 29 of the most popular gems on the market. You’ll also find detailed buying guides for each gem describing the specific qualities to look for, the gem’s durability, common treatments and more.
After you’ve purchased your colored gemstone engagement ring, you’ll want to keep it like new. The right way to clean it will vary depending on the gem material you’ve chosen and whether or not it’s been treated. Usually, gentle cleaning solutions specially formulated for delicate gems – or just warm, soapy water and a soft cloth – are all you need. If you’re uncertain about the durability of your gem, avoid using ultrasonic cleaners and off-the-shelf cleaning solutions.
Washing with warm, soapy water is the safest way to clean this 5.11 ct yellow sapphire engagement ring, which is surrounded by 128 round diamonds weighing 0.75 carats. Courtesy: Omi Privé
Engagement ring settings must secure the gems they hold as well as show them to their best advantage. Bezels, halos and other protective settings can play an important role in preventing the chipping or cracking of colored gemstones. But who said practical can’t also be beautiful? Settings serve as an essential design element, defining an engagement ring’s style and overall look. Settings let you introduce contrasts in color or harmonize them to get just the right amount of color pop in your ring. Consider these examples:
Create a fiery look in an engagement ring by using this three-stone ring for inspiration. The two rubies (1.41 ct and 1.37 ct) bracketing the 1.39 ct round brilliant diamond are sure to catch the eye. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
Need more proof that colored gemstones can bring excitement to an engagement ring? This stunning creation features a 2.57 ct spinel encircled by 0.20 carats of round diamonds. Courtesy: Omi Privé
The diamond and sapphire in this Victorian-era bypass ring make for a delicate pairing. Courtesy: Treasurly by Dima
Jewelry designers are putting a contemporary stamp on three-stone, halo and bypass rings with colored gemstones. Their modern updates are a beautiful melding of past and present – pieces that pop with color and life. Look around and you’ll find a number of creative interpretations.
Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue. Blue sapphires surround a rose cut diamond in this modern ring with a design borrowed from the Victorian era. Courtesy: Shelly Purdy Studio
A pear shaped sapphire is surrounded by colorless diamonds and a second halo of sapphires. Diamonds and sapphires spill down the shank of the ring. The bold contrasting colors create a visual richness sure to please. Courtesy: Omi Privé
Now that you know about colored gemstone engagement rings, you’re ready to start shopping. But where? The GIA Retailer Look Up lets you easily find local retailers who have GIA-trained staff to help you through your gemstone selection process.
Before you decide on a colored gemstone engagement ring, ask for a GIA Colored Stone Identification Report.
To make sure you get the best value, ask for an unbiased GIA Colored Stone Identification Report. The report will validate the gem’s identity and include detailed descriptions of its size, color and measurements, along with a color photograph. The report will also indicate whether the gem has been treated and, if it has, identify the type of treatment – important to knowing how to care for your gem. Depending on the gemstone, you may also be able to get information on its geographic origin.
Need more inspiration for colorful engagement rings? Read our article on how to buy antique and vintage engagement rings for some exciting examples.
If you’re shopping for a diamond engagement ring, you need to know about what diamond color is if you want to understand quality and how diamonds are valued. If you are curious about what colors diamonds come in and how color grade impacts value, check out our seven essential things about diamond color you should know.
In this blog we cover:
Diamond color is important: Most diamonds used in engagement rings are near-colorless with hints of yellow or brown. All things being equal, the more colorless a diamond is, the rarer it is, and this rarity will be reflected in its price.
The GIA D-to-Z Color Scale allows for precise measurement of diamond color. Illustration: GIA
GIA’s D-to-Z Color Scale is used to measure the degree of colorlessness of a diamond. The letter “D” represents a colorless diamond, with each following letter representing a diamond that has slightly more yellow or brown.
GIA organizes diamond color into five groups:
When diamonds at either end of the grading spectrum are placed side by side, it is easy to see the differences in diamond color. Photo: GIA
The distinctions between diamond color grades can be so subtle that they are undetectable to the untrained eye. But they do make a very big difference in diamond price. That’s why determining a diamond’s color grade is best left to a gemological laboratory, like GIA, that has the expertise and processes to ensure objective, unbiased color grading.
In working to evaluate what color a diamond is, GIA graders follow a strict protocol that dictates the type of lighting and neutral background used, as well as precisely how the diamond should be held and viewed during the assessment. A color grade is determined by comparing the diamond to masterstones – a set of color-comparison diamonds of known position on the GIA D-to-Z color grading scale – when all are placed table down in a grading tray. This viewing position reduces the complex appearance of a faceted colorless to near-colorless diamond when viewed face up.
One look at this 6.75 carat (ct), F-color, SI-clarity round brilliant and you’ll know why diamonds are the universal symbol of love. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
Diamond color is arguably the most important factor in colored diamonds. Some common colors that diamonds come in are yellow, brown, pink, red, blue, orange, purple, green, gray or black. This does not include diamonds in the normal color range that are slightly yellowish, slightly brownish or slightly grayish. When the color is natural, the diamonds are called fancy-color diamonds, fancy diamonds or fancies.
Colored diamonds come in a rainbow of hues. Photo: Robert and Orasa Weldon/GIA
GIA grades colored diamonds differently from colorless diamonds. Unlike GIA’s D-to-Z grading system for colorless to light yellow diamonds, which is based on the absence of color when the diamond is viewed table down, the grading system for colored diamonds is based on the presence of color when the diamond is viewed face up. Terms used by GIA to describe colored diamonds include: Faint, Very Light, Light, Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Dark, Fancy Intense, Fancy Deep and Fancy Vivid.
What to look for in colored diamonds? In general, the more color a colored diamond has, the better. Fancy Deep and Fancy Vivid diamonds, for example, have more color than Fancy Light diamonds—and are usually more valuable. However, tone is also important: For example, a diamond that is extremely dark (Fancy Dark) may be less desirable than a lighter stone graded Fancy Intense.
Colored diamonds can be far more expensive than colorless diamonds. Here a 3.66 ct Fancy Yellow glows like a ray of sunshine. Two halos encircle it: the inner containing 0.37 carats of yellow diamonds; the outer, 1.50 carats of colorless diamonds. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
Fancy-color diamonds are, for the most part, far rarer than diamonds in the D-to-Z color range. Some experts estimate that only two percent of total rough diamond production is fancy colored. Since rarity influences price, it’s not surprising that spectacular blue, pink, green, orange and other colored diamonds can sell for millions of dollars at auction.
The GIA-graded Fancy Vivid pink 59.60 ct Pink Star diamond sold for $71 million at the April 4, 2017 Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. Courtesy: Sotheby’s
Diamond color can be altered by treatments. All else being equal, diamonds that have not been treated are more expensive than diamonds that have been treated. Legally, the seller must disclose any treatments. If you are aware what diamond color is, it’s easier to understand how they have been treated.
High pressure, high temperature (HPHT) processing is perhaps the most common technique used to alter, enhance or remove color. HPHT treatment can change some brown diamonds into colorless ones or into other colors like yellow, greenish yellow or green. This process is also associated with treated pink, blue and orange-yellow diamonds. The resulting color is considered permanent, but HPHT treatment should always be disclosed.
Annealing is another process that uses controlled heating and cooling to change the color of a gem material, especially after irradiation. Irradiating a diamond or coating it are other methods used to enhance a diamond’s color.
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Before HPHT annealing to remove color, this 6.61 ct diamond was a Fancy yellow brown (left). After annealing (right), GIA graded the diamond an L (faint yellow). Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA
Diamond fluorescence is visible light temporarily emitted by some diamonds when they are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, fluorescent lamps or other sources. This emitted light can display various colors (often blue in diamonds), intensities (faint to very strong) and distribution patterns. When the light source is removed, the fluorescence is no longer visible.
Many in the diamond trade believe that strong blue fluorescence can make a light yellow diamond look closer to colorless when exposed to a UV source such as sunlight. Blue and yellow are color opposites and tend to cancel each other out, so blue fluorescence masks the yellow color. In rare cases, some diamonds with extremely strong fluorescence may appear slightly hazy or oily. Fewer than 0.2% of the fluorescent diamonds submitted to GIA exhibit this effect.
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The same group of seven diamonds is shown here under daylight-equivalent illumination (left) and when exposed to long-wave UV irradiation (right). Photos: Kevin Schumacher/GIA
To answer questions from consumers and the trade about the impact of fluorescence on diamond color in the D-to-Z range, GIA conducted extensive observer testing. Here’s what its researchers found: “For the average observer, meant to represent the jewelry buying public, no systematic effects of fluorescence were detected [on the face-up appearance of the groups of diamonds]. Even the experienced observers did not consistently agree on the effects of fluorescence from one stone to the next.” As a result, GIA considers diamond fluorescence to be an identifying characteristic, not a grading factor – meaning, it has little to no impact on what color the diamond is.
Diamonds are highly reflective – their facets are essentially an arrangement of tiny mirrors reflecting light and the surroundings. So it should come as no surprise that the color of a ring’s prongs and shank can influence the color you see in the diamond. A white metal like platinum or white gold can emphasize the absence of color in a diamond that is colorless or near-colorless, while a gold band might make a diamond lower on the D-to-Z scale appear more yellow.
Learn more about how metal affects a diamond’s color appearance.
The 8.03 ct marquise cut diamond in this engagement ring is D color. It is flanked by two tapered baguettes weighing a total of 0.72 carats. The platinum band and prongs highlight the beauty of the diamond. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
A GIA Diamond Grading Report and GIA Diamond Origin Report provides an in-depth assessment of a diamond’s quality based on the 4Cs: diamond color, clarity, cut and carat weight. A report not only contains an objective color grade, but it also discloses other identifying characteristics like fluorescence, as well as any treatments detected. Learn what diamond color information is included in a GIA report.
An engagement ring is profoundly intimate and symbolic – it represents your love and commitment. A GIA Diamond Grading Report lets you make this most important purchase with peace of mind.
Now that you understand what diamond color is and its importance, here are 12 tips for buying an engagement ring.
Lead image courtesy of 1stdibs.com
Selecting the right metal for your engagement ring setting is just as important as selecting the right diamond. The metal will not only define the ring’s style, but it can also play a big role in your diamond’s color appearance. Here’s how to choose wisely.
A gold engagement ring allows the solitaire diamond to be the star of the show. Diamond melee along the ring’s shank play a supporting role, adding even more sparkle to the overall effect. Courtesy: Stuller Inc.
Gold, platinum and silver are the metals most often used in jewelry. Their allure, workability and durability make gold and platinum excellent choices for an engagement ring. For many people, choosing an engagement ring setting starts with a color and style preference. Some prefer the warmth of yellow gold or rose gold engagement rings; others opt for the coolness and classicism of white metals such as platinum or white gold for their engagement rings. Yet few people consider the effect that engagement ring’s metal color has on the most important feature of an engagement ring – the center stone, which is often a diamond.
An 18K rose gold band brings warmth to this 5.31 carat (ct) oval diamond. Courtesy: Rahaminov Diamonds
When choosing an engagement ring setting in white gold, rose gold, yellow gold, platinum or silver, consider these important things:
Your diamond’s color. Although many people think of gem-quality diamonds as colorless, truly colorless diamonds are actually very rare. Most diamonds used in jewelry and diamond engagement rings are nearly colorless with hints of yellow, brown or gray. In picking an engagement ring in yellow gold, white gold or other metal for your ring setting, you’ll need to know where your diamond is on the GIA D-to-Z Color Scale.
The fact that diamonds are highly reflective. The many facets of a standard round brilliant diamond and other diamond shapes act like tiny mirrors reflecting their surroundings, including the color of the band and the prongs holding the gem.
Knowing this, you can use the color of the metal in your engagement ring to highlight your diamond’s color or create a more harmonious appearance.
An 18K gold band complements the hint of yellow in this 1.20 ct N color emerald cut diamond for a very harmonious look. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
Once you’ve settled on whether you want your engagement ring design to highlight the main diamond or create a sense of harmony between the setting and the center stone, you’ll have many options to choose from. Remember, your jeweler is your best resource. She or he will understand the subtle nuances of diamond color and can make the best metal color recommendations to achieve the look you’re going for. Also, the best way to see a metal’s effect on diamond color appearance is to see the diamond and the engagement ring setting in person. In the meantime, though, here are some tried and true ideas to get you thinking.
All things being equal for diamonds on the D-to-Z scale, the less color the stone has the more valuable it is. Diamonds graded D-E-F on the GIA color scale are considered colorless, and a white metal—platinum or white-gold engagement ring setting is the ideal choice to emphasize their beauty. Diamonds graded G through J are in the near-colorless range, with an almost imperceptible hint of yellow. They, too, are good candidates for a platinum or white gold ring setting.
If you choose another color of metal or opt for a two-tone ring to create contrast, the prongs that hold the diamond should be a white metal like white gold or platinum. Yellow gold prongs could impart some yellow color to the diamond, making your colorless or near-colorless stone look like it has a different color grade.
A platinum band heightens the icy beauty of this 8.03 ct D color marquise diamond with 0.72 carats of colorless baguettes. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
Like the white look, but want some contrast? This diamond ring features white diamond melee in an 18K rose gold halo, which adds visual richness to the design. Courtesy: PE Jay Creations
A diamond with a color grade of M or lower will likely have a noticeable yellow tint. A yellow gold band will accentuate the yellow in the diamond; a white band might make the diamond appear more colorless. Diamonds with a color grade of K or L are in something of a middle zone; you can use either yellow gold or white metal bands such as platinum or white gold, depending on the effect you want for your engagement ring setting.
The diamond center stone in this ring is a K color. A gold band brings out the hint of yellow, giving the diamond a softer appearance. Courtesy: TrueFacet.com
A fanciful platinum setting with 5.05 carats of white diamond melee provides a pleasing contrast with the 11.04 ct yellowish diamond center stone. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: MUNNU The Gem Palace
Diamonds that fall outside the D-to-Z color range are called “fancy colors.” Selecting the right metal to accentuate these unique stones is key to delivering the radiance and allure of each engagement ring. Naturally occurring colors include blue, brown, pink, yellow and green. These diamonds are evaluated less for brilliance or fire and more for color intensity. Depending on the hue, tone and saturation of the color, the GIA Colored Diamond Color Grading System assigns colored diamonds one of these color grades: Faint, Very Light, Light, Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Intense, Fancy Vivid, Fancy Dark and Fancy Deep. Generally, Fancy Vivid and Fancy Deep command the highest prices.
Brown diamonds were once deemed unsuitable for jewelry. Then marketers in the 1980s gave them tantalizing names like champagne, cognac and chocolate, and brown diamonds developed their own niche.
Like yellowish diamonds, brown diamonds can be placed on a white gold or platinum engagement ring setting to highlight their color, or they can be placed in a yellow gold or rose gold engagement ring setting to complement their color. Even the metal used for prongs can either contrast or complement the diamond in the center.
A 0.38 ct brown diamond pops because it is set in an 18K white gold band and surrounded by a double halo of 0.39 carats of white diamond melee. White prongs accentuate the look. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
Neil Lane designed this ring for actress, model and Paralympic medalist Amy Purdy. A brown cushion cut diamond is the center stone. A yellow gold band creates a soft backdrop, while platinum prongs and white diamond side stones provide an arresting contrast. Courtesy: Neil Lane
Yellow diamonds were relatively rare until the discovery in the late 1860s of quantities of what today would be considered fancy yellows at several locations in South Africa. They are now found around the world. The presence of nitrogen gives them their color.
A platinum or white gold engagement ring can highlight the color of a yellow diamond, while a yellow gold ring will harmonize with the color of the yellow diamond.
A double halo of 0.94 carats of white diamonds is the frosty backdrop for a 1.02 ct yellow diamond. Courtesy: 1stdibs.com
The combination of a 7.02 ct fancy yellow heart shaped diamond, 1.08 carats of yellow diamonds in the halo and along the shank and an 18K yellow gold band creates an enchanting engagement ring setting. Courtesy: Norman Silverman
Pink diamonds are exceedingly rare. Historically, they have been found in Brazil’s alluvial workings and in Indian and African mines. Since the late 1980s, the Argyle mine in Australia has been the most important source of pink diamonds, but even here they are quite rare. According to Rio Tinto Ltd., the owner of the mine, “more than 800 million carats of rough diamonds have been produced from the Argyle Diamond Mine. Total carats of pink rough: less than 1% of total production.” Not surprisingly, pink diamonds are extremely expensive.
Since the color of pink diamonds is so prized, it is rare to see them set in a yellow gold engagement ring setting. A pink diamond is the star, and the white metal band is used to highlight its color.
A white metal band and double halo of white diamonds form the elegant frame for this 16.08 ct Fancy Vivid pink diamond. The piece sold for more than $28.5 million at a Christie’s auction in November 2015. Courtesy: Christie’s
Blue diamonds are also extraordinarily rare and very expensive. India is their historic source, and it is believed that the 45.52 ct Hope Diamond, the 31.06 ct Wittelsbach-Graff and other famous blue diamonds originated there. Today, the Premier mine in South Africa, which opened in 1903, is considered the most significant source of blue diamonds. Nevertheless, at the end of the 20th century blue diamonds accounted for less than 0.1% of diamonds found there.
Like pink diamonds, they are almost always set in a platinum, white gold or silver engagement ring setting that highlights their color.
A natural 5.98 ct Fancy Light blue diamond sits in a platinum band. Courtesy: Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada; Gift of Vincent Tovell. Certified by the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board under the terms of the Cultural Property Export and Import Act.
A beautiful engagement ring is the product of a number of choices that add up to a stunning creation. Knowing how to protect your diamond engagement ring setting is another important consideration.
If you’re shopping for a diamond, carat weight is probably one of the important things you’re considering. It seems like a straightforward measurement, but there is more to it than a simple number. Here’s essential information you need to know.
In this post, we cover:
What Is Carat Weight?
Diamond weight is stated in metric measurements called carats. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, which is 1/5 of a gram or 0.20 gram. There are 142 carats in an ounce. Carat is also the standard unit of weight for most gemstones.
The modern carat system has its roots in the carob seed, which comes from the locust tree. Because the small seeds are fairly uniform in size and weight, they were a useful standard for determining the weight of a gem. Early gem merchants and jewelers used carob seeds as counterweights in hand-held balance scales.
Carat weight was standardized as 0.20 gram in the early twentieth century. This gave trade professionals a uniform and universally accepted weight standard for diamonds.
Notice that the seeds from the carob pods are nearly identical in size. Photo: Orasa Weldon/GIA
Carat is abbreviated as “ct” and weights are typically given to two decimal places: 1.00 ct, 0.76 ct, 1.57 ct.
Like the dollar, a carat is made up of 100 parts, called “points” and abbreviated as “pt.” An easy way to remember this is to think of carats as dollars and points as pennies. They’re even written the same way: $1.34 means one dollar and 34 cents, and 1.34 ct means one carat and 34 points.”
If you like big diamonds, you’ll love this necklace. The large pear shape weighs 25.04 ct, and it is suspended from another 64.24 carats of glittering diamonds. Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA. Courtesy: Chatila
How Does GIA Measure Diamond Carat Weight?
When a diamond is submitted to GIA, one of the first steps in the grading process is to determine its weight. To ensure precision, accuracy and consistency, GIA uses an electronic micro-balance scale to weigh each diamond. GIA adheres to strict calibration and maintenance procedures for its devices. These procedures exceed the manufacturer’s recommendations. In addition, the laboratory monitors and controls environmental conditions that might affect the quality of the results, such as room temperature and humidity.
Diamonds submitted to GIA are weighed on an extremely sensitive electronic micro-balance scale. Photo: Valerie Power/GIA
The diamond’s dimensions are also measured. An optical measuring device captures the diamond’s measurements (length and width), as well as its proportions and facet angles, which will eventually inform the diamond’s cut grade.
Diamond Carat Weight and Rounding Up (or Down)
While most trade professionals typically weigh diamonds to a thousandth of a carat (three decimal places), GIA weighs diamonds to the fifth decimal place – a hundred thousandths of a carat, to ensure maximum precision and provide an identifying characteristic.
The rounding rules GIA follows are also stricter than normal mathematical rounding rules. As mentioned above, a diamond’s carat weight is conventionally stated to two decimal places (0.71 ct, 1.34 ct). To arrive at this number, GIA rounds up to the next higher hundredth only if there’s a nine in the thousandth place. For example, a diamond that weighs 1.769 ct would be rounded up to 1.77 ct, but one that weighs 1.768 ct would be rounded down to 1.76 ct. Such differences in carat weight might seem small, but they can make a significant difference in price.
Get a sense of relative diamond size with this photo. From left to right: a yellow princess cut (0.86 ct), a pink round brilliant cut (0.68 ct), a gray-blue round brilliant (0.56 ct), a gray round brilliant (0.30 ct) and a blue-green round brilliant (0.15 ct). Photo: Robert Weldon/GIA
Once the diamond has been graded, its carat weight and dimensions — as well at its color, clarity and cut grade (if applicable) — are clearly documented on a GIA diamond grading report. Also included is full disclosure of any diamond treatments detected during the process.
The diamond’s weight is prominently stated on a GIA Diamond Grading Report. Photo: GIA
Why Is Carat Weight Important?
All other factors being equal, the price of a diamond increases as its carat weight increases. Since diamonds 1.00 ct or larger are comparatively rare, prices jump dramatically for these gems.
Carat weight also helps you compare prices between diamonds with different weights but the same color, clarity and cut grades, allowing you to compare the per carat price for each stone to see where you’re getting the best value.
Carat Weight and Shopping Considerations
Here are a few concepts related to carat weight that you should be aware of as you’re shopping:
Carat Weight and Gemstone Size – Two Different Things
It’s a common mistake to equate a gem’s carat weight with its physical dimensions. After all, it seems logical that a larger stone will weigh more. This is true if you’re comparing two stones of the same gem material – like a diamond to a diamond, or an aquamarine to an aquamarine.
However, size is a function of the gem material’s specific gravity – the ratio of the weight of a gem to that of an equal volume of water. Materials with different specific gravities (densities) will have different sizes for the same weight (think of an ounce of lead compared to an ounce of feathers). For example, the specific gravity of diamond (3.52; that is, 3.52 times the same volume of water) is lower than that of ruby (4.0), so a one-carat diamond will be larger than a one-carat ruby.
The bigger the diamond, the more bang for your buck?
Not always. When it comes to diamonds, greater carat weight does not guarantee that the diamond will look bigger. For example, a poorly cut diamond may be too deep and have weight hidden below the girdle. You won’t see this weight when the diamond is mounted, and it won’t make the diamond more appealing – but the diamond will weigh more.
Excessive bulge, shown by the gray areas on either side of the outline, adds to a diamond’s weight without contributing to its beauty or perceived size when viewed face-up. Illustration: Peter Johnston/GIA
Magic Sizes
As mentioned earlier, for diamonds that are equal in every way, diamond value increases as weight increases. At certain weight boundaries, called “magic sizes,” the price per carat increases significantly. That’s because these boundaries or thresholds coincide with popular weights, and popularity means greater demand and therefore higher prices for these weights. This is especially true at the magic one-carat size.
Diamonds increase in price at magic sizes like 0.25 ct, 0.50 ct, 0.75 ct and 1.00 ct. Illustration: Peter Johnston/GIA
A quick comparison of two diamonds shows how magic sizes can affect price. If one diamond weighs 0.96 ct and another weighs 1.02 ct, the 6 pt (0.06 ct) difference in size is almost imperceptible. But if both are D-color round brilliants with identical clarity and cut, the difference in cost is significant. The fact that the second diamond is slightly over the “magic” one-carat threshold may cause its price to be as much as 20 percent more.
The 1.07 ct diamond in this Tiffany & Co. ring is a magic size. Courtesy: TrueFacet
Nevertheless, for some people carat weight is symbolic, so they will pay the higher price to reach the magic size.
There is another side to magic sizes – if you think they’re unimportant, you can look for a diamond that weighs slightly less than one of these boundaries and save money.
Carat weight isn’t everything
If you want the largest diamond you can afford, you’ll have to sacrifice clarity, color and/or cut, which may mean sacrificing beauty and sparkle. Choosing a diamond means prioritizing the 4Cs, and then making some compromises. Here is a thoughtful look at determining what’s the most important C for you.
Total Carat Weight
Understanding diamond terminology is essential if you’re going to make a smart purchase decision. “Total carat weight” (abbreviated tcw) is the combined weight of all the diamonds in a piece of jewelry that only contains diamonds.
An engagement ring set with many small melee diamonds weighing 2.15 tcw will cost significantly less than a solitaire engagement ring set with a single 2.15 ct diamond. Again, think size/rarity/price.
This Tiffany & Co. engagement ring has a cushion cut diamond, weighing 0.84 ct, surrounded by 0.06 carats of natural pink diamonds and 0.34 carats of melee. The total carat weight is 1.24 tcw. Courtesy: TrueFacet.
If an engagement ring has gems other than diamonds in it, the combined weight of all the stones is called “total gem weight.”
The Difference between Carats, Karats and Carrots
Here’s a last bit of terminology that we need to explain. As you know by now, a carat is a metric unit of measure to describe the weight of a diamond and other gemstones. Karat (abbreviated as K) is the measure of the purity of gold. A karat has 24 parts, so 18K gold would mean that the metal is 18 parts gold and 6 parts of other metals (such as copper, silver and/or zinc). Carrots, well, that’s something rabbits are famous for eating.
A diamond engagement ring is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase that is a symbol of your love. Understanding carats and points can help you with this “weighty” decision.
In addition to carat weight, a GIA grading report contains a wealth of information about your diamond. If you’d like to dig deeper, you’ll be interested in the other articles in this series:
GIA Diamond Grading Reports: Understanding the Diamond Color Grade
GIA Diamond Grading Reports: Understanding the Diamond Clarity Plotting Diagram
GIA Diamond Grading Reports: Understanding Diamond Cut Grades
Riddle us this: What temporarily changes color when it’s heated or kept in the dark? Is incredibly rare? And exceptionally valuable? If you said a chameleon diamond, you’re right! If you didn’t know the answer, don’t worry: read on to learn more about these mysterious and intriguing colored diamonds. (more…)