{"id":346623,"date":"2020-09-24T19:05:37","date_gmt":"2020-09-24T23:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/?p=346623"},"modified":"2021-04-10T11:05:29","modified_gmt":"2021-04-10T15:05:29","slug":"fancy-colored-diamond-engagement-rings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.1stdibs.com\/blogs\/the-study\/fancy-colored-diamond-engagement-rings\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Guide to Fancy-Colored Diamond Engagement Rings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"fancy-colored<\/a>
Clockwise from top left: Emilio Jewelry 6-carat fancy intense green diamond ring<\/a>; J. Birnbach 5.42-carat fancy greenish blue pear-shaped diamond ring<\/a>; fancy intense Australian Argyle yellow and pink diamond ring<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Available in a rainbow of hues, colored diamond engagement rings are universally alluring but an actual option only for a select few \u2014 at least if you want the color of your stone to be gloriously intense, evenly distributed and vetted by a prestigious gemological laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The value of colored diamonds increases exponentially with the saturation of the color. Large, richly hued stones are exceptionally rare and so can fetch millions of dollars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent headline-making examples include a 10.64-carat pink diamond ring<\/a> that went for $19.9 million at Sotheby\u2019s Hong Kong last year and the Oppenheimer Blue<\/a>, a 14.62-carat blue diamond that sold for $57.5 million at Christie\u2019s in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smaller gems are less costly, but not exactly budget priced. This fancy deep purplish pink diamond<\/a> weighing less than half a carat<\/em> sells for $72,500. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jennifer
Ben Affleck proposed to Jennifer Lopez with a 6.10-carat pink diamond engagement ring from Harry Winston<\/a> in 2002, spurring an interest in fancy-colored diamonds. Photo by Jeff Kravitz\/FilmMagic, Inc<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Given what such a stone costs, the desire for a fancy-colored diamond must be deep and enduring. The gems are especially alluring for brides who want to express their individuality with a hue they love \u2014 whether pink<\/a>, yellow<\/a>, blue<\/a> or even black<\/a> \u2014 coupled with the fiery brilliance of a natural diamond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very individual what people love in a diamond,\u201d says Jill Newman, editor at large for the Natural Diamond Council. \u201cA fancy-colored diamond ring says you have your own sense of style. It also says you have an eye for what’s valuable and collectible, because high-quality fancy-colored diamonds have historically been a good investment and gone up in value over the years. That’s a bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should you receive a colored diamond engagement ring<\/a>, expect to be answering \u201cWhat is that stone?\u201d types of questions from admirers for the rest of your life. Don\u2019t worry \u2014 a little research will make you an expert in explaining what makes it so remarkable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The grading report accompanying your diamond, ideally from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), is a great place to start. You might also want to consult the GIA\u2019s guide to colored diamonds<\/a> to better understand technical terms like \u201cfancy light,\u201d \u201cfancy,\u201d \u201cfancy intense\u201d and \u201cfancy vivid.\u201d These describe the intensity of a colored diamond\u2019s color \u2014 the most important of the four Cs<\/a> in determining its value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, you may prefer a blush pink stone to a more valuable bubblegum one, or a pale brownish yellow gem (like the one in Scarlett Johansson\u2019s engagement ring, designed by Taffin’s James de Givenchy) over an electric canary one. As with all jewelry, the crucial consideration is what you truly love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, our guide to sought-after colored diamond engagement rings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pink Diamond Engagement Rings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Vivid<\/a>
Vivid Diamonds 3.34-carat fancy pinkish purple diamond ring, 2019<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Exuding romance and femininity, pink diamonds<\/a> are ideal for engagement rings (remember when Ben Affleck proposed to Jennifer Lopez<\/a> with one back in 2002?). \u201cThe light pink shades represent softness, and the darker shades represent passion,\u201d says Yash Khinduka, managing director of Hong Kong\u2013based HYT Jewelry<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pink diamonds account for just 0.03 percent of annual global diamond production, so finding an example weighing one carat or more is \u201cnot easy in the range of fancy pink and stronger hues,\u201d Khinduka says, adding, \u201cPear and cushion shapes are the most popular cuts<\/a> for pink diamonds, while rounds are quite rare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, couples with sky-high budgets can get their hands on high-quality pink diamonds if they go through the right channels. For a stone two carats or above, \u201cyou need to seek out a specialist,\u201d says Michael Neuman, company director of Mondial by Nadia Neuman<\/a>, in Sydney, Australia, who also serves as chairman of Diamond Guild Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSuch diamonds are few and far between, and only a handful are available at any given time. Small differences in quality can make a big difference in value,\u201d he continues. \u201cFind one dealer you trust with the requisite experience in pinks, and he or she will find the right diamond for you. It’s a small industry, and if you ask too many people, it will hinder your search, not help it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adds Neuman\u2019s sister, Nadia, the firm\u2019s creative director: \u201cWe have customers who buy smaller pink diamonds for $2,500 and customers who acquire one of the more coveted gems for $1 million. I believe that the common thread between these customers is their desire to own something rare and exceptional.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t

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More Pink Diamond Engagement Rings<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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