Color- The Determining Factor

The four Cs play an important role in the value of fancy color diamonds but the determining factor of value is based upon the diamonds color. Simply put, the more difficult a color is to find, the less cutting and clarity have on its value. Colors that are not considered extremely rare, the more cutting and clarity will impact the value. Many diamond reports on fancy color diamonds will not even mention clarity grade information or information on the cutting and proportioning of diamonds.

When determining the value of fancy color diamonds, it is important to understand how the colors in diamonds are graded. Make sure you carefully examine the purity of color, color distribution throughout the diamonds, and depth of color. The origin of color in diamonds is critical, regardless if the color is natural. Evaluating natural color diamonds, the diamonds must be placed in a face-up position viewing the diamond with the table, just like you would view it when it was mounted in a piece of jewelry.

Diamonds display rainbows of colors naturally but they can also be transformed into beautiful colors by different techniques. White diamonds have been changed for years to blue, green and yellow by radiation techniques. You can usually determine if the diamonds are natural by taking them to any good appraiser or jeweler. But now new techniques are presenting big challenges in determining if diamonds are natural. In some cases making this determination may require advanced procedures that only major laboratories can perform.

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