lab diamonds -

Fancy colored diamonds are all the rage, but what exactly are they? Are they real? Are they like regular diamonds? And how do they get their color? Read on to get all the answers!

In 2021, a new record was set. The largest, most valuable blue diamond was discovered in South Africa. It was larger, had a deeper color than the previous record holder, and was awarded the highest color rating available by the GIA, a prize offered to less than 1% of blue diamonds.

The stone took over a year to polish and facet into the 15.10-carat step-cut diamond it is today. Now The De Beers Cullinan Blue diamond is valued at $48 million USD.

While THIS fancy colored diamond is out of reach for most of us here on the ground, getting your own fancy colored diamond is easier than ever. James Allen carries a variety of sizes and colors to choose from.

So get on board with the trend that is here to stay! From engagement rings to fine jewelry, fancy colored diamonds give that unique, personal edge to your bling. So get ready to sparkle, because embracing color has never been more in style.

What Exactly Are Fancy Colored Diamonds?

Essentially fancy colored diamonds are diamonds that feature a variety of colors. Diamonds normally come in an assortment of colorless options. Meaning that diamonds are either completely colorless all the way to a variety of light yellow.

How Do Fancy Color Diamonds Get Their Color?

While in traditional diamonds color is not desired, in fancy colored diamonds, color is EXACTLY what you want! From dark to light, color is what you are after. So how do they get their color?

These highly prized diamonds, similar to their traditional counterparts, get their color when they are formed. Intense heat and pressure during the diamond’s formation create trace elements that present themselves in a way to create either no color, or for fancy colored diamonds, brilliant color.

The strength of the color depends on the interaction of the trace elements. Whether you prefer a lighter pink or a brighter blue, it’s all about the carbon atoms.

The Colors Of The Rainbow

Fancy colored diamonds are available in every color you can think of: pink, blue, purple, green, orange, brown, black, and even red or gray. While traditional diamonds lose value as they gain color, fancy colored diamonds do the opposite.

The stronger the color, the higher the value. Similar to traditional diamonds, fancy colored diamonds gain value the larger the size. The most common colors are in the yellow family, which is great because they are often the most economical choice of fancy colored diamonds.

Hue, Saturation, and Tone

Hue, saturation, and tone: what are they and what do they mean? Hue is the main or strongest color of the fancy colored diamond. Fancy colored diamonds can be one color but the hue is the strongest, followed by secondary colors and tints.

Saturation is just how strong the color, or hue, of the fancy colored diamond is. As in, how saturated is the color of the fancy colored diamond. A fancy colored diamond’s saturation can go from “light” to “intense,” all the way to “vivid.”

And finally there is tone. Tone is how light or dark the fancy colored diamond appears and is decided by the amount of brown, black, gray, or white color.

Hue, saturation, and tone all come together to determine a fancy colored diamond’s grade (light, fancy, fancy light, fancy intense, vivid, fancy dark, and fancy deep). Similar to their traditional diamond counterparts, fancy colored diamonds’ value and fit are not determined solely on their grade.

Different strokes for different folks, different grades for different fancy colored diamonds, for different engagement rings.

Engaging Color, Exclusive Style

Fancy colored diamonds are just as real as traditional diamonds and can be used in just as many ways. Fancy colored diamonds are a popular choice, especially for engagement rings and wedding rings. So how do you know which fancy colored diamond is right for you?

Fancy Pink Diamonds

Let’s start with fancy pink diamonds. Fancy pink diamonds have long been a favorite for those who love a burst of color. As part of the rarest of diamond colors, earth created pink (and red) fancy colored diamonds are an extraordinary find, with reports of only approximately 30 being in existence.

Get your very own fancy pink diamond engagement ring with James Allen!

Fancy Blue Diamonds

Love of color is not specific to pink. Fancy blue diamonds make a beautiful, calming choice. Another rarity, fancy blue colored diamonds are thought to represent spirituality, eternity, truth, and devotion. Getting their hue from boron, with their resemblance of a clear spring sky or a sparkling ocean, it is no wonder fancy blue diamonds are so popular.

Check out this example of a Fancy Blue Diamond Engagement Ring!

Fancy Black Diamonds

Or maybe you wanna go dark like the black diamond ring? Fancy black diamonds have a strong color intensity and sparkle with a metallic shine. These exotic diamonds are a darling of the fashion world.

Found only in a few locations, fancy black diamonds are thought to symbolize love and eternity, making them a fabulously unique way to adorn your finger. Get your own version from James Allen and start showing off!

Fancy Green Diamonds

Representing life, renewal, and growth, green is a great color for a fancy diamond. Fancy green diamonds are extremely rare, as they are created due to exposure to radiation. The radiation can come from groundwater or radioactive rocks near the earth’s surface.

Often pricier than their counterparts due to their rarity, green diamonds are a lively colorful choice for an engagement ring. And don’t worry, while the stone may get its color from radiation, it is totally safe!

Looking for another color of the rainbow to make your engagement ring stand out? Check out the many colors of fancy diamonds that James Allen has to offer!

colored diamonds vs traditional diamonds

Real Diamonds, Real Fancy

Colored diamonds are not to be confused with gemstones (which also go great with diamonds). Fancy colored diamonds are just as much diamonds as their traditional counterparts.

The advantage is that you can express your personal style in a particularly unique way using color. Check out these examples below or create your own!

And let’s not forget fancy colored brown diamonds, better known as chocolate diamonds.

In addition to their rarity and value, fancy colored diamonds are extremely popular. At once elegant and trendy, fancy colored diamonds allow you to add an extra level of personal expression. But don’t be fooled by the name, fancy colored diamonds are also good to wear every day!

Pair with white gold, yellow gold, or platinum, James Allen has a variety of fancy colored diamonds to create the perfect engagement ring. Start shopping today!

FAQs:

1. How are Colored diamonds graded?

Fancy colored diamonds are graded using the GIA’s color grading system, which assesses the diamond’s hue, tone, and saturation. The more intense the color, the higher the rating, and the higher the price.

2. Are fancy colored diamonds a good investment?

If you know what to look for and you purchase a diamond with a proper GIA rating- then, yes! Colored diamonds make a great investment. While the colored diamond market can be volatile at times, there is comfort in knowing that fancy colored diamonds are rare, coveted, and stunningly beautiful- forever!

3. How rare are fancy colored diamonds?

While the rarity of a colored diamond depends on the intensity of its color, the short answer is yes! Fancy colored diamonds are incredibly rare and highly coveted. For example, less than 0.1% of diamonds mined are fancy yellow diamonds!

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Sarah Axelrad

With over 10 years of experience writing and editing on a wide variety of subjects, Sarah is a veteran of the content world. Since joining James Allen, she has focused on all things diamonds and fine jewelry with the goal of educating and empowering consumers.

Lab grown diamond or earth created diamond? We’ve got all the info you need to live your best sparkling life with the perfect diamond for you!

Lab created diamonds have become increasingly popular and are pretty much the new kids on the jewelry block. Like many new unknowns, people are a little skeptical at first when they hear about lab grown diamonds, but rest assured, they make for a perfect alternative to earth created diamonds. Let’s start with some basic facts so you can decide with 100% confidence which sort of sparkle sets a twinkle in your eye.

What Is A Diamond?

Diamonds are carbon atoms. When they’re arranged in a very particular structure, you get the tough and beautiful stone we know and love. Producing this special carbon arrangement in nature demands conditions that are intense. We’re talking high heat and super-high pressure. Needless to say, very few places in the world are capable of producing earth created diamonds.

The Key Difference Between Earth and Lab Created Diamonds

Earth created diamonds are sourced from below the earth’s surface, whereas lab created diamonds are created in simulated “below-ground” conditions in a lab.
To put it simply, their origin is the only difference between these two types of diamonds.
Technology has advanced to the point that we don’t always have to go digging for our precious stones; we can simulate the necessary extreme conditions in specialized pressure chambers in a lab.
Lab created diamonds are grown from tiny carbon “seeds” that develop in these chambers over months, as scorching gasses deposit carbon atom-by-atom onto the original seed. Lab created diamonds even develop their own unique characteristics (inclusions, clarity, etc.) along the way, and once they’re fully grown, they’re cut into the shape that suits their qualities best.

A variety of loose fancy-shaped diamonds on a white surface

Factors To Consider When Choosing Your Diamond

Picking a diamond isn’t easy, there’s your budget to consider, your partner’s preference for cut, clarity, carat, and color, and its rarity factor.

Cost

One of the biggest upsides to lab grown diamonds is that they’re generally about 30% more affordable than earth created diamonds.

Why?

The diamond-growing process is less resource-intensive than the diamond-mining process. It simply costs less to grow a diamond in a lab than it does to mine a diamond from the earth, and those savings are passed along to diamond shoppers. That means that for the same cost, you can purchase a lab created diamond that’s 30% larger than an earth created one but just as dazzling.

Value

Earth created diamonds are the classic choice. Lab created diamonds are the fresh choice.

There is no doubt that earth created diamonds contain millennia of history, tradition, and romance. They are one of nature’s most incredible products. Drawn from deep within the earth, these sparkling treasures have been proudly flaunted by generations, paving the way for you to carry on the tradition.

Do Lab Created Diamonds Have Resale Value?

Lab grown diamonds generally have lower resale value compared to earth created diamonds. Natural diamonds can retain or even appreciate in value over time, while lab diamonds may not hold their value as well in the secondary market due to their lower production cost.

Cuts & Colors

Both earth created and lab created diamonds are available in nearly every shape and color – even fancy colors!

Colorful diamonds, like canary yellow ones, are quite rare. Their shocking hues are caused by trace amounts of non-carbon elements, like nitrogen. By adding these elements to a growing diamond in its pressure chamber, lab grown diamonds take on the same fancy colors as earth created diamonds.

Good news: any diamond can be cut into any shape. When it comes to diamond cuts, you truly are spoiled for choice!

GIA Certified Lab Created Diamonds

Like all earth created diamonds, lab grown diamonds also come with their very own birth certificate (GIA Certification).

Since lab grown diamonds are optically and chemically the same as mined diamonds, they come with their own certification. Today, most lab created diamonds are certified by IGI, International Gemological Institute.

Additionally, these diamonds are being accepted and certified by the GIA, the Gemological Institute of America, which has developed sophisticated devices that are used to screen and identify the difference between natural diamonds and lab grown ones.

Should You Get a Lab Created Diamond Engagement Ring

The short answer is, why not? Here are 5 reasons to choose a lab created diamond engagement ring:

1: Budget-Friendly

You’re able to maximize your budget and walk away with a bigger center stone for your engagement ring if you choose a lab created diamond. Furthermore, it might not even be about the size of the ring, but more about being able to get the diamond of your dreams for a third of the price.

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2: An Ethical Choice

Lab grown diamonds are an ethical choice because they are guaranteed to come conflict-free since they’re not mined.

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3: Stress-Free Shopping Experience

Most online jewelry retailers with customization options, like our very own ring studio, allow you to choose your preferred center stone. That means you’re able to inspect your diamond options (often in real-time), and browse at your own pace.

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4: Lab created diamonds are REAL

This can’t be emphasized enough, both lab grown diamonds and mined diamonds have the same chemical, optical, and physical properties. A lab created diamond is not a diamond alternative like moissanite, it’s the real deal.

5: Unique

Lab grown diamonds are unique in their own right. Not only can they be cut and shaped to your heart’s desire, but they can be cut to absolute perfection. Our True Heart™ diamonds are a premier collection of perfectly cut diamonds, known for their flawless internal symmetry and proportions.

FAQs

5. Are lab created diamonds as durable as earth diamonds?

Yes, lab diamonds have the same level of durability as natural diamonds. Both types of diamonds rank 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making them highly resistant to scratching and suitable for everyday wear.

6. Can you tell the difference between lab grown and earth created diamonds with the naked eye?

No, it’s impossible to differentiate between lab grown and earth created diamonds with the naked eye. They share the same physical and optical characteristics, making visual identification nearly impossible without specialized equipment.

7. Are lab grown diamonds available in various sizes and shapes?

Yes, lab created diamonds come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, just like earth-created diamonds. Whether you’re looking for a classic round brilliant cut or a unique fancy shape, you can find lab diamonds to suit your preferences.

Do lab grown diamonds require any special care or maintenance?

Lab diamonds, like earth created diamonds, do not require special care. You can clean them using mild, soapy water and a soft brush or cloth. Regular maintenance, such as checking the setting, is recommended to ensure the diamond stays secure in its setting.

To Sum It Up

Choosing the stone that suits your lifestyle is an important part of designing meaningful jewelry that will last you throughout your life. And if you choose to buy either lab created diamonds or earth created diamonds, you can choose from 500,000 beautiful options at James Allen.

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Jessica Thomas

Jessica is a seasoned content writer with four years of experience and a qualified gemologist. She enjoys educating new shoppers on the best practices for buying jewelry.