There are few things on Earth so rare that scientists don’t have the ability to study them properly. Take ball lightning as an example. Ball lightning is a very rare phenomenon described as exploding spherical electric balls, like something out of science fiction. It’s so rare that there isn’t enough for scientists to fully study and understand. The same can be said for red diamonds. Natural diamonds, taken together, are among the rarest substances on earth, and when we break down the category of natural colored diamonds, we find that they are even rarer. In fact, according to the GIA, only 0.4 percent of all natural diamonds graded over the past twenty years have been fancy colors. Out of all those fancy colored diamonds, red is the rarest color. They are so rare that fewer than thirty true natural red diamonds are known to exist.
A diamond is a crystalline form of pure carbon formed under extreme conditions inside the Earth up to three billion years ago. Elements other than carbon or natural radiation introduced during formation can alter a natural diamond from a colorless crystal to one that displays nearly every color of the rainbow. For example, natural radiation within the earth can cause green diamonds; boron can cause blue diamonds. On the other hand, red diamonds are not thought to be caused by foreign elements like other diamond colors. Instead, scientists believe that red diamonds are caused by an extreme version of crystal lattice distortion—the same thing that turns pink diamonds pink. This distortion is created naturally, deep within the earth, by extreme heat and pressure in every direction after the stone is formed. The extra heat and pressure can change the position of the carbon atoms within the diamond, causing them to reflect pink or, in extreme cases, red light. While most believe this is what gives these diamonds their color, the phenomenon is so rare that scientists can’t study it fully enough.
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Evaluating diamonds based on color
Determining the value of a colored diamond is not very different from evaluating a non-colored diamond. A professional diamond appraiser will examine the color, clarity, carat weight, and cut. This rating is known as the 4C of the diamond rating. For more information on the 4Cs of diamond valuation, visit our blog on Diamond Value Factors.
With a colored diamond, a diamond appraiser will most likely spend more time evaluating the color and clarity of the diamond. Not all colored diamonds are created equal and not all are expensive. The value of a colored diamond depends on the purity of the color and the transparency of the color. They will also consider the rarity of the color.
Third; Pink
Then there would be the beautiful orange and green diamonds…
These colors of diamonds are real (they are found on Earth like this). They are called “fancy color diamonds” or “fancies”. They are not enhanced or treated, they are the real deal.
What is the most expensive colored diamond?
Although there are diamonds of different colors, red diamonds are the most expensive. Red diamonds are expensive because they are pure and rare to find compared to other colored diamonds, which have impurities and inconsistencies in their composition that contribute to their colors. You can source these rarities from Monarch Jewelry And Art; they offer a wide variety to choose from.
A cart of red diamonds costs between $300,000 and $2 million. And in determining the value of any red diamond, geologists use four grading methods: cut, clarity, carat, and color.
Other colors of rare diamonds
Blue diamonds are the second rarest color after red and have always been in contention with rare pink diamonds.
Boron is responsible for creating the color blue.