At what color do diamonds start increasing in value?

[MisterHappy]

First off, I would like to thank everybody. This site really helped me out with my engagement ring purchase, and my future wife couldn''t be happier. Without giving out all the characteristics, I ended up with a colorless AGS Ideal Round Brilliant. The H&A pattern is not perfect, which gives the diamond a desired uniqueness without sacrificing noticeable quality. Even when the diamond is “dirty” from being exposed to oils from the skin and dust, it still performs like none other. I feel that what a diamond looks like under “dirty” conditions is an important thing to consider when buying. Although the buying process was long, drawn out, and stressful, I had an absolute blast with it. So much so, that I’m already thinking about my next diamond purchase. . .

Another way to word my question is: At what color grade can a diamond be sold as a fancy yellow?

Sorry if this has been discussed before, I tried to search, but nothing came up.

Thanks in Advance and Best Regards.

 

[Fly Girl]

Here is some information on yellow diamonds along with some pictures. As you can see, Fancy Yellow lies between Fancy Light Yellow and Fancy Intense Yellow. Link

 

[Savvymon]

Great question I''m glad you bought it up!

I''ve been wondering about this aswell, my best friend bought a princess engagement ring that is a o-p colour and where she purchased it stated that it is a champane stone???? Ok its a terrible stone to start with its a I1 blah and badly cut.

There appers to be alot of this going on in Australia selling o-p as fancy champane what do you guys think????

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 9/29/2008 9:12:59 PM
Author: Savvymon


Great question I'm glad you bought it up!


I've been wondering about this aswell, my best friend bought a princess engagement ring that is a o-p colour and where she purchased it stated that it is a champane stone???? Ok its a terrible stone to start with its a I1 blah and badly cut.


There appers to be alot of this going on in Australia selling o-p as fancy champane what do you guys think????

I don't think O-P is the same thing as a nice champagne diamond that is for sure!

And to answer, diamonds labelled as fancy colored are when the color is more valuable. There's a difference between the light yellow or brown hued stones at the bottom of the "regular" color chart and fancies. I don't grade diamonds so I personally don't know of the "hue" that makes it qualify as one or the other...hopefully someone smart will chime in!

 

[coatimundi_org]

Yellow and brown diamonds are deemed fancy colors when they have more color than the "Z" colored masterstone within the normal color range.(D-Z)

or

When they are any color other than yellow or brown--like red, pink, blue, green etc.

The term "champagne" is just a trade term used to sell light colored stones that have more of a brown hue. For a brown to be considered fancy, it must fall past Z--would be far darker than O-P.

Diamond labs do not designate O-P color as "fancy" nor do they use the term "champagne" to describe color.

I believe a large surplus of these "champagne" (brown) hued diamonds was unearthed in Australia awhile back--hence a term was born. Marketing...marketing..

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 9/29/2008 11:44:02 PM
Author: coatimundi
Yellow and brown diamonds are deemed fancy colors when they have more color than the ''Z'' colored masterstone within the normal color range.(D-Z)

or

When they are any color other than yellow or brown--like red, pink, blue, green etc.

The term ''champagne'' is just a trade term used to sell light colored stones that have more of a brown hue. For a brown to be considered fancy, it must fall past Z--would be far darker than O-P.

Diamond labs do not designate O-P color as ''fancy'' nor do they use the term ''champagne'' to describe color.

I believe a large surplus of these ''champagne'' (brown) hued diamonds was unearthed in Australia awhile back--hence a term was born. Marketing...marketing..

Ya, spot on Coati - just another thing that irritates me about the industry here..sigh.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 9/29/2008 11:44:02 PM
Author: coatimundi
Yellow and brown diamonds are deemed fancy colors when they have more color than the ''Z'' colored masterstone within the normal color range.(D-Z)

or

When they are any color other than yellow or brown--like red, pink, blue, green etc.

The term ''champagne'' is just a trade term used to sell light colored stones that have more of a brown hue. For a brown to be considered fancy, it must fall past Z--would be far darker than O-P.

Diamond labs do not designate O-P color as ''fancy'' nor do they use the term ''champagne'' to describe color.

I believe a large surplus of these ''champagne'' (brown) hued diamonds was unearthed in Australia awhile back--hence a term was born. Marketing...marketing..

Nice post Coaties!

 

[Fly Girl]

At one point I remember seeing a graph showing price compared to (yellow) color, assuming all of the other variables are the same. I''m thinking that the value is highest at D, then price steadily decreases to some point late in the alphabet, before there is enough yellow and the price starts going back up as the yellow gets more intense.

I suspect the OP is thinking along the lines that I did...why not buy a beautifullly cut S color (or whatever) for cheap and get a wonderful sparkly pendant stone. So far, it seems that beautifully cut S colors are far rarer than beautifully cut Ds, even though price isn''t the reason. In any case, Crafted by Infinity or Diamonds by Lauren often come up with some of these wonky stones that are worth a look.