Fancy Colored Diamond Collection

[T L]

I got some new software (Mac OS 10.6.7 and IPhoto 11) that makes it easier to accept the new RAW files, so I expect to put up some new ones soon, but here are a couple I took a while back.
It's nice to be back on apple software since I'm familiar with it.
I didn't like Adobe's software.



I sen this Deep Blue Emerald cut, and the pear in these pics, back but now I really miss them.

Seriously Kenny,
These are some of the best, if not the best, photographs I've ever seen of Fancy Colored Diamonds. You should publish a book, I swear! You really put Tino Hammid to shame, and every other highly paid gem photographer for that matter. Just stunning!

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

I got some new software (Mac OS 10.6.7 and IPhoto 11) that makes it easier to accept the new RAW files, so I expect to put up some new ones soon, but here are a couple I took a while back.
It's nice to be back on apple software since I'm familiar with it.
I didn't like Adobe's software.



I sen this Deep Blue Emerald cut, and the pear in these pics, back but now I really miss them.

Seriously Kenny,
These are some of the best, if not the best, photographs I've ever seen of Fancy Colored Diamonds. You should publish a book, I swear! You really put Tino Hammid to shame, and every other highly paid gem photographer for that matter. Just stunning!

Well, I don't know who Tino Hammid is, but I will look him up.
In any event, my deepest curtsy to you, Kenny !
I have never seen photos quite like yours, they are exquisite !!!!!
I am stunned and delighted.

I am going to try your technique !
When I have some time off.
Imagination and patience.
That's what I need! !!!

 

[Laila619]

Wow! These photos are just spectacular! And those diamonds...

 

[Imdanny]

You have a great collection, Kenny. Thanks for sharing it with us!

 

[kelpie]

WOW! I'm in awe of both your collection and your photography skills. I especially love the recent additions of the yellow asscher and orangey yellow pear. Keep pics coming!

 

[athenaworth]

Just thought you should know I pulled these pics up at a party because I was trying to explain to them how gorgeous colored diamonds are.

 

[kenny]

Just thought you should know I pulled these pics up at a party because I was trying to explain to them how gorgeous colored diamonds are.

Thanks Athena, what a nice thing to say.
Comments like yours make it all worth it.

I love sharing the news.
The beauty of these little miracles of nature needs sharing.
So few people know about them or have seen one, or even a pic.
I'm hooked and I feel a calling to share them with as many people as possible.

Clearly my tiny menagerie is not museum-worthy but via macrophotography and the Internet I hope people will be inspired to explore the possibility of accuiring one of their own fancy colored diamonds.
There are colors for every budget.
Many people don't think twice about spending $40,000 or more on a car that is worth next to nothing in 10 years.
Why not get a $30K car and put an eternal pink miracle on your finger?

Last night I read about the Aurora Collection.
They have a wonderful website to explore:
http://www.auroragems.com/aurora_collection.html
Alan Bronstein, who started the collection, wrote, "Nature has given birth to many beautiful creations. Among the rarest are natural colored diamonds. Like pieces of a rainbow frozen in time for eternity, they are hypnotic to the gaze. A natural colored diamond captivates you with its brilliance, fire and color."

They ARE hypnotic to gaze upon.

 

[athenaworth]

Just thought you should know I pulled these pics up at a party because I was trying to explain to them how gorgeous colored diamonds are.

Thanks Athena, what a nice thing to say.
Comments like yours make it all worth it.

I love sharing the news.
The beauty of these little miracles of nature needs sharing.
I'm hooked and I feel a calling to share them with as many people as possible.

Clearly my tiny menagerie is not museum-worthy but via macrophotography and the Internet I hope people will be inspired to explore the possibility of accuiring one of their own fancy colored diamonds.
There are colors for every budget.
Many people don't think twice about spending $40,000 or more on a car that is worth next to nothing in 10 years.
Why not get a $30K car and put an eternal pink miracle on your finger.

Last night I read about the Aurora Collection.
They have a wonderful website to explore:
http://www.auroragems.com/aurora_collection.html
Alan Bronstein, who started the collection, wrote, "Nature has given birth to many beautiful creations. Among the rarest are natural colored diamonds. Like pieces of a rainbow frozen in time for eternity, they are hypnotic to the gaze. A natural colored diamond captivates you with its brilliance, fire and color."

I think I convinced my husband that when we hit it rich, I'm going to start my FCD collection. We plan to hit it rich soon.

They ARE hypnotic to gaze upon.

 

[kenny]

I think I convinced my husband that when we hit it rich, I'm going to start my FCD collection. We plan to hit it rich soon.

Oh but that's another myth I hope to dispel.
FCDs are not only for "rich" people.

There are sizes and colors for every budget AND many of us are already spending thousands of dollars every year in wasteful ways
It's a matter of awareness of where your money is now going, and priorities.

Also, I sincerely believe in a very diversified retirement portfolio.
Stocks and bonds can crash.
Inflation can erode the value of cash stored in your mattress.
Real estate can go down.
Gold has already skyrocketed.

For a small part of your life savings FCDs, especially the most rare colors like red, green, Argyle pinks, blue, orange, violet, may be a wise long-term investment.
If investment is your priority I'd recommend buying one costly one instead of several less-costly ones.
I think the most rare colors will increase in, or hold, value more.

Yes I realize you cannot resell any diamond for near what you paid for it soon after you bought it.
But I'm talking about a little wealth preservation during a stock market crash or a long-term investment.

 

[athenaworth]

I think I convinced my husband that when we hit it rich, I'm going to start my FCD collection. We plan to hit it rich soon.

Oh but that's another myth I hope to dispel.
FCDs are not only for "rich" people.

There are sizes and colors for every budget AND many of us are already spending thousands of dollars every year in wasteful ways
It's a matter of awareness of where your money is now going, and priorities.

Also, I sincerely believe in a very diversified retirement portfolio.
Stocks and bonds can crash.
Inflation can erode the value of cash stored in your mattress.
Real estate can go down.
Gold has already skyrocketed.

For a small part of your life savings FCDs, especially the most rare colors like red, green blue, orange, violet, may be a wise long-term investment.
If investment is your priority I'd recommend buying one costly one instead of several less-costly ones.
I think the most rare colors will increase in, or hold, value more.

Yes I realize you cannot resell any diamond for near what you paid for it soon after you bought it.
But I'm talking about a little wealth preservation during a stock market crash or a long-term investment.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean "rich," but yeah, cutting back on the stupid things and stowing away what you spend is the best way to do it . Of course I'd have to get over my colored gemstone habit and start stockpiling that money. We'll see how far I get with that. THAT's what I meant by "rich." I don't want to have to give anything else up. Does that make me a bad person????

 

[kenny]

No that's not what makes you a bad person.
What makes you a bad person is what you do to your cat.

 

[athenaworth]

No that's not what makes you a bad person.
What makes you a bad person is what you do to your cat.

I just realized how hard my past comment was to read. Stupid iPad.

Funny you should mention that - I just warmed up a toy in the microwave for my kitty because it's a "chilly" 65 here in Smell A. I bet if I could cut down on what I spend on them, I'd have tons of money for a FCD!

 

[Arkteia]

I am almost afraid of opening your thread. I am scared of developing a new addiction, one that I can not yet afford! Fantastic stones, and fantastic pictures!

BTW - my I-net is slow today so I can not go through all posts... I tried and noticed a bottle of champagne and crabcakes... Treating the cat with crabcakes and champagne? A champagne bath? I don't know about your cat, but personally I would love it!

 

[TravelingGal]

Kenny, stunning. This stuff is frameable art!!!

 

[rhbgirl24]

DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOL! OMG these pics are incredible!

 

[MontageCreations]

I totally DISAGREE with you Kenny, your collection is indeed museum worthy, and I aspire to be as good a gem photographer as you

 

[kenny]

Gosh, thanks so much guys. (Blush)

There are two more FCDs I hope to add later this week so more pics will be coming.

 

[FallenRox]

You know, Kenny, people make extra cash selling prints of this kind of of art
If you want to look into it, I know all the ins and outs- Just give a yell.

http://browse.deviantart.com/artisan/?qh=&section=&q=ring

*The ones with the little reddish icon by them are available as prints. Just sayin'!

 

[colorluvr]

Absolutely incredible - that's all I wanted to say.

 

[blondie~]

Creative photos of your incredible stones Kenny. Very nice.

 

[erinl]

Beautiful pictures Kenny! And it goes without saying, so are your FCDs!

 

[kenny]

I've added two colored diamonds.
Both again are from Leibish www.fancydiamonds.net and they have again been wonderful.
Again, GIA reports state that color is of natural origin.

0.10 Fancy Red Radiant http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5087.htm
0.16 Fancy Intense Orangy Pink Heart. http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5098.htm

Red diamonds with no secondary hue modifiers are exceedingly rare.
Stephen Hofer wrote the seminal 742-pg volume, "Collecting and Classifying Coloured Diamonds, An Illustrated Study of the Aurora Collection".
In the section on red he goes on and on about how rarely pure reds are even mentioned in the historical diamond literature or in Sotheby's or Christie's auction records.
He even states on page 314 that, "The Aurora Collection [which has 260 FCDs] does not feature a pure red diamond because none were available."
Harold Seigler, FCD collector, vendor and owner of the firm Rarecoloreddiamonds, says only 70 pure reds have ever been unearthed.

I grabbed this red right when it got listed and the vendor told me another client tried to buy it right after I did.

GIA does not grade clarity on diamonds under 0.15 ct but the GG at Leibish feels this red is a VS1.
Most reds have much lower clarity.
After a quick louping I can't find anything in it yet, but I'm inexperienced and the strong color helps hide inclusions.

In person I would describe this red color as a traffic light red.
The cut is very very nice and it is quite sparkly for such a small guy.

This Orangy Pink's cut and clarity leave a lot to be desired; It even windows.
But that color just knocks my socks off.
It is like glowing pink apricot lemonade, and the color is richer than in the pic.

I am beside myself.
My tiny menagerie is really coming along now.
Accurately capturing several colors of FCDs in the same pics is difficult and frustrating.
Some look perfect, some strong and others weak in color compared to how they look live.

I gasped out loud when I turned the UV light on the heart.
SInce it has an abbreviated GIA report I had no idea it had any fluorescence, let alone that color.
I didn't even know such a color of fluorescence was possible.
It glows an unreal very strong hot pink - No, I did NOT mess with the pic to make it more intense.
In fact I toned it down.

I'll put up more pics over the next few days as I get the time.

I want your input.
If this were your collection what color or two is the rainbow missing?
Would you remove some existing stones and replace them with a different color that fits better in the rainbow?
If so describe how the replacement color would differ from the existing color.
Don't be shy; you can't hurt my feelings.

 

[yssie]

ohhhhh my word, it's RED red Please take lots of closeup portraits of that lil' guy! And your new peachy is adorable, cut, clarity, and all - and wow, what a fluor colour!!


Oh, to play in your jewellery box for just a few minutes.. your collection is like something from a fairytale Kenny - truly magical. Thank you for sharing it with us


Input... hmm. I'd love to see that deep blue no-modifyers EC back - I'd put it between the electric light blue pear and the blue oval - maybe replace the oval - to balance the incredibly bright, deep, rich red and yellow. And a super bright smaller fanta orange to help transition between yellow and your new peachy. So, how badly did I mangle coloured stone terminology?

 

[tyty333]

That red is to die for and the new little pinkish orange just gives me such a romantic feeling when I look at it...I think its because
it has an old world feel to me (or maybe I'm just in love with it ).

Looking forward to more pictures!

 

[T L]

Well, your colored diamonds look balanced out to me. I can't think of what you might be missing, except perhaps a pure orange, but the other orangey stones make up for that.

Congratulations on obtaining a pure fancy red. You are in a rare league of collectors.

As for the photos, well, what can I say, they're breathtaking.

 

[acebruin]

very nice kenny... that red is amazing!

 

[acebruin]

is it time for a purple?

 

[Dreamer_D]

AMAZING!

Do you have a really pure lemon yellow in there? Or a grape purple? Those are what my eye wants to see perhaps.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Gorgeous, Kenny!!!

I'd say orange and other shades of green are needed.

 

[chamois]

Stunning red & pinky/peachy stones, congrats. Purple, light baby blue, or primrose yellow, just a few colour ideas. What about black, certainly different !