Fancy Natural Color Diamonds Vs Color Treated Diamonds

Heaven Blue Color Perfectly Matched Cushion Cut Diamonds, 1.2 ct, VS, HPHT Treated

You may not realize it, but our attention is constantly drawn to color, be it the color of an individual’s clothing in a room full of people, the decorative display in the banquet hall at your friend’s wedding or the color of the new armchair in your house.

One is also attracted to finer details, often subconsciously, such as the color of someone’s eyes, one’s choice of nail varnish, and, of course, that shining Radiant Cut diamond glistening on your fiancée’s finger. Yes, without realizing it, we are constantly enticed by color and that plays an important part in the popularity of fancy color diamonds. Colored diamonds on a pendant, ring or bracelet really catch the eye, with different colors and cuts to match any event. Our colored diamonds are the perfect accessory for any outfit and can be worn to any event. When preparing for your relative’s wedding, for example, you may choose a light pink diamond while for a special celebratory event at work you could opt for a green or yellow fancy color diamond.


We have a large selection
of natural fancy diamonds

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Yellow Pear Shape Loose Diamond

The Red Carpet

Many celebrities have been noticed wearing fancy color diamonds, with Jennifer Lopez sporting a yellow fancy color cushion cut 50.40-carat diamond ring set in 18k yellow gold and ebony wood when she was a guest judge on the show American Idol. TV’s Oprah Winfrey is known to be a huge colored diamond fan whilst global icon David Beckham bought his wife, Victoria, an exquisite 10-carat pink fancy color cushion cut diamond ring set on an 18k white gold band. The great news is that fancy color diamonds can suit any budget, with the main pricing factors being the clarity of the stone, the carat weight and whether it is naturally colored or treated.

As we appreciate that each individual has very personal requirements when choosing a diamond, we don’t claim that one is necessarily better than the other. Whether you choose to wear a naturally colored or color enhanced diamond, you will be sure to dazzle the crowds at any event. The benefits of choosing either natural fancy color diamonds or color treated stones with HPHT or irradiated treatments are presented here and should help you decide what is best for you.

The Advantages Of Having A Natural Color Diamond

Natural color diamonds are a true beauty of nature, with the color untainted and unchanged by human contact. Here are some of the benefits of purchasing natural fancy color diamonds:

That unique, personal look – If you are purchasing a diamond for a special woman who is used to looking the part and wants a distinctive look, nothing tells her how important she is to you better than an expertly cut, hand-picked natural color diamond.

Investment opportunity – Naturally colored diamonds are incredibly rare, with 10,000 carats of diamonds mined for every 1 carat of colored diamonds. Furthermore, with colored diamonds becoming increasingly difficult to procure, natural color diamonds will only increase in value and will surely be an investment.

Ideal portfolio piece – A small portfolio of natural color diamonds are more than just an investment. They can be worn time and again until that opportune time to sell arrives, at the same time maintaining their sparkle throughout the years. Diamonds are obviously not physically large so there will be no need to clear out the basement if you choose these as your next investment.

The Advantages Of Owning HPHT Or Irradiated Color Treated Diamonds

The two main types of treatments used to color diamonds are HPHT and irradiated enhancements. HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) color treatment involves applying temperatures of up to 3,700°F and the same atmospheric pressure to the diamond. This mimics the natural process that a diamond undergoes while deep underground in the “premature state”, meaning it is not yet fully crystalized. This treatment is only applied to diamonds of the highest clarity.

In the irradiation process, the diamonds are covered in radium salt and slowly turn a dark green. Using heat pressure of up to 1600°F, the diamonds can be transformed to orange, yellow, brown, or pink, while specialized generators can produce blue, blue-green or green colors. The key benefits of purchasing diamonds treated in one of these ways are:

More carats for your budget – If you are looking for a large stone and are budget minded, you will be sure to pay far less per carat for a color treated stone, as opposed to a natural color stone. The average customer will save 45% - 70% by buying a yellow color treated diamond rather than a natural color diamond of the same clarity. For example, an intense fancy yellow cushion cut 1.14 carat VS2 clarity HPHT color treated diamond would cost $4, 794, whereas a 1.12 carat Fancy Intense Yellow Cushion Cut Diamond, VS2 Clarity with a GIA certification would cost $10, 175. That makes a saving of over 50% by purchasing the treated color diamond.

When purchasing pink diamonds, blue diamonds and green color enhanced diamonds, the savings can reach 90%. Here is an example: A Radiant Cut Loose 0.8 Ct, Sky Blue Color Irradiated SI1 IGL Certified Diamond should cost $1,750, whereas a 0.52 carat, Fancy Light Blue Radiant, SI1 Clarity with a GIA cert is should cost $18, 825. This means you stand to save 90% from the price of one ½ carat natural blue color diamond.

Finding that perfect match – Whether you are looking for gleaming side stones to support a shining center stone or want to match other diamonds on your tennis bracelet, color treated diamonds are an easier and more affordable means of achieving that goal. Because the colors can be controlled, there are far more possibilities available when looking to match layouts for tennis bracelets, wedding bands and studs.

Spot the difference – The HPHT treatment process is highly similar to the natural process diamonds undergo, with the diamond being returned back into the environment in which it was formed. The main difference is the price!

More shapes – Regarding yellow fancy colored diamonds, for example, cutters usually try to manufacture rough stones to a cushion or radiant cut in order to best emphasize the color of the diamond. Consequently, it is extremely rare to find a natural yellow fancy colored stone, and if you do, it is even less likely you will find it in the shape you are looking for. With treated diamonds, however, the color can be controlled far more easily, thereby increasing your chance of finding a round yellow diamond.

Conclusion

On the one hand, those with higher budgets will most likely be looking to purchase a natural fancy color diamond. On the other hand, some of our customers are on the lookout for larger stones and maximize their budget by purchasing large color treated diamonds rather than smaller natural color stones. If you have chosen to buy natural color diamonds, however, make sure you have bought the stone from a reputable vendor.

CaratsDirect2U offers an array of both natural fancy color diamonds and HPHT and irradiated color treated diamonds. We sell diamonds in natural fancy colors as well as HPHT and Irradiated treated colors such as pink, yellow, blue, green, champagne, brown and purple, which are the most popular, as well as other colors. With over 60 years of experience, we will be able to guide you to making the ideal choice when picking out a fancy color diamond.

Our website offers a full education on natural fancy color diamonds and the benefits of investing in them. We also have articles on treated diamonds and many other aspects of purchasing diamond jewelry online. Remember, all our diamond jewelry comes with a 30 day return policy.

If there are any aspects of purchasing diamonds online you are unsure about, our website offers extensive guidance and we can always be contacted on 1-800-557-7095 where one of our expert diamond jewelers will be happy to assist you. Or, you can email us at [email protected] with any questions you may have.