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Diamonds A Stone of Many Colors Diamonds are considered to be the most precious gem in the world. The value of the diamond is defined by the four cs, which are the cut, the clarity, the carat, and the color. Diamonds can occur in almost any color, but yellow and brown are the most common. Sometimes the color of the diamond is so saturated in the yellow or brown diamonds that the stone may be referred to as a fancy diamond. Otherwise, they are graded in the color range of white diamonds. Diamonds with color contain impurities that cause the coloration, but pure diamonds are transparent and colorless.
Impurities in diamonds replace a carbon atom in the crystal lattice, which is commonly known as a carbon flaw. Nitrogen is the most common impurity found in diamonds; this
impurity causes a slight intense yellow coloration depending on the type of concentration of nitrogen that is present in the diamond. The low saturation yellow and brown diamonds are classified as in the normal color range by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). The institute also applies a grading scale from D which is colorless to Z which is light yellow. Standard scales of diamond rating do not extend to brownish diamonds, or fancy diamonds.
Diamonds that are used as gemstones are mostly transparent with little tint, they are known as white diamonds. Diamonds with high color grades are more rare than diamonds with lower color grades. The rarity of these diamonds causes them to be in high demand and fairly expensive. However, diamonds graded Z are also very rare, and the bright yellow color is highly valued. Diamonds that are graded D-F are seen as colorless, diamonds graded G-J are near colorless, diamonds graded K-M are slightly colored, and diamonds graded N-Y are light yellow or brown. The diamonds that are not yellow and brown or the fancy diamonds are more rare than the others and are more valuable. It is possible for a pale pink or blue hue to increase the value of a diamond, but more intense coloration is commonly considered more desirable and is highly valued.
It is often believed that most diamonds are white, or colorless. However, most diamonds are not white, because they show at least a trace of body color and many diamonds are deeply colored. Body color is defined as the color seen when white light travels through the diamond without being dispersed, which are not the multicolored flashes caused by dispersion. The body color can be determined by viewing the diamond through the side rather than through the top. The ability of diamonds to refract and disperse white light into all the rainbow colors is known as fire. Fire is one of the desirable qualities of the gemstone, but it is not what is referred to when the word color is used. Polished diamonds will sparkle and flash with an abundance of fire. Fancy colored diamonds are rare, and highly attractive and desirable.
The demand for fancy diamonds is low, because they are not actively marketed and most people dont have common knowledge of them. However, they are highly valued and cost much more than white diamonds. The fancies consist of yellow, greens, brown, red, orange, blue, and many other colors. It is often believed that colored demands are not widely promoted because it would give consumers an appreciation of colored gemstones, which would cause diamond demand to inflate, and give the attention to other gemstones, such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and opals. White diamonds are commonly believed to be the best color of diamonds because of their wide promotion. Some people even believe that yellow diamonds are bad, but yellow diamonds are bright, attractive, and highly desirable. The color of the diamond can help determine its value, but it is not an indication that the diamond is better.
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