The Brilliance and Allure of Yellow Diamonds
Gail Bonaparte
Few things evoke the feeling of happiness, warmth, and light heartedness than yellow and nothing screams sunshine and summer like the harnessed power of yellow diamonds. They will brighten up your day and light up the night. In the trade, yellow diamonds are sometimes referred to as canary diamonds, which is not the gemological term for them. One of the best things about fancy yellow diamonds is that there is a hue of yellow that compliments every skin tone.
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Fancy yellow diamonds are the second most popular color diamond. Customers can experience sticker shock when they price fancy yellow diamonds. This is due in part to colorless diamonds being on the lower end of the D-Z (colorless to light yellow) color grading scale by GIA (Gemological Institute of America) being misrepresented and sold as fancy yellow diamonds when, in fact, they are not. These same diamonds are sometimes sold as light-colored fancy yellow diamonds at a bargain price. To the untrained eye, the M-Z colors may look passable for yellow. However, there should always be transparency with the customer before the sale occurs.
How is a fancy yellow diamond described and color graded? (hue, tone, saturation)
Few things evoke the feeling of happiness, warmth, and light heartedness than yellow and nothing screams sunshine and summer like the harnessed power of yellow diamonds. They will brighten up your day and light up the night. In the trade, yellow diamonds are sometimes referred to as canary diamonds, which is not the gemological term for them. One of the best things about fancy yellow diamonds is that there is a hue of yellow that compliments every skin tone.
What distinguishes a yellow diamond from a fancy yellow diamond?
Colorless diamonds and fancy yellow diamonds are both formed in the same way, below the earth’s surface. The difference between a colorless diamond with a yellow hue and a fancy yellow diamond is the presence of nitrogen in the diamond as it is formed, which gives the diamond its yellow hue. The yellow intensity depends on how much nitrogen is in the diamond. Whereas the greater the saturation of yellow in a colorless diamond can decrease the value as it moves closer to the Z color range. The opposite is true for a fancy yellow diamond. The more saturated the appearance of yellow in a fancy yellow diamond, the greater value. However, there is usually a “sweet spot” for most customers in the hue of yellow they prefer in a fancy yellow diamond. For a fancy yellow diamond, even a slight difference in color towards the “fancy vivid” grade will increase the price of the diamond. There are also fancy yellow diamonds with a secondary or modifying hue such as: orangey-yellow (warmer), greenish yellow (cooler), and brownish yellow.
A fancy yellow diamond will dazzle, whether loose or set in jewelry. It provides the sparkle that other yellow gemstones, although also saturated with a yellow hue, cannot offer. Yellow sapphire and yellow beryl (Heliodor) are both beautiful gemstones with a rich yellow hue, however, they both lack fire (light that is dispersed into colors of the spectrum) and scintillation (flashes of light with movement in a polished diamond).
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What are the best shapes for a fancy yellow diamond?
The shape of the diamond and the way it is faceted can greatly affect the face-up appearance and the intensity of the color in the diamond. A fancy-colored diamond is often cut in a fancy shape, which is any shape other than a round.
Of the 4 C’s, the priority for a fancy yellow diamond is color and fancy colored diamonds are cut to capture the most saturation of color and increase the stone’s value. As a result, you will not readily find round fancy yellow diamonds as the standard shape. Round fancy yellow diamonds can sometimes be recut into a fancy shaped diamond that will show more of the yellow hue in the completed face-up view. The radiant, oval, pear, and cushion shapes are very popular shapes for fancy yellow diamonds. When cut within the “very good” to “excellent” symmetry grade, these shapes typically have more depth on the bottom of the stone and a larger surface area. When the yellow hue extends throughout the depth of the stone, the top view usually creates a very alluring diamond.
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What should be considered when setting a fancy yellow diamond in jewelry?
A fancy yellow diamond that faces-up as intense lemony yellow, without another modifying color, is regarded as “best in class.“ Brilliant-cut faceting coupled with a fancy shaped diamond makes for an unbeatable combination. Whether square or rectangular, the radiant cut diamond shape looks stunning on the hand. The color of metal impacts the appearance of twhe fancy yellow diamond. For a deeper and more intense hue, set the fancy yellow center diamond in 18K yellow gold with a basket setting under the girdle, or bezel setting around the center stone. Using small, round yellow sapphires or fancy intense yellow diamonds as a halo usually strengthens the yellow hue. For an icy white effect, set the stone in 18K white gold or platinum, providing a frosty contrast that emphasizes the yellow color. Whether your personal preference is more of a subdued hue or a fiery yellow hue, there exists a fancy yellow diamond color that suits everyone’s personal taste and style. If possible, submit your loose fancy yellow diamond to a reputable gemological lab to ensure it has not been enhanced, treated, or lab-grown and misrepresented as earth-mined.
Rosenberg Diamonds & Co.
14.27cttw Radiant cut FIY VS1
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3.59 Oval Yellow diamond halo
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