What Is The Most Expensive Color Of Diamond?

Only a few things in this world are as elusively beautiful as diamonds. These shiny rocks have been at the center of the jewelry industry ever since they were discovered. 

Over the years, with technological developments and ease of exploration, diamonds have become highly sought after and one of the costliest items in the world. 

We all know about colorless diamonds and their value. But have you thought about how rare and expensive colored diamonds are? Read on to find out. 

Do Colored Diamonds Occur Naturally?

If there is one thing rarer than natural diamonds, it is naturally occurring colored diamonds. Formed at temperatures of around 1,000 degrees Celsius (1800 F), colored diamonds have the same composition as colorless diamonds. 

The only difference in the formation of these diamonds is the minute chemical impurities that change the way they reflect light, allowing for colored shades to happen. Naturally occurring colored diamonds are extremely rare, making up about 0.1% of all natural diamonds. 

This makes them highly sought after. Connoisseurs put price tags of millions of dollars on large enough naturally occurring colored diamonds. There are a number of colors that form in diamonds, each rarer than the other. 

What Are The Different Colors Of Diamonds?

When diamonds form under the earth over a span of thousands of years, there are a lot of chemical impurities that enter them. These impurities cause different colors to occur. Over the years, there have been various colored diamonds mined. 

Colored diamonds come in many shades, but the main ones are Yellow, Orange, Green, Blue, Pink, Brown, and Red. The key inclusions (a name given to impurities by diamond experts) that cause these colors are nitrogen (yellow), sulfur (green), and boron (blue).

Check all the James Allen Yellow Diamonds.

And do you know what Fancy Yellow Canary Diamonds are?

What Is The Most Common Color In Diamonds?

Yellow and brown are the two most common colored diamonds found naturally. While these stones are rare in themselves, their market value is comparatively less than other colors because of their availability. 

Yellow diamonds are the least expensive colored diamonds available in the international market. As mentioned above, these diamonds get their texture from nitrogen, which allows them to absorb blue light and give you a shiny yellow glow. 

Among yellow diamonds, the rare ones are Canary Yellow which is the brightest and the purest in quality. These diamonds are also available in big sizes since they are more common in nature.  

How Are Colored Diamonds Priced?

Just like colorless diamonds, jewelers use the four Cs to determine the price of colored diamonds. The Cut, Clarity, Carat, and Color and the main criteria for a diamond to be priced. 

When it comes to colored diamonds, the rarity comes into question, and since they are smaller in number, you can expect a higher price from the start. For naturally occurring colored diamonds, the process of setting the price is more complicated than others. 

There are 30 base colors that can be combined or tested independently to determine how valuable a diamond is. This color determines the grading of the diamond, which is then priced based on how many carats it is in size. 

The more intense the color of a diamond will be, the higher the price will be. 

What Is The Most Expensive Color?

If you have to single out the rarest and most expensive form of diamond in the world, it is the Red Diamond. With only 20 to 30 pieces existing, the red shade of diamonds is a sparkle like no other. 

Interestingly, the dark red color of this diamond is not due to any impurity. It comes from a rare defect in the structure of the carbon atoms that create it. 

Red diamonds are extremely small in size because of the natural process involved in their formation. The crystal in these diamonds occurs in a way that allows light to pass as red or crimson. 

Most natural red diamonds in the world today are no more than half a carat or one carat in size. These diamonds cost anywhere between $1-2 million per carat, owing to their rareness. 

The majority of the red diamonds that have been mined or are mined now can be located back to the Argyle Diamond mines in Kimberley, West Australia. A few diamonds are also found in Russia, Brazil, and Africa. 

The largest and by far the rarest red diamond to be discovered in the world was from Brazil, which was a whopping 5.1 carats in size. The Argyle Everglow was another notable red diamond called ‘fancy red’ because of its distinct color. And the purest red diamond in the world is the Rob Red, measuring 0.59 carats. 

Are Colored Diamonds Grown In Labs?

Naturally occurring colored diamonds are extremely rare, but this does not diminish the demand for these diamonds. This is why there is a more affordable and common alternative for people: artificial or synthetic diamonds. 

Lab-grown diamonds have been in circulation for a long time due to the rising demand for diamonds worldwide. The process of growing diamonds in a lab includes creating high temperatures in a laboratory to simulate the process of natural diamond formation. 

With the right conditions, there can be colored diamonds grown in a lab which are less expensive but has the same effect. 

The price of synthetic diamonds is determined by the same process as real diamonds, but eventually, they are 20-30% cheaper than natural diamonds.

If you take the example of a blue diamond, a natural one can cost you anywhere between $10,500 to $20,000 per carat based on purity. This same blue diamond, when created artificially, will cost you about $8,000 per carat. 

Related article: Diamond Looks Blue In Sunlight, The Mysterious Blue Glow

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the rarest diamond color?

The rarest diamond color that is found today is red. The color ranges between dark red and crimson, and they are very small in size. There are only 20 or 30 red diamonds available worldwide that are not more than a carat in size. 

What color diamond is the least expensive?

Yellow diamonds are the least expensive colored diamond available because it is the most common color available. There are a few different shades of the yellow diamond, and the shade determines the price as well. The average cost of yellow diamonds can be $6,500 to $8,000 per carat.

What diamond color is best?

The highest-graded colored diamond in the world is the D-grade diamond. This grade is considered to be the best diamond color, which considers the rarity of the color and quality of the diamond. Colorless or near-colorless diamonds are known to be the best because of their purity. 

Find out everything about D vs. F Color Diamond.

Which type of diamond is the most expensive?

If you are considering the most expensive diamond in the world, it is the red diamond. Because of their rarity, these diamonds can be priced up to a million dollars per carat. 

Wrap Up

Red diamonds easily take the top spot for being the rarest diamond in the world. In fact, this pure red color is so rare that there were no diamonds found in this color between 1957 and 1987, after the discovery of the first one. 

The largest and most famous red diamond in the world is called the Moussaieff Red Diamond owned by Moussaieff Jewellers in London. It is a 5.11-carat diamond and if you ever consider buying it, it’s estimated value is around a whopping $20 million!