Are Yellow Diamonds Valuable?

Yellow diamonds are quite common among fancy colored diamonds, though significantly more rare than white diamonds. It is a frequent false impression that anatural yellow diamond is less valuable than a colorless diamonds. Whilst very light or slightly yellow diamonds are thought to be quite typical and not of great value, yellow diamonds for example intense and vivid are really quite valuable.



Natural yellow diamonds with secondary brown tones are worth considerably less than pure yellow stones. However, secondary colors of green-yellow or orange-yellow can considerably raise the value of the stone due to the fact that these colors are even scarcer than fancy yellow diamonds.



Fancy color yellow diamonds are rated on the strength and intensity of color. The highest-quality grade is the Vivid Yellow, closely followed by the Intense Yellow diamond. The lowest quality of yellow diamond is the Light Yellow diamond, followed by the Fancy Yellow. A number of tones of Vivid Yellow diamonds and the more rare Intense Yellow diamonds are called Canary Diamonds. Canary yellow diamonds are the rarest among yellow diamonds and thus they cost much more and are desirable both by collectors and sophisticated clients. The canary diamond has a very specific tone of yellow, even if you have never observed a Canary Yellow before, if you were to see one, you’ll “recognize” it immediately!



Yellow diamonds look remarkable when they are mixed with white diamonds and usually yellow diamonds are set in yellow gold. A 3-stone ring should include white stones and the yellow stone should be set in the middle. White stones in trapeze, oval or triangle shapes will make a beautiful setting.



Like in other fancy color diamonds the color remains the main criterion that influences how much the diamond is worth, then comes size and clarity. Clarity is also crucial in evaluation of fancy yellow stones, though much less than in white diamonds.



The ideal cut for fancy colored diamonds is the Radiant cut. This is the ideal shape so that it is possible to maximize the color. Yellow diamonds, however, can also be found in Oval Cut an Cushion cut and in Heart and Pear shapes. The rarest are the Emerald, Square Emerald and the Brilliant cuts (round shape). The price of these shapes are substantially higher and not just with regards to the yellow diamonds. This refers to all fancy color diamonds..



The cut quality of a colored diamond is very different to the traditional white diamond. The objective when cutting a fancy color diamond should be to maximize the depth and saturation of color while, at the same time, striking a balance between carat weight and brilliance. It is essential that the stone is sold with a grading report from a respected laboratory for example GIA, HRD, IGI or EGL. The report must declare that the color is "Natural". The report must also state the intensity of color, as well as the color distribution throughout the diamond.



The biggest naturally formed octahedral diamond in the world is the Kimberley Octahedron and this is a Canary Diamond weighing 616 carats. This diamond was discovered in 1964 in the Dutoitspan mine, located in the Kimberley region of South Africa. The Kimberley Octahedron remains uncut, so the color and distribution grades cannot be given to this stone. The owners of the mine choose to maintain the diamond in the condition that it was mined. This diamond can be seen at the visitor’s center at the Kimberely Big Hole mine.