Fancy Yellow Diamonds: What You Need to Know
Fancy yellow diamonds are some of our favorite things. Granted, we love all diamonds (can’t you tell?) But the beauty and rarity of a gorgeous, sunny yellow diamond always catches our eyes. And this striking pop of color is an elegant and super luxe way to make your engagement ring stand out. Whether you want a contemporary halo, a more custom three stone design, or even a single, breathtaking solitaire, a fancy yellow addition to your engagement ring is hard to say no to.
We love that these diamonds give a ring a unique look, regardless of style. But for brides who love fancy yellow diamonds, what are the differences between this particular fancy colored diamond and regular white diamonds?
Well, when it comes to most of the criteria you use to shop for a great deal on a diamond, there’s no difference. The same “rules” apply for the diamond’s:
But of course, where we differ, is the Color Grade! Where white diamonds are graded on a scale of D (colorless) through Z (noticeable yellow color), and prized for their lack of color, fancy colored diamonds exceed the normal color range and increase in value along with their saturation. Their color grades range from:
- Faint – just a hint of color, only noticeable when compared to white diamonds. Not technically fancy colored.
- Very Light – a slightly noticeable color. Again, not technically fancy colored.
- Light – Noticeable color, but still not fully fancy.
- Fancy light – Definitely not a white diamond, but still pastel in hue.
- Fancy – Moderately saturated color.
- Fancy intense – Richly saturated and exceptional color.
- Fancy vivid – Very rare, highly saturated, demands a premium.
- Fancy Deep – Highly saturated, almost too much.
- Fancy Dark – Richly hued, but technically too dark.
Your preference for what grade is the most beautiful will vary! And this scale doesn’t discuss diamonds treated for color, which is an entirely different topic.
Because yellow diamonds are not nearly as rare as some other fancy colors (like green, pink, blue and red) they have to “work harder” to nab the distinction of Fancy. So we like to take light and faint diamonds that don’t quite make the cut, and accent their beautiful warmth with yellow gold settings that nudge them toward Fancy looking while saving you a ton.
Diamond color grades in general are the trickiest of the 4 C’s to grade, even when it comes to white diamonds. Differences from lab to lab, gemologist to gemologist, even day to day and hour to hour for the same gemologist mean that color grades are highly subjective. And that’s just the grade! The color you prefer – and even perceive – is different from couple to couple, so you’ll always have a better idea of what you like (and don’t) when shopping in person.
And for fancy colored diamonds, things get even more complicated! Color grade categories are not set in stone and are highly complicated. And again, personal preference is of huge importance. You might prefer the lighter tones of a Fancy Light to the “better” grade Fancy Intense. It’s your ring, and it’s your choice. So our #1 recommendation is to spend plenty of time ogling our beautiful fancy yellow diamonds.
Comments are closed.