Pink diamonds owe their color to certain physical abnormalities and chemical
impurities within their structure. Most of these stones come from a single place
in Australia – the Argyle mine. Natural pink diamonds are among the rarest and
most expensive fancy-colored stones.
When buying a pink diamond, you should first decide on its size and color
intensity as these are the most important factors that will determine how much
you will have to pay.
Evaluating the Color of Pink Diamonds
The color of a pink diamond has three main components on which it is
evaluated: hue, saturation, and tone.
Hue is the visible color of a fancy-color diamond. The primary hue of
a pink diamond is, of course, pink. However, there can be secondary hues of a
different color. In general, secondary hues that enhance the primary color are
deemed to add to the value of the stone, whereas ones that detract from its
primary hue can diminish its worth. Common undertones in pink diamonds are
purple, brown, and orange; purple and orange are more valuable, while brown and
yellow are less desirable. Pink diamonds with no secondary coloring are rare and
usually more expensive than ones with additional hues.
Saturation refers to the intensity of the stone’s color. As a rule,
the more intense the color of a diamond, the more valuable it is. Therefore,
diamonds that have a deep pink color will be worth more than ones whose hue is
faint. The most expensive pink diamonds are those whose color is closest to red
(by the way, natural red diamonds are the rarest colored diamonds).
Tone is a characteristic that tells you how light or dark the color of
a fancy-color diamond is. What tone you will choose comes down to your personal
preference, but usually, stones that are too light or too dark to have a
discernible primary color are not as sought after as those that are medium dark
and have a well-defined hue.
Pink diamonds are graded using the following categories: Faint Pink, Very
Light Pink, Light Pink, Fancy Light Pink, Fancy Pink, Fancy Intense Pink, Fancy
Vivid Pink, Fancy Dark Pink, and Fancy Deep Pink. If there is a secondary color,
it is also included in the grade; for example, Fancy Purplish Pink describes a
pink stone with a purple undertone.
Pink Diamonds and Carat Weight
In general, bigger fancy-color diamonds are rarer and therefore cost
disproportionately more per carat. This trend is even more pronounced with pink
diamonds, which are among the rarest colored diamonds. So, if you are planning
to buy a pink diamond bigger than 0.3-0.4 carats, be ready to pay substantially
more than the price of a smaller but otherwise comparable stone. Plan your
budget accordingly, and keep in mind that pink diamonds bigger than 0.5 carats
are very rare and expensive.
Evaluating the Clarity of Pink Diamonds
Although the clarity of pink diamonds is graded the same way as that of
colorless stones, this characteristic is not as important for fancy-color
diamonds as their flaws tend to be less visible due to the stone’s coloring.
All else being equal, pink diamonds with fewer flaws are more expensive.
However, you don’t need to pay top dollar for a stone that is perfectly clean –
a cheaper diamond of a lower clarity grade can look just as flawless to the
naked eye. You can find reasonably clean stones in the SI1-SI2 clarity range
that don’t have inclusions visible to the unaided eye; fancy-color diamonds in
the VS and VVS clarity categories tend to be more expensive but may not offer a
visible difference.
Pink Diamonds and Cut
When it comes to pink diamonds (and all fancy-color diamonds for that
matter), cut is not evaluated the same way as is that of colorless stones. The
reason for this is that colored diamonds are not necessarily cut with
proportions that maximize brilliance and sparkle as these characteristics are
deemed secondary for fancy-color stones. Instead, colored diamonds are cut to
maximize color intensity.
So, don’t judge the cut of pink diamonds using traditional grades. You should
look at the stone’s color first and consider brilliance only after you are
satisfied with the diamond’s color saturation.
Treated and Synthetic Pink Diamonds
Since natural pink diamonds are very rare and expensive, vendors offer
artificially colored stones that are more affordable. Some pink diamonds are
simply natural colorless diamonds that have been subjected to heat, pressure,
and irradiation to alter their color. There are also synthetic pink diamonds,
which are created in a lab but have the same chemical structure as natural
stones.
When buying a pink diamond, always make sure that the stone is accompanied by
a certificate that documents whether it is natural or synthetic as well as
whether the diamond has been treated to change its color.
impurities within their structure. Most of these stones come from a single place
in Australia – the Argyle mine. Natural pink diamonds are among the rarest and
most expensive fancy-colored stones.
When buying a pink diamond, you should first decide on its size and color
intensity as these are the most important factors that will determine how much
you will have to pay.
Evaluating the Color of Pink Diamonds
The color of a pink diamond has three main components on which it is
evaluated: hue, saturation, and tone.
Hue is the visible color of a fancy-color diamond. The primary hue of
a pink diamond is, of course, pink. However, there can be secondary hues of a
different color. In general, secondary hues that enhance the primary color are
deemed to add to the value of the stone, whereas ones that detract from its
primary hue can diminish its worth. Common undertones in pink diamonds are
purple, brown, and orange; purple and orange are more valuable, while brown and
yellow are less desirable. Pink diamonds with no secondary coloring are rare and
usually more expensive than ones with additional hues.
Saturation refers to the intensity of the stone’s color. As a rule,
the more intense the color of a diamond, the more valuable it is. Therefore,
diamonds that have a deep pink color will be worth more than ones whose hue is
faint. The most expensive pink diamonds are those whose color is closest to red
(by the way, natural red diamonds are the rarest colored diamonds).
Tone is a characteristic that tells you how light or dark the color of
a fancy-color diamond is. What tone you will choose comes down to your personal
preference, but usually, stones that are too light or too dark to have a
discernible primary color are not as sought after as those that are medium dark
and have a well-defined hue.
Pink diamonds are graded using the following categories: Faint Pink, Very
Light Pink, Light Pink, Fancy Light Pink, Fancy Pink, Fancy Intense Pink, Fancy
Vivid Pink, Fancy Dark Pink, and Fancy Deep Pink. If there is a secondary color,
it is also included in the grade; for example, Fancy Purplish Pink describes a
pink stone with a purple undertone.
Pink Diamonds and Carat Weight
In general, bigger fancy-color diamonds are rarer and therefore cost
disproportionately more per carat. This trend is even more pronounced with pink
diamonds, which are among the rarest colored diamonds. So, if you are planning
to buy a pink diamond bigger than 0.3-0.4 carats, be ready to pay substantially
more than the price of a smaller but otherwise comparable stone. Plan your
budget accordingly, and keep in mind that pink diamonds bigger than 0.5 carats
are very rare and expensive.
Evaluating the Clarity of Pink Diamonds
Although the clarity of pink diamonds is graded the same way as that of
colorless stones, this characteristic is not as important for fancy-color
diamonds as their flaws tend to be less visible due to the stone’s coloring.
All else being equal, pink diamonds with fewer flaws are more expensive.
However, you don’t need to pay top dollar for a stone that is perfectly clean –
a cheaper diamond of a lower clarity grade can look just as flawless to the
naked eye. You can find reasonably clean stones in the SI1-SI2 clarity range
that don’t have inclusions visible to the unaided eye; fancy-color diamonds in
the VS and VVS clarity categories tend to be more expensive but may not offer a
visible difference.
Pink Diamonds and Cut
When it comes to pink diamonds (and all fancy-color diamonds for that
matter), cut is not evaluated the same way as is that of colorless stones. The
reason for this is that colored diamonds are not necessarily cut with
proportions that maximize brilliance and sparkle as these characteristics are
deemed secondary for fancy-color stones. Instead, colored diamonds are cut to
maximize color intensity.
So, don’t judge the cut of pink diamonds using traditional grades. You should
look at the stone’s color first and consider brilliance only after you are
satisfied with the diamond’s color saturation.
Treated and Synthetic Pink Diamonds
Since natural pink diamonds are very rare and expensive, vendors offer
artificially colored stones that are more affordable. Some pink diamonds are
simply natural colorless diamonds that have been subjected to heat, pressure,
and irradiation to alter their color. There are also synthetic pink diamonds,
which are created in a lab but have the same chemical structure as natural
stones.
When buying a pink diamond, always make sure that the stone is accompanied by
a certificate that documents whether it is natural or synthetic as well as
whether the diamond has been treated to change its color.
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