Most Valuable Colored Diamonds:  The Rarest and Most Coveted Gems

Most Valuable Colored Diamonds: The Rarest and Most Coveted Gems

Geschrieben von: Hagai Bichman

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Lesezeit 7 min

The Allure of Discover the Most Valuable Colored Diamonds in the World

Colored diamonds have fascinated collectors, investors, and jewelry lovers worldwide. 

  • Their rarity, beauty, and possibilities of investment make them some of the most wished-for gemstones. Among this great spectrum of diamonds, certain colored diamonds engage all attention for their valuability in terms of evident hues, rare sources, and great-quality features. Everything from flamboyant blue diamonds to hard-to-get red diamonds, these extraordinary gems are the pride of their owners.

    At this point, we turn our focus towards the world of the most valuable colored diamonds and all the other factors contributing to their pricing, rarest colors, and why they are such an important asset in the luxury market.

The 4 Cs: Understanding the Value of Colored Diamonds


The first thing we will talk about is what makes a colored diamond the most precious.

  • As with all diamonds, a colored diamond's price includes the 4 Cs: cut, clarity, color, and carat weight.

    Color: Their Original Value
    The color of a colored diamond is what makes it most valuable. The intensity, hue, and purity of the saturation of color determine the price of the diamond. The best and most successful colored diamonds are those which have a very rich and vibrant color, well-saturated and eye-catching, rare.


    Rarity and Supply

    As the value of a colored diamond is very directly related to its rarity. For example, blue diamonds are much rarer than white diamonds and red diamonds are so few and far between that they can be very costly.

Carat Weight and Size

  • The most value is given to larger diamonds with stronger colors. A high value of millions can be given to abundant quantities of such blue or pink diamonds in thin colors.

    Main Dimensions include Cleanness and Cuts
    Though color becomes the foremost criterion in determining the worth value for colored diamonds, there are still factors such as clarity and cut that define their worth. The price to be paid will always go higher for flawless diamonds with the perfect cut that enhances their color.

Colored diamonds of several hues are there which can be very rare and high in value.

These diamonds are admired because of their enchanting colors and the rarity with which they appear in nature.

  • Here are the most-valued colored diamonds with a reputation for being the rarest and most exquisite.


    Pink Diamond: The Ultimacy of Luxury

    The pink diamond has always been considered to be one of the world's rarest and most valuable diamonds. Its soft but clear color is exactly what makes pink diamonds so desired in the extravagant jewelry world. The Argyle mine in Australia used to be the largest producer of pink diamonds in the world; however, the mine's closure in 2020 made pink diamonds even rarer.

    The Pink Star diamond: 
    One of the most recognized and valuable pink diamonds, the Pink Star diamond sold at a Sotheby’s auction for a staggering $71.2 million. Some 59.60 carats, the diamond possessed incredible intensity of color, offering a fine example of the rarity and value of pink diamonds.
    Investment Potential: With supply being finite and demand high, pink diamonds stand as an attractive investment for collectors looking for long-term worth.
    Blue Diamonds: A Deep Ocean of Beauty
    Blue diamonds are yet another highly estimable category of colored diamonds and are those that, with their exotic blue color, attract instant recognition. These diamonds are exceedingly rare, and the price of blue diamonds appreciates with enhancement of color saturation.

    The Hope Diamond: The famous 45.52-carats blue diamond has been an object of fascination for people over centuries. Intense blue coloration was due to trace amounts of boron, which probably makes the Hope Diamond most noteworthy in blue diamonds across history.
    The Blue Moon Diamond: Another rare blue diamond that was auctioned for $48.4 million, the Blue Moon Diamond weighs in at 12.03 ct and stands as one of the top-valued blue diamonds in the world in terms of rich blue color.
    The blue diamond market has seen tremendous growth, with heightened demand from high-end collectors and investors.

Green Diamonds: The Rare and Spellbinding Jewels

  • Green diamonds are among the rarest types of colored diamonds in the world, and they are often considered to have a supernatural aura. The unusually green coloration is exclusively induced by the exposure to radiation deep within the Earth's crust, which gives a person a very unique appearance.

    The Dresden Green Diamond: Of all the green diamonds known to history, this 41-carat stone is considered the most famous. With its deep green color, it makes a jewel for any collection.
    Value Drivers: Green diamonds are some of the costliest in diamonds, particularly those with deep, intense color, and have both rarity and the uniqueness of their natural occurrence as value drivers.
natural green color diamond

Red Diamonds: The Rarest and Most Elusive

  • Among the fancy colored diamonds, red diamonds are the rarest. Very few red diamonds have been found so far and these few are amongst the most valuable diamonds in the world.

    The Moussaieff Red Diamond: This diamond weighs 5.11 carats and is the most famous red diamond. Its very striking, rich red color makes it an exceptional jewel which drew a very high price at the time of selling.
    Price Tag: They can command prices much above $1 million per carat because of their extreme rarity and saturating color intensity.
natural red color diamond

Some More Fine Colored Diamonds

  • Although pink, blue, green, and red diamonds top the list of some of the rarest yet most expensive precious stones, there are other colored diamonds that are very much in demand in the jewelry market. These are:

    Yellow Diamonds: Yellow diamonds are known for the brilliant yellows obvious in them, ranging from pale to deep yellow. The bright-yellow color is most prized among canary diamonds, which are typical vivid yellow canary diamond rings.
    Orange Diamonds: Orange diamonds are becoming more popular because of their bright, fiery color, and will usually draw high prices at auctions.

How Colored Diamonds Are Used in Fine Jewelry

Colored diamonds, aside from being rare, display a striking beauty when set in fine jewelry.

  • They adorn various luxury objects, from the engagement ring to necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

    Engagement Rings

    Colored diamonds are now a popular choice for engagement rings, standing out for their uniqueness and personalization as opposed to the more traditional white diamonds. Those going for something truly special may look for a blue diamond engagement ring or a pink diamond, both of which are sophisticated.

    Celebrity Jewelry

    On many occasions, colored diamonds have made their way into the celebrity spotlight. To name a few, look to Beyoncé’s yellow diamond ring and Kylie Jenner’s pink diamond engagement ring. These items add to the growing fame of colored diamonds among haute couture.

    Investing in Colored Diamonds: Why They Hold Their Value

    Investing in colored diamonds is gaining traction among wealthy investors and collectors. The rarity and acute demand for specific colors ensure that these diamonds stand the test of time in terms of value.

    Long-Term Investment Potential

    Pink, blue, and red diamonds have been appreciating in price year-on-year. Their rarity and limited supply thus provide a solid and sound investment strategy to those who wish to hedge their portfolios.

The Ever-Growing Appeal of the Most Valuable Colored Diamonds in the World

  • The world of colored diamonds is as fascinating as it is lucrative. In fact, these extraordinary stones with their color extremes have such an exceptional rarity and value that they are beautiful gems and worthwhile investments. From the alluring pinks to the deep blues, vibrant greens, and the ever-elusive reds, the most valuable colored diamonds instill awe in collectors and investors alike. As the market for such extraordinary diamonds expands, so does their allure, thus sealing their fate as one of the most cherished treasures in the jewelry world.

Stunning Engagement Canary Yellow Diamond Rings


FAQ

What is the most expensive colored diamond in the world?

The largest fancy vivid pink colored diamond ever sold, referred to as the Pink Star, set an all-time record to become the world's most expensive colored diamond while reaching a whopping US$71.2 million in 2017 at Sotheby's Hong Kong. Other reminiscences include the Oppenheimer Blue Diamond ($57.5 million) and the infamous Wittelsbach-Graff Diamond ($23.4 million). These expensive objects command such heavy prices because they are rare, of large size, astonishingly saturated, and of terrific internal clarity.

Which colored diamond is the most precious?

Red diamonds tend to be the most valuable colored diamonds, followed by blue and pink diamonds. They are the rarest colors in nature. They make up less than 0.1% of the total diamonds mined; if they are vivid or intense colors, the price per carat can even drop well above US$1 million. The value goes up for bigger stones, as extremely few big stones are available.

How do I know if my colored diamond is valuable?

There are four properties that compute the value of a colored diamond: color intensity (a deeper saturation will require higher prices), measurement (large stones are among the rarest), clarity (i.e., minimum inclusions for better clarity), and cut proportion (to display the color most efficiently). Untreated natural colored diamonds are worth more than treated or synthetic stones. GIA is the only laboratory that will professionally verify.

Are colored diamonds more valuable than white diamonds?

Natural colored diamonds are, in most instances, worth more than white diamonds of equal size and quality. While a one-carat white diamond of exemplary quality may be sold for $15,000-$30,000, a dramatic top tier natural vivid blue or vivid red diamond weighing just one carat could worth in excess of $1 million. Superior rarity of natural color diamonds, particularly in vivid hues, justifies the price premium.

What makes a blue diamond so expensive?

Blue diamonds are another dimension of essence and value-all given by rarity, generated by unique impurities of boron. Only one diamond among 200,000 is colored blue, and blue diamonds with a strong saturation level are extremely rare. Blue diamonds go through the hands of collectors and investors, driving the prices upward. Historically, the prices are also driven by stones like the legendary Hope Diamond.

Do pink diamonds make good investments?

Pink diamonds are among the best investment options, worth appreciating 10-15% annually over the last decade. The closure of the Argyle mine in Australia, accounting for 90% of pink diamond production worldwide, has boosted their value. Extreme rarity, increasing demand and limited supply, make them quite attractive for long-term investment portfolios.

How rare are natural colored diamonds?

Natural-colored diamonds make up for less than 0.01% of all the diamonds ever mined. Reds are the rarest, followed by blue and pink. Also, there is extreme rarity in green, orange, and violet. Since the world market for colored diamonds is estimated to absorb around 12,000 natural colored diamonds each year, conversely millions of whites go through circulation-each is highly coveted by collectors.

natural pink color diamond