The most famous colour diamonds in the world are the Tiffany diamond, which is yellow and the Hope diamond which is blue.

Fancy coloured diamonds are today’s must have in the jewellery sphere. Gemmologists have developed ways to create versions of these dynamic stones that are affordable for the average person – by treating less desirable diamonds with irradiation followed by intense heat. 

Anyone wishing to “hold on” to a departed loved one can consider life gem as an option (http://www.lifegem.com).  Through life gem it is possible to acquire a “high-quality diamond created from the carbon of your loved one as a memorial to their unique life, or as a symbol of your personal and precious bond with another.” Like a naturally occurring coloured diamond, life gems are all individual in shade dependant on the bodies carbons and nitrogeons.

These modern treatments make dull brown and yellowish diamonds into beautifully coloured ones that can easily be afforded by all.  The process produces stunning greens, blues, yellows, reds, purples and other colours.  These colours are considered permanent, but there is a possibility they could change during repairs if a high heat is used.

Most natural coloured diamonds are rare and also extremely expensive. Natural fancy colour or tinted diamonds get their unique shades from different trace elements present in the stones, such as nitrogen, which produces a yellow diamond.  Diamonds can also be coloured by exposure to radiation during its creation resulting in a green diamond.  Another way that a natural colour occurs is by its inclusions.  Regarded as flaws that are undesirable in a traditional colourless diamond, inclusions give unique tones and brilliant flashes of colour in some cases a mix of many colours.  When shopping for coloured diamonds you need to assume that any affordable fancy colour diamond has been treated.  Ask about the stones origin and request to view a lab certificate to verify authenticity.  Remember that natural fancy coloured diamonds are very expensive and that any labelled to be sold as natural should be accompanied by a certificate from a respected grading lab.

Laboratory created synthetic coloured diamonds are another option if owning one of these stones is something you desire but cannot quite afford. Many jewellery outlets now offer these cheaper alternatives from as a little at £16, see the following link for a typical blue example. http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.detail/params.item.677198

Coloured diamonds have an amazing financial track record.  The value has never decreased on wholesale level in more than 30 years.  Blue and pink diamonds have doubled every five years of a strong economy.   In the 1970’s  you could have bought a very high quality blue diamond for about fifty thousand and today the very same stone would be worth between two  and three million.