|
|
Price per color
|
The price of natural color diamonds varies widely depending on the color, market demand and rareness. The following list presents the maximum value that color diamonds can reach, from highest to lowest. Prices also depend on the intensity of the color, and on the purity and weight of the diamond.
| |
Estimate of a 1-carat, vivid or intense diamond of medium purity
|
|
|
| | Color name | Value |
 | Red | 1,000,000 $/ct and more |
 | Intense purple (amethyst) | 1,000,000 $/ct and more |
 | Intense green | 1,000,000 $/ct and more |
| Purple red | 500,000 to 700,000 $/ct and more |
| Purplish-red | 500,000 to 700,000 $/ct and more |
 | Bluish-green | 500,000 to 700,000 $/ct and more |
| Greenish-blue | 500,000 to 700,000 $/ct and more |
 | Pink | 100,000 to 250,000 $/ct and more |
 | Blue | 100,000 to 250,000 $/ct and more |
 | Orange | 35,000 to 75,000 $/ct and more |
 | Yellow | 10,000 to 50,000 $/ct and more |
 | Cognac | 4,000 to 15,000 $/ct and more |
 | Olive | 4,000 to 12,000 $/ct and more |
 | Gray | 3,000 to 8,000 $/ct and more |
 | Black | 2,000 to 4,000 $/ct and more |
 | Brown | 1,500 to 3,500 $/ct and more |
| | |
| | Color name | Value |
| Red | 1,000,000 $/ct and more |
| Intense purple (amethyst) | 1,000,000 $/ct and more |
| Intense green | 1,000,000 $/ct and more |
| Purple red | 500,000 $/ct and more |
| Purplish-red | 500,000 $/ct and more |
| Bluish-green | 500,000 $/ct and more |
| Greenish-blue | 500,000 $/ct and more |
| Pink | 150,000 to 350,000 $/ct |
| Blue | 150,000 to 500,000 $/ct |
| Orange | 50,000 to 200,000 $/ct |
| Yellow | 10,000 to 50,000 $/ct |
| Cognac | 5,000 to 20,000 $/ct |
| Olive | 4,000 to 20,000 $/ct |
| Gray | 5,000 to 15,000 $/ct |
| Black | 2,000 to 4,000 $/ct |
| Brown | 1,500 to 4,000 $/ct |
| | |
1. Red, intense purple (amethyst), intense green diamonds :
|
These are the most expensive diamonds as they are extremely rare: less than ten stones of each of these colors are found every year. Green diamonds pose a particular problem, in that it is very difficult to determine whether their color is natural or treated. Laboratories sometimes need to test a stone for almost a year in order to issue their certificate, and if there is the slightest doubt, they use the term "undeterminable", which is a real problem for the owner.
Value : 1,000,000 $/ct and more
|
2. Purple red, purplish-red, bluish-green, greenish-blue diamonds :
 |
These stones are as rare as those mentioned above but their price is slightly lower because their "double-barrel" names (usually given by the laboratories) wrongly make them less attractive.
Value : 500,000 to 700,000 $/ct and more
|
3. Pink and blue diamonds :
|
Although nice blue diamonds are rarer than nice pink diamonds, their price is the same.
Value : 100,000 to 250,000 $/ct and more
|
4. Orange diamonds :
|
This category only includes diamonds whose color resembles orange juice, i.e. that have no other tint.
Value : 35,000 to 75,000 $/ct and more
|
5. Yellow diamonds :
|
Here, prices are related more to market demand than to rareness (yellow diamonds are fairly easy to find). These diamonds are very popular since once they are set, they contrast very well with white gold and with colorless diamonds. Moreover, yellow diamonds are a type of diamond that the general public recognizes without a problem, which makes them easier to sell.
Value : 10,000 to 50,000 $/ct and more
|
6. Cognac diamonds :
|
These are yellow, brown and dark orange diamonds. Cognac diamonds weighing more than 3 carats are extremely rare but, just like yellow diamonds, their price depends more on fashion than on rareness: a 3-carat pink diamond, which is less rare, is worth 10 times more!
Value : 4,000 to 15,000 $/ct and more
|
7. Olive diamonds :
|
Value : 4,000 to 12,000 $/ct and more
|
8. Gray diamonds :
|
Some gray and anthracite diamonds are as rare as blue or pink diamonds, but market prices do not reflect this (except for stones weighing more than 10 carats, where high prices can be reached).
Value : 3,000 to 8,000 $/ct and more
|
9. Black diamonds :
 |
These are more expensive than brown diamonds when they are of natural origin, but it is very difficult to distinguish natural color from treated color. However laboratories have developed trustworthy techniques for the larger stones.
Value : 2,000 to 4,000 $/ct
|
10. Brown diamonds :
|
This includes light brown, dark brown, chocolate, yellowish-brown, brownish-yellow etc. stones.
Value : 1,500 to 3,500 $/ct and more
|
| |
Prices for other hues and color intensities
|
The prices mentioned above are drastically lower if the intensity of the color is faint, light, no prefix or deep. In this way, a light pink, light blue or light green diamond of about 1 carat will cost between 10,000 and 50,000 $/ct.
Stones that are very light yellow, brown, cognac, champagne, light olive, or grey mixed with other colors are among the cheapest, at 1.000 to 3.500 $/ct.
Diamonds whose color is considered mixed (brown pink, green yellow, yellowish-orange, etc.) will be less valuable than "pure" colors, sometimes even if their color is intense or vivid.
|
|
 |
