COLORFUL ENGAGEMENT RINGS

Color is all the Rage!

Over the past ten years, Colored Diamonds have taken the market by force!

Every Jewelry Store now carries them. Diamonds of Yellow, Blue, Black and Brown are the most popular shades (because they can be produced efficiently, affordably, and abundantly), but as the demand for these fancy-look-a-likes continue, I’m sure we’ll see more colors come into play.

Colors like Greens, Orange and even Pinks! (I’m even seeing a couple of them now).

Diamond Colors

See all the Cool Shades of Colors that Diamonds come in…

Colored Diamonds are so popular now-a-days that they have even grown into the Diamond Bridal Engagement Ring Department…

That’s HUGE News!

And I’m not talking about Side-Stones either, I’m talking about the Center Stone, the Focal Point, the Masterpiece!

Just check out these Mainstream Jewelers (Like Kays, Helzberg, Zales and Fred Meyer Jewelers) to see what Corporate Stores carry today…

The important thing to note here about these Beautiful Diamond Rings is this:

The COLOR is NOT the TRUE COLOR!

The REAL Color of these Diamonds (when pulled from the Mine) is actually Brown (in most instances, sometimes they are also Yellow). And not a pretty Brown either (like a Chocolate Diamond), these Browns are like a Low-Grade Ugly, Dingy Brown.

These low Color Grade stones (which have no real market value) are then sent to a laboratory where they are Heat Treated, which changes the color of these stones into bright, beautiful shades that resemble Genuine Fancy Colors. So a Diamond that was once useless, is now selling like hot-cakes!

Fancy Colored Diamonds

Real Fancy Colors, like the ones that James Allen sells, are beautiful to look at. Check these Puppies out…

Those Diamonds Kick Ass!

Having Cheaper Heat-Treated Versions though isn’t a bad thing… After all, they do look just as Stunning and Beautiful, just like the real thing. So it’s good, right?

But for an Engagement Ring?

Now this is where I kind of Disagree!

You see… Some Enhanced Colors are NOT always Permanent! As the years go by, that Vivid Striking Color could Fade. And, if you subject your Diamond to Intense Heat (like from an Ultrasonic Cleaner, Steamer or even a Jeweler’s Torch), then YES, the Color may turn Pale, look Washed out, and even look Dingy and Dull!

That’s not cool for an Engagement Ring that you Spent Thousands for (and have to wear for the rest of your life).

Look at this awesome Pink Colored Diamond Ring below… And then see what heat does to the poor stone. That’s not pretty…

Ouch!

So while TRUE LOVE may last forever (which is why Diamonds are used as Engagement Rings in the first place – they stand for the Endurance of Time!), your Color may NOT!

That is…

Unless you know what you’re Shopping for!

You see, there are 3 different kinds of Enhanced Colored Diamonds on the market. Understanding them all will help you decide if Color is meant for you.

Let’s look at them…

1) Coating

Coated Diamonds are where the Pavilion (bottom portion of the Diamond) is “Coated” or “Painted” with a layer or Dye or Ink, and sometimes even a Foil. This makes the stone appear like it has a consistent hue or color throughout the stone.

This process is NOT permanent, and the dye may dissolve or fade over time. Especially under Heat, Ultrasonic Cleaning or even just Buffing and Polishing!

I say, "Stay away from Coated Diamonds!"

2) Irradiation

Irradiated Diamonds alter the color of the stone through High Energy Electron Saturation (I know, it’s a mouthful).

While this process IS Permanent, it still doesn’t hold up well under Heat, especially from a Jeweler’s Torch. So if you have your ring worked on in the shop, like a Sizing Job or a Re-Tipping, it’s very important to make sure the Jewelry Store knows that the stone can’t take heat. It could Fade, Discolor, or Darken your Stone!

Plus, just to be safe, I would also clean these stones by hand (using mild soap and warm water).

3) HPHT Diamonds

HPHT stands for High Pressure High Temperature, which is also known as “Annealing“. This process is sort of what Mother Nature does – like a giant pressure cooker!

HPHT is the only process that is said to have a Color Change that IS PERMANENT! (and the only Process that I would recommend buying)

Truly Permanent Color!

The Colors of HPHT Stones won’t Change, Fade, or Lose their Vivid Hue. Even using Acids, Ultrasonic, Steam or Intense Heat!

This process has been around for about 14 years now, and even though it’s permanent, it’s also very hard to detect. GIA says they can identify whether a Diamond has been Annealed or not, but there are some stones that are still marked as "undetectable"!

Plus, many Jewelers still frown upon this process because the Diamonds ARE Enhanced. They aren’t the real stone created by the Earth…

The REAL stones look more like the Brown Diamond shown below, which is then Heat Treated to turn into this lovely shade of Blue…

Big Difference!

Enhanced Diamonds and Price!

Because the demand is growing for these types of stones, the Price is also Increasing.

Right now, at the time of this post, the difference between an Enhanced Diamond and a Genuine White Diamond is only about a 15% difference…

And I imagine as time goes on, this gap will close even more, and may even over take the normal stones. After all, they are everywhere and everyone wants one… The showrooms are stock full of them.

So What’s the Process?

The difficult thing for a consumer to know is which process the Colored Diamond has gone through???

In fact, this may be Impossible!

I’ve found information on their websites to be Confusing and Misleading. Even though the FTC says that FULL DISCLOSURE MUST be stated, this isn’t always the case.

Some stores use terms loosely like “Natural“, “Enhanced” or “Permanent“, but NONE of them actually say WHICH process was used.

In fact, some say that Any and ALL of the Processes could have been used to Enhance the Diamond.

See what I mean below in the many screenshots of different Jeweler’s Websites. They are describing certain Rings and Diamonds, but it really leaves a lot of questions that aren’t fully answered…

As you can see from these Leading Jeweler’s Websites, they all dodge the Color Treatment Process and vaguely say that the stones are Enhanced in some way. Plus, most stores don’t tell you how to Clean them or Care for them (even though they say that some special care may be needed), and some descriptions say it’s Permanent, others on the exact same website say it’s Enhanced. So which is it? It’s all up for debate.

My Recommendation:

If you really want a Permanent Color in your Diamond (which I love), a Color that you know will Never Fade or Change, then purchase yourself a TRUE Fancy Colored Diamond, like the ones shown below (from James Allen Jewelers)…

Because when it comes to Color, the Jury’s still out!

I say Proceed with Caution!

The Terms are Vague, the Descriptions are Misleading, and I’m sure if you asked the Salesperson, they would probably give you more Confusing Information, or not even know at all.

The Colors may last you a lifetime… Or they may not!

Only time will tell!