The Beauty Of Blue Diamonds
The basic rule of economics is that supply and demand dictates price, and in the world of diamonds this is undoubtedly true where rarity equals value. Take for example, natural fancy coloured diamonds which account for less than 0.1% of the number of mined diamonds. Prices for these fancy coloured diamonds are determined by the rarity of the diamond’s colour and how hard it is to obtain it. Whist coloured diamonds present in 12 different colour variations with more than 90 secondary hues, 9 intensity levels, and over 230 combinations of colour, natural fancy coloured diamonds can basically be divided into four main groups based on their prices, these are: Ultra-High – Red diamonds which are the rarest of the coloured diamonds and therefore the most expensive. High price range – Blue, Pink, Purple, Violet and Green diamonds. Mid-price range – Vivid and Intense Yellow Diamonds and Orange Diamonds. Relatively affordable – Grey, Brown and Fancy Yellow Diamonds. As can be seen, blue diamonds are amongst the rarest of the fancy coloured diamonds.
In short: Blue diamonds get their colour from trace boron in the crystal lattice and are among the rarest natural diamonds — only 0.02% of mined stones show blue. Top fancy vivid blue stones reach £200,000-£600,000+ per carat at auction. Lab-grown blue diamonds offer the same hue and Mohs 10 hardness for £2,500-£5,500 per carat. The famous Hope Diamond is 45.52ct fancy deep grayish-blue.
They stand at the tip of the second rarest group and are rarer than pink diamonds but less than violet and purple diamonds. Of course what must be borne in mind is that as with all coloured diamonds, not all blue diamonds are equally rare – the strongest the colour, the more rare the diamond. Blue diamonds are not only extremely attractive and highly desired, but they are also one of the most fascinating gemstones in existence. This is due to their unusual chemical makeup and rich role in history and this is why there is more to blue diamonds than meets the eye.