Fancy Coloured Red Diamonds
Of all the Natural Fancy Coloured Diamonds available, Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds are without question the rarest, most desirable and most valuable of all the colour collections. These diamonds are so rare that only twenty to thirty true red diamonds are known to exist and most are less than half a carat in size. As Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds do not have a saturation level this is one of the leading factors that puts them at the top of the value scale.
In short: Red diamonds are the rarest of all natural fancy colours — fewer than 30 GIA-graded Fancy Red stones exist worldwide above 0.50ct. They share the lattice-distortion origin of pink diamonds but with deeper colour saturation. The Moussaieff Red (5.11ct) is the largest known. Prices for Fancy Red typically run £1-3 million+ per carat. Lab-grown red diamonds carry identical optical properties at 90-95% lower cost.
WHERE ARE FANCY COLOURED LOOSE RED DIAMONDS FOUND?
The majority of Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds are mined in Australia in the world famous Argyle Diamond mine owned by the Rio Tinto company. They have also been found on rare occasions in Brazil and Africa.
HOW ARE FANCY COLOURED LOOSE RED DIAMONDS FORMED AND WHAT GIVES THEM THEIR COLOUR?
Natural Fancy Coloured Diamonds derive their colour from the inclusion of impurities such as boron, nitrogen or/and hydrogen during their formation. However, Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds are very different as they are formed purely from carbon much as Natural Colourless Diamonds are. The red colour is believed to be created by stress lamination defects within the crystal lattice defects during the diamond's formation. This deformation is referred to as ‘plastic deformation’ and a very intense level of this deformity results in the highly prized bright red colour.
It is said that when a red diamond is retrieved from underground and light is allowed to pass through the irregular lattice, the unusual bending of the light causes the diamonds to reflect the red colouration. Those that have been fortunate enough to see a Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamond have observed that the diamond does not resemble a garnet, ruby or other gemstone as the actual colouring of a true red diamond is somewhat sweeter.
Some Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds that appear to the naked eye as being red are in actual fact fancy deep or dark pinks. Of note is the fact that whilst the difference between a moderately dark pink and a red diamond is at times subtle, the stone and colour saturation that results in the face-up appearance associated with a red is in fact seldom seen.
WHAT SHADING GRADES ARE FANCY COLOURED RED DIAMONDS?
Adding to the desirability of Fancy Coloured Red Diamonds is the fact that unlike other colours of Natural Fancy Coloured Loose Diamonds, red diamonds possess no varying levels of intensity of red. They are never described in GIA shading as being intense or vivid because gemmological laboratories consider the red colour itself as intense or vivid. In actual fact the red colouration could be considered to be just a super-saturated level of the pink spectrum ranging from dark pink to purplish red. A true pure red diamond is seldom seen and this rarity is reflected in the price because as with all Natural Fancy Coloured Loose Diamonds, the stronger the hue, the greater the value of the diamond.
However, this said, there are different modifiers that can be attached to the red colour and possibly the most common of these and most admired is purplish red. Other common modifiers are brownish and orangey but these diamonds are worth appreciably less than diamonds with the colour grading of straight red or purplish red.
ARE NATURAL FANCY COLOURED LOOSE RED DIAMONDS RARE?
Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds are incredibly rare. Only twenty to thirty true red diamonds are known to exist and most are less than half a carat in size.
In comparison to Natural Colourless Diamonds where on any day you could find a plentiful supply of high quality diamonds weighing over 5 carats in the market, the largest known Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamond in the world is the ‘Moussaieff Red’ (originally known as the ‘Red Shield’) which is only 5.11 carats.
ARE FANCY COLOURED LOOSE RED DIAMONDS EXPENSIVE?
The simple answer to this question is YES! Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds are significantly more expensive than Natural Fancy Coloured Diamonds or Natural Colourless Diamonds. The reason for this has to be simply because they are a rare specimen and as we know, the rarer a diamond is, the more desired and valuable it is.
It is widely predicted that Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds will, in years to come, become even rarer as it is unclear as to how much more the red diamond mines can yield of this precious stone. As a result the price of Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds is expected to increase by over 50%.
ARE FANCY COLOURED LOOSE RED DIAMONDS AN INVESTMENT?
As previously stated Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds are very rare which results in incredibly high prices. Therefore unlike many of the other Natural Fancy Coloured Diamonds, red diamonds are mainly only purchased by investors and collectors for the purpose of a buy and hold investment strategy and completing a prestigious diamond collection.
A pure Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamond which is the most desired is very difficult to procure and so will demand the largest price tag. However for those that are serious about investing in diamonds, purchasing a Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamond will never be a disappointment as this stunning gemstone really is the jewel in the crown.
ARE THERE ANY FAMOUS FANCY COLOURED LOOSE RED DIAMONDS?
The most famous and the largest Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamond is the ‘Moussaieff Red’ also referred to as the ‘Red Shield’). This stunning red diamond weighs only 5.11 carats which means that in terms of weight the ‘Moussaieff Red’ would not rank amongst the world’s largest diamonds. Its fame comes from the fact that yet it is the very best example of one of the rarest diamonds in the world.
The Hancock Red Diamond weighs 0.95ct and is a fabulous round brilliant cut red diamond named after the famous collector, Warren Hancock. It is famous for its rare purplish red colour. Mr. Hancock reportedly paid $13,500 for this diamond in 1956, and proved to be a very wise investment selling for an incredible $880,000 in 1987.
Another famous Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamond is the ‘Rob Red’ a pear shaped, 0.59ct fancy red, VS1 clarity diamond. This particular diamond has been described by GIA colour grading experts as the most saturated and purest red diamond measured visually and instrumentally to date in the world. In comparison, and just as breath taking, is the ‘Supreme Purple Star which is a deep purple diamond round brilliant cut, weighing 2 to 5 carat. This diamond is said to be a ‘study in individuality’. The exact colour and clarity of the diamond has not been revealed but when viewing looking the diamond from one angle, it appears to be of a deep purple colour, however when the diamond is rotated in the light, the colour changes to a very striking and lustrous deep to vivid purplish red colour.
HAVE ANY FAMOUS CELEBRITIES WORN FANCY COLOURED LOOSE RED DIAMONDS?
The prices for Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds can start at 7 figures per carat and they are so rare and expensive, that they are generally beyond the reach of many celebrities. Plus as it is nearly impossible to find a true red diamond over 1 carat this would hardly be enough bling to catch the paparazzi eye!
WHERE CAN I BUY FANCY COLOURED LOOSE RED DIAMONDS?
Rêve Diamonds of Hatton Garden are one of the few diamond specialists who offer their valued customers the opportunity to purchase Fancy Coloured Loose Red Diamonds and you would be well advised to contact their specialist team when making such an investment in this fabulous red gemstone.
