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Yellow Diamonds are some of the most sought after gems in the fancy colored diamond market. The first yellow diamond was discovered in South Africa in the 19th century. This significant stone was found by a teenager in 1867; and while people knew it was special, they had no idea how special. It was sent to one of the country’s leading mineralogists – in a simple paper envelope! – and it was confirmed to be a 24 carat diamond. This unique diamond travelled throughout Europe and was even inspected by Queen Victoria. In 1967 it was purchased by the De Beers Group and is now known as the Eureka diamond. It was eventually donated back to the people of South Africa and is on exhibit at the Kimberley Mine Museum.

Since then, the yellow diamond has soared in popularity. Whether you are purchasing as a pure investment opportunity or to wear as part of a piece of jewellery this gem is a great choice. Before investing in any fancy colored diamond, it is important to do your research. At Hard Carbon Inc. we have been working with clients for decades to source the best in the fancy colored diamond market for them. Below are our top tips if you are interested in acquiring a yellow diamond.

Why Yellow?

Each fancy colored diamond has a different reason as to why it is a certain color. Yellow diamonds are created when nitrogen atoms are introduced to the stone when it is first formed. Nitrogen atoms are very small and are able to replace the carbon atoms within the diamond structure. The nitrogen atoms absorb blue light, and the result is that the stone then reflects the color yellow. As nitrogen is the most common ‘substitute’ for carbon, yellow diamonds are one of the more common fancy colored diamonds. White or ‘pure’ diamonds, which are measured on a scale from D to Z, actually tend to get more yellow toward the end of the scale. Once a stone surpasses the ‘Z’ rating though they become vibrant yellow and are often called canary diamonds.

Fancy Colored Diamond Grading

Like all fancy colored diamonds yellow diamonds come in a range of gradations and color mixtures. All diamonds sourced by Hard Carbon Inc. are certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Understanding how the stones are graded is very important in determining their value. The most common combination of color in the yellow diamond family are: orange yellow, green yellow and brown yellow. It’s important to remember that the last color mentioned in the combination is the dominant color of the stone. When yellow diamonds are ‘pure’ they are called canary yellows. The GIA created the intensity scale to rate diamond colors so investors could distinguish between the wide varieties of colors within each diamond family. The intensity scale of colored diamonds is: xyz, faint, light, fancy light, fancy, fancy dark, fancy intense, fancy deep, and fancy vivid.

Below is the GIA reference chart showing the difference in color transitions for the yellow diamond.

yellow-fancy-colour-diamond-chart.png

Notable Yellow Diamonds

Some of the most famous pieces of jewelry in the world have included the yellow diamond.

The exquisite Tiffany Yellow Diamond was found in 1878 in the South African Kimberley mine and is one of the largest diamonds in the world. After polishing, it was fashioned into a cushion style cut and is a whopping 128.54 carats! While currently on display at the Tiffany & Co. flagship store in Manhattan the Tiffany Yellow Diamond has been worn by four women in its lifetime. Most famously it has been worn by Audrey Hepburn in 1961 with publicity photos associated with the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Lady Gaga wore it just two years ago at the 91st Academy Awards. Next it will make its big screen debut in Death of the Nile worn on the leading lady, Gal Gadot.

Sun Africa Yellow Diamond

Sun Of Africa
Credit - Unknown author, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons

One of the more recent discoveries, also in South Africa, is the incredible 70 carat Sun of Africa diamond. It was found in the Kimberley Mine in 2007. The GIA classifies the Sun of Africa as the rarest of yellow diamonds as a fancy vivid yellow.

The world’s largest internally flawless diamond, the ‘Incomparable Diamond’, was found by a young girl in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in its rough state was 890 carats. The family was able to sell the diamond and it eventually found its way to the Zale Corporation. After four years of study the stone was cut to its current 407.78 carat weight in a trilliant cut. It is the third largest diamond in the world.

Where to find these incredible diamonds

If you are interested in investing in one or several yellow diamonds then you are in the fortunate position that unlike pink diamonds, yellow diamonds are found in several diamond deposits throughout the world. Angola is famous for not only low grade colorless diamonds but also pure yellow ‘canary’ diamonds. Borneo produces mainly brownish-yellow diamonds and Brazil produces yellow and brown diamonds with some having a very strong fluorescent greenish tinge to them. Sierra Leone’s mines, which play a central role in this country’s economy, produce some of the world’s most vivid yellow diamonds. This breadth of geographic distribution of mines which produce yellow diamonds allows Hard Carbon Inc. to search out and source the best diamond for you.

Investing in Yellow Diamonds

Becoming an investor in the colored diamond market can be a thrilling experience. At Hard Carbon Inc. we work closely with both experienced and new clients to make sure their venture into this world is profitable. Each fancy colored diamond has its unique characteristics and its own market.

As mentioned earlier any investment in a diamond must be certified by the GIA. Certificates issued by the GIA are grading reports completed by qualified gemologists. Even the smallest variation within a diamond can drastically change the value of the stone. Many of these blemishes are not visible to the naked eye which is why it takes a skilled gemologist using the most up to date equipment to determine the value of a diamond. A GIA report will include the carat weight, color grade, clarity grad and the GIA grade of a stone. Below is an example of a GIA certificate:

GLA Laboratory Report Bryan Boyne

Getting Started

At Hard Carbon Inc. we have worked for decades in the global fancy colored diamond market with clients across Canada and the United States. Whether you are interested in yellow or another fancy colored diamond ‘family’ we are here to help you get started. Fortunately, yellow diamonds are usually available for purchase and we can work with you to determine the best diamond or diamonds for you.

Get in touch with us today so one of our experts can reach out and get you started on this incredible investment journey.

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