Most diamonds are generally prized for being as white or colorless as possible. Fancy diamonds, or diamonds of a distinct color, are even more valued due to their rarity. Red, blue, pink, green, amber and yellow diamonds are all fancy diamonds.
Yellow diamonds are also called a canary diamonds. These diamonds range in color from light yellow to an intense vivid yellow. Natural yellow diamonds are quite rare. Only one in about every 1,000 diamonds fits the natural canary classification. Other yellow diamonds are available, but they have undergone a process called irradiation to obtain their color.
While it is known which chemical processes produce color changes in diamonds, researchers are still not sure why some diamonds change color and others do not. In its purest form, a white diamond is composed of carbon atoms and is colorless. When certain atoms replace carbon atoms, they impart tints of color. Natural yellow diamonds have trace elements of boron and nitrogen in their makeup. It is believed that yellow diamonds are the result of nitrogen atoms being present when the diamond is formed.
Yellow diamonds are expensive. The average retail pricing is dependent upon the intensity of the color, the clarity and the carat weight of the diamond.
Diamonds less than 0.80 carat can cost 10 to 20 percent less than larger stones. Exceptionally well cut diamonds or those with a very high level of clarity can cost 10 to 20 percent more than a stone of the same weight. Retail pricing is generally set by observing the prices of the competition. Prices depend upon several factors including the diamond's hue, saturation of color, purity of color and availability.
If cost is a concern, you can have a wedding band adorned with tiny yellow diamonds or have them accent another stone, such as a larger colorless diamond on your engagement ring.
At the other end of the financial spectrum, you can place a canary diamond between two colorless diamonds. The colorless diamonds will bring out the depth and fire of the yellow one and create a remarkable contrast for your yellow diamond engagement ring.
The Tiffany diamond is the largest yellow diamond in existence. The 287.42-carat crystal was found in the historic DeBeers Mine in South Africa in 1887. Tiffany & Co., the famous Fifth Avenue jewelry firm after which the stone is named, bought it the following year. Tiffany & Co. had the yellow diamond cut with 90 facets in Paris under the supervision of Dr. George Frederick Kunz, the company's distinguished gemologist.
If you are considering a natural yellow diamond for your ring, be sure that it truly is a natural one and not an artificially colored one. Find a reputable jeweler. Check with the Better Business Bureau. Also, try to locate a jeweler who is a member of the American Gem Society (AGS). The AGS upholds high ethical standards and requires its members to take annual tests for continued membership. Anyone can say they are a jeweler or gemologist, but by seeking someone who is a Registered Jeweler or Certified Gemologist Appraiser through the AGS, you are making every attempt to protect yourself and your purchase of a yellow diamond ring.