Elite Traveler January-February 2016

INFLUENCE JEWELRY COLUMN

elite traveler JAN/FEB 2016 59

Wars have been fought over themand love affairs ignitedby them. So, asksRobertaNaas, what exactly is it about the diamond – and the evenmore sought-after colored diamond? Roberta Naas on colored diamonds

Some colors, such as red, pink, purple and violet, are believed to derive their unique shade from the temperature and pressure they were exposed to during their formation. Just as quality and clarity are important aspects of colorless diamonds, they are also the key features of the finest colored diamonds (along with color and cut). Historically, some of the world’s most famous diamonds have been colored. Among them, the 287.42-carat, bright yellow Tiffany diamond; the Orlov, a 189.6-carat, bluish-green diamond; and the famed 45.54-carat, deep blue Hope Diamond that Harry Winston – the diamond king – donated to the Smithsonian Institute. Those that incorporate color into their designs find themselves among the most sought-after houses. Graff Diamonds, for instance, is not only a retailer, but also a vertically integrated diamond dealer, with cutters and polishers in its facilities around the world. This house has acquired some of the most stunning colored diamonds (including the Graff Pink diamond) that it has used to translate a piece of jewelry into an artistic masterpiece. Similarly Harry Winston has also acquired special diamonds, including the aforementioned Hope Diamond and, not too long ago, the largest vivid orange diamond, the Pumpkin Diamond, that weighs 5.5 carats. Though it should be noted that it is highly unusual to find such rare colors in large sizes. Also worth remembering is The One and Only One, composed of a group of GIA-certified gemologists, which specializes in ultra-rare natural fancy colored diamonds. The brand uses only Fancy Vivid, Fancy Deep and Fancy Intense diamonds in pink, red, green, blue and yellow colors. From center stones in rings, to intricately set works of art, those colored diamonds – and indeed any of these beautiful colored diamonds – are guaranteed to take your breath away. Roberta Naas is timepiece editor of Gotham and Hamptons . She also contributes to Forbes.com and is author of five books

Hope Diamond Donated to the Smithsonian Institute by Harry Winston

Diamonds have been the gemstone of choice for centuries. The sparkling stone is the true symbol of love, wealth, commitment and beauty. Yet in truth, the diamond is a humble rock born of carbon and formed in the Earth’s crust over millions of years, subjected to gaseous explosions, molten lava and some of the most intense conditions nature can conjure. Still they emerge victorious – ranking as one of the hardest, most beautiful and rare gemstones on earth. However, if brilliant, colorless diamonds are rare, then it should be noted that their siblings, colored diamonds, are even rarer. Experts estimate that for every 10,000 colorless diamonds, there is just one colored counterpart. Even though I have been writing about jewelry for decades, there is perhaps no other stone that turns my head quite like a pink or blue diamond. Colored diamonds can be found in all shades and tones, ranging from yellow to green and violet. They are classified according to the intensity or saturation of their color. Most are referred to as Fancy or Intense, with the most vivid

stones garnering both adjectives. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), which grades them, designates the stones as Fancy, Fancy Light, Fancy Intense, Fancy Deep and Fancy Vivid. Generally, the more color it has, the more value it carries. Some colors are also more valuable simply because they are incredibly rare. The most common colored diamonds are the black diamond and the brown diamond with hues that range from deep brown to cognac and champagne. The brown family is followed in rarity by yellow or canary diamonds, which are followed by pink diamonds, then blue and green diamonds. Vivid orange and rich violet diamonds are the most rare and hard-to-find natural fancy stones. The most sought-after on the market today are pink, yellow and pale blue. Colored diamonds owe their hue to an imperfection in their structure. Yellow diamonds, for instance, contain traces of nitrogen in the carbon, while blue diamonds have boron in them. Other colors are created due to hydrogen or fluorescent elements.

The most sought-after coloreddiamonds on the market today are pink, yellow and pale blue