5 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT RED DIAMONDS
A red diamond is extremely rare and valuable.
A diamond is truly one of the most remarkable gemstones known to humankind. For many years, a diamond has been treasured for its unique characteristics and exquisite beauty. One of the most remarkable qualities of a diamond is the colour. Even though a colourless diamond is considered extremely rare, natural fancy colour diamonds are in a category of its own. A red diamond is considered extremely rare and valuable. In fact, a red diamond is so rare, only 20 to 30 gem-quality red diamonds exist in the world. Here are a few more fascinating facts about red diamonds below:
HOW ARE RED DIAMONDS FORMED?
A red diamond consists of pure carbon.
Colour diamonds get their fancy hues from chemical impurities, like boron and nitrogen that are present during the formation process, but not red diamonds. These unique colour diamonds are formed with zero impurities; a red diamond consists of pure carbon. But, where does the red colour of the diamond come from? The red colour of the diamond comes from a rare deformation in the atomic structure. According to most diamond experts, the red colour is formed due to the lattice defect in the diamond that shows stress lamination during the formation process. The bending light that passes through the deformed structure of the diamond debuts beautiful red hues.
Depending on the amount of light entering the diamond, the red will appear in a variety of different shades. A natural red diamond’s beauty is fully captured once it appears in natural light but might seem less bright under fluorescent light.
THE LARGEST RED DIAMOND EVER TO BE FOUND
One of the largest unmodified red diamonds ever to be discovered is the Moussaieff Red Diamond.
One of the largest unmodified red diamonds ever to be found is the Moussaieff Red Diamond. Even though the extraordinary diamond only weighs an estimated 5.11 carats, it’s one of the only fancy red diamond to be rated by the GIA – another reason why a red diamond is considered to be extremely unique and rare. The magnificent red diamond was auctioned in 2001 and sold for a whopping $8 million (R10 billion).
The Moussaieff Diamond, previously known as the ‘Red Shield’, was discovered in the mid-‘90s by a farmer in Brazil. At the time of discovery, the red diamond weighed an impressive 13.90 carats. The incredible diamond was purchased by the William Goldberg Diamond Corporation in New York, who is known for buying remarkable diamonds such as the Premier Rose and Guinea Star. After undergoing an intricate diamond cutting and polishing process, the Moussaieff was shaped into a beautiful triangular brilliant cut diamond. The diamond lost an estimated 8.79 carats, but the transformation was truly fascinating. Read more about the remarkable famous red diamonds around the world here.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND RED DIAMONDS?
Red diamonds are mostly found in Africa, Brazil and Australia.
Even though there are a variety of diamond mines in the world, red diamonds are mostly discovered in Africa, Brazil and Australia; one of the most well-known mines in the world, who are known for producing red diamonds is the Argyle mines in Australia. Other countries include India and Russia.
THE VALUE OF A RED DIAMOND
A red diamond’s value is fairly evaluated using the 4Cs.
Like any colourless diamond, a fancy red diamond’s value is fairly evaluated using the 4Cs. In the case of determining the value of a fancy diamond, the colour is considered extremely important. The colour will impact the cutting plan as well as the value of a diamond. A diamond cutter will select a cut that will focus on maximising the colour and intensity of the stone.
A RED DIAMOND CAN BE DESCRIBED USING THREE ATTRIBUTES
The colour of a red diamond is determined using three attributes.
The red colour of a diamond is described using the following three attributes:
1. Diamond Hues – The hues of a diamond determines the colour of a fancy colour diamond. When it comes to a red diamond a variety of secondary hues can be found in its appearance. The different hues include a brownish red, orangey red or a purplish red.
2. Diamond Tones – The tone refers to the intensity of a diamond, in other words, it determines if the diamond is dark or light in colour. A tone of a colour diamond will range from Very Light to Very Dark.
3. The Saturation – The saturation of a diamond refers to the strength or weakness of a fancy colour diamond. The darker toned diamonds range from Dark to Deep while the lighter toned diamonds range from Faint to Vivid.
A red diamond is truly a remarkable creation – the extraordinary diamond is not only extremely rare, but it’s breathtakingly beautiful. With that being said, a unique gem-quality red diamond is considered a good investment. For more fascinating facts about diamonds and the history of diamond mining visit the Cape Town Diamond Museum. Book a personally guided tour today.
