The Most Valuable Colored Diamonds…

Without fail, “What is the most valuable Colored Diamond?” is the number one question I am asked after engaging someone new in conversation and their finding out that I am in the Diamond Business. The second question I will get is “What is the most expensive Diamond you have ever sold?” People are fascinated by a Diamonds mystique of the 7 figure and above range Diamonds, and why not? 99% of the public will never be in a position to hold a GIA Natural Fancy Purplish Red Diamond like the one I sold to a close friend of mine a few years ago, or the GIA Natural Fancy Blue Internally Flawless Diamond that I put into a collection of one of our close friends just recently.

So, what is the most valuable Colored Diamond? Red Diamonds, Blue Diamonds, Pink Diamonds, Yellow Diamonds, Orange Diamonds, Etc. This is a question one cannot truly answer although many out there will disagree. I say this because I have seen price per carat records on important Blue Diamonds and important Red Diamonds battle back and forth each year at auction. In just the last three years we have seen longstanding records shattered in the price per carat arena for Colored Diamonds.

Be it a Red Diamond , Blue Diamond, Pink Diamond or even a spectacular Yellow Diamond, it comes down to two major factors. Number one is people are becoming more savvy and educated in the collectability of these rare Diamonds as a safe haven for a re-allocation of funds, and the second of course is always supply and demand.

What about beauty and the role it plays? While a Red Diamond is rarely a scintillating and refractive Diamond it demands astounding prices for a GIA Certified Natural specimen (Scarcity). And while most people think that a Blue Diamond will have the look and color gradation of a blue Sapphire or a Paraiba at best…they do not. Most Blue Diamonds even in the Intense or Vivid range still are much paler than most would think and also demand astounding prices, again (Scarcity). So, what is beauty in a Diamond then? It really comes down to the old adage of “personal preference” in all reality. A 20 Carat D/Flawless Ideal Cut Round Brilliant on a Lady’s Ring Finger is….beautiful YES! However, that 2 carat Fancy Purplish Red Diamond on that same hand is just as beautiful to the astute collectors of Fine Colored Diamonds.

Short story long……Rare Color and Clarity, Certified Blue Diamonds and Red Diamonds have always been the leaders. Quick! What’s the most famous Diamond you can think of? Yes, “The Hope Diamond” and guess what? It’s not even a “straight Blue” it is actually a “Fancy Dark Grayish-Blue.” Yes, a secondary color, but at 45.52Cts. One can understand why it is housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum.

John Bassett