For years, you have watched as your friends paraded their engagement rings in front of you. Pretty, but so very limited in color. The only choices that seemed available were princess, marquise, round, emerald, and a few others. Sadly, nothing really struck you as matching your personality. You have heard that the aristocracy and a few select others would give fancy colored diamonds to each other as gifts, but assumed it was only a dream to be that lucky.

Not Just For The Rich

Unlike in years gone by, it is now possible to own a fancy colored diamond of your very own! In fact, these often brilliantly colored gems are so popular that they are being seen with greater frequency on the ears, necks, wrists, and fingers of stars. Recently, beautiful canary yellow diamonds were even discussed and worn in the romantic comedy, “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days.”

Fancy colored diamonds, while rare and often more expensive than their clearer cousins, are not just for stars like Kate Hudson. You too, can have a little piece of aristocracy of your own. Perhaps a canary yellow, pink, or Hope-diamond- like blue would best reflect your personality in that engagement ring you have been dreaming about. Or, if you prefer a blend of the traditional with the fancy, try a clear diamond accented by the color of your choice.

The benefit to using fancy colored diamonds is that, like clear ones, they maintain their glimmer and can withstand daily wear, while still be symbolic of forever. They are diamonds with the unique quality of having remarkably brilliant colors to include emerald-like greens and deep ruby-red’s.

Buyer Beware

Sadly, because of the increasing popularity of fancy colored diamonds, some less-than-reputable businesses will try to sell you an irradiated stone for a natural. Irradiation is the process of radiating a stone, like a diamond, to alter or bring out an underlying color. There is nothing at all illegal or wrong with this process as it allows more people to own fancy colored diamonds without the high cost.

The problem arises when the dealer or jeweler plays fast and loose with the truth regarding the origin of the stone. Irradiated stones are considerably less expensive than the natural variety, so be very careful when you go to pick out that stone. Make sure that you are purchasing your dream fancy colored diamond from a reputable business.

Also, the Gemological Institute of America has given fancy colored diamonds their own color scale, so you will not be buying your diamond under the traditional D-Z scale. The scale for these colored stones begins at faint and ends at fancy vivid, so before you walk into that jewelry store, it is a great idea to do a little research. The more you know the less likely you will be to get scammed by a disreputable clerk. After all, when your purchase an engagement ring, you want to make absolutely sure your fancy colored diamond is exactly what you have always dreamed it would be.