Diamonds come in all sizes and shapes. In the case of gems, the rarer they’re, the costlier they’re. The value of a diamond ring is determined by many factors, including color, carat weight and clarity.
Pure, top quality diamonds is among the rarest gemstones available in the market today. With the increasing demand for pure and clear diamonds, jewelers need to examine and label diamonds with great care. Diamonds are classified in several classes, with some rarer than others. Red diamonds are the rarest amongst diamonds in the world.
What are Red Diamonds?
A red diamond is solely a diamond that comes with a red hue. Sounds apparent, right? But we’re not talking about artificial stones that jewelers artificially color in several shades.
Also, we’re not referring to natural diamonds that aren’t pure red, where shades of purple, pink, and orange are shown in the red hue, leading to a stone that’s charming but of little value as a pure diamond.
It’s easy to mistake a diamond with a pink or purplish tint for a pure red diamond. But pure red diamonds do not come with any other color tone or speck.
What Causes the Red Color in Red Diamonds?
Despite investing years in testing and investigating the red color in red diamonds, gemstone experts have yet to determine the cause.
However, it’s believed that like other coloured diamonds, alternating variables and instabilities during the development of a diamond can determine the colour a diamond inherits.
During diamond formation, plastic deformation occurs in the crystal lattice structure. Some of the atoms are displaced as the diamond moves up through the kimberlite deposits, and the intensity of this movement causes numerous shades of red or pink.
This explains the notion that red diamonds are literally very dark pink diamonds and why only one color intensity was found. The gases under the Earth’s surface affect everything that develops beneath it.
The pressure exerted on the diamond ore during its subsurface development and the causes of the pressure exerted on it can have an impact on the diamond’s hue.
Red Diamond Value
The main determining factor is red diamond value is the purity. While read diamonds are rare, getting a pure red diamond is greatly rare. Most have other colours in their description and others come with a “diluted” reddish tint and can’t be considered pure red diamonds.
Following are the properties that determine the value of a red diamond:
Color
The color of a red diamond is viewed in two ways: hue and saturation. Red diamonds can come in a secondary color, such as orange-red, brown-red, or even purple-red, but red should not change the colour of any other diamond.
Pure red diamonds are the most precious but are rare to find. Therefore, it will fetch a higher carat price compared to a red diamond with a secondary hue.
Carat Weight
Red diamonds come in small sizes. Most of them weigh less than one carat. Only five carats weigh more than 5 carats, with the biggest weighing 5.11 carats.
Just like other diamonds, red diamonds are priced per carat. Big pure diamond (100% red), will attract the highest price in the market
Clarity
Diamonds are examined to determine whether or not they have inclusions on the inside or outside. The clarity of a diamond has little impact on its price because of the rarity of the colour. Red diamond buyers are more interested in red purity and carat size when choosing a stone.
Can I Use a Red Diamond for an Engagement Ring?
Red diamonds can be used to make engagement rings. in fact, red diamonds are a nice touch for your next ring. Square-cut diamond engagement rings, round solitaire and three princess stones are available at many jewelers in the US.
Celebrities are known to spot and buy unique and weird jewellery, and most of them have worn red engagement rings in the past.
Red Engagement Ring Setting
If you are lucky to own a red diamond, ensure it’s set into an amazing ring. Here are some styles to consider:
Decoration Halo Settings
If you want to maximise the size of your stone in addition to its appearance, you may want to consider this style.
Branch Settings
This style helps highlight the red diamond to make it stand out even more.
Three Stone Setting
Here, you can complement the red diamond with a white or coloured side stone.