What are Yellow Diamonds and Their Significance

Yellow diamonds are a rare and beautiful type of fancy diamonds. They have a unique yellow hue that makes them stand out from other diamond varieties. These diamonds are highly sought after by jewellery enthusiasts and collectors all over the world.

Yellow diamonds come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and intensities. From pale lemon hues to deep canary tones, these stunning stones provide a luxurious touch to any jewellery piece. Not only do they add colour and sparkle, but they also carry with them an air of exclusivity that is not found in other gems.

Natural yellow colour diamonds are extremely rare, with only one out of approximately 10,000 carats mined being a natural fancy colour diamond, out of these, approximately 60% are yellow. Yellow diamonds come in all shapes, sizes and in various colour intensities. The most intense yellow diamonds in the world originate in South Africa.

If you are looking for a coloured gemstone for everyday wear, fancy diamonds are a perfect choice. The exceptional sparkle and unparalleled hardness make them highly resistant to scratches and other damage – perfect for creating exquisite pieces of jewellery.

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Famous Yellow Diamonds

The Kimberley Octahedral The Kimberley Octahedral diamond, also referred to as the 616 Diamond (a reference to its carat weight) is the largest naturally formed octahedral diamond crystal discovered in the world.
The Sun of Africa The 127-carat yellow diamond was discovered at South Africa’s Kimberley mines in 2007. Shortly after its discovery, the diamond was taken to the Netherlands where it was later cut and polished to a 70-carat pear shape spectacle that displays dancing flashes of light from every angle.
The Florentine Diamond The Florentine Diamond, also known as the Tuscany Diamond, the Grand Duke of Tuscany and the Austrian Yellow Diamond, whereabouts currently remain unknown. This 137.27-carat double rose-cut, light yellow diamond with nine sides and 126 facets.
The Allnatt Diamond The Allnatt Diamond is a 101.29-carat antique cushion-shaped brilliant Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond that is GIA-certified with a clarity grade of VS2. It is believed that the stone was found in the Premier mine in the South African Republic.
The Incomparable Diamond The Incomparable Diamond is one of the heaviest gemstones ever found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, weighing 890 carats in its rough state. It took four years to analyse and cut the stone, after which it emerged as a 407.78-carat trilliant cut. It currently holds the record for the largest internally flawless diamond and third largest diamond in the world.

How are Yellow Diamonds graded? Understanding the Qualities of a Quality Yellow Diamond.

Yellow diamonds are one of the most sought-after gemstones in the world. They come in a variety of grades, which affect their price and quality. When shopping for yellow diamonds, it is important to understand the 4 Cs of diamond grading and look for GIA certification. This will ensure that you are getting a high-quality stone that will last a lifetime.

Colour:

White diamonds are colour graded on a scale D-Z. D being colourless and Z being light yellow. Yellow diamonds are considered to be a coloured diamond and graded as “Fancy” when they fall outside this D-to-Z range.  A Fancy grade means that the yellow diamond must have more colour than the Z master-stone. The GIA (Gemmological Institute of America) Coloured Diamond Grading System assigns yellow diamonds one of six colour grades: Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Dark, Fancy Deep, Fancy Intense, and Fancy Vivid. The presence of nitrogen causes a diamond to appear yellow. The intensity of the yellow colour is dependent upon varying amounts of nitrogen. Colourless diamonds, in contrast, have little to no nitrogen, therefore, do not show noticeable colour.

Cut:

When a diamond is cut to the right proportions, light is refracted internally from one facet to another before being dispersed through the top of the stone. A skilful gem-cutter will choose a cut that best showcases the unique characteristics of the rough diamond, and the accuracy and quality of the cut will determine the beauty and brilliance of the final gem. If the cut is too deep, some light will escape through the opposite side of the pavilion; too shallow and light will escape through the pavilion before it can be refracted. A master gem-cutter ensures full light dispersion, maximising the inherent beauty of the stone.

Yellow diamonds are often cut in fancy shapes, like the radiant cut or pear cut. Cutters do this because a diamond’s cut can have a noticeable impact on its apparent colour when viewed from above.

Clarity:

The diamond clarity scale ranges from Flawless down to Included. FL is the highest value (Flawless) and I3 is the lowest (Included level 3). Flawless diamonds are incredibly rare and will charge far higher prices than those of a slightly lower clarity grade. All our certificated diamonds are graded SI (Slightly Included) or better as the inclusions at this grade cannot be seen with the naked eye and require a loupe (10x magnification) in order to be visible. Interestingly, yellow diamonds are known to be found in nature with relatively high clarity grading. It is common to find yellow diamonds with VS clarity and higher. 

Carat weight:

The carat weight has enormous effect on pricing. Diamonds are priced per carat and the price goes up exponentially with the weight. The larger the diamond, the rarer it is hence the higher prices. It is good to know that the classic, most desirable stone sizes, such as a 0.50ct or 1.00ct weight are accompanied with a price bounce. The price per carat of a 0.50ct yellow diamond is much higher than the price per carat of a 0.45ct, a 1 carat yellow diamond costs much more than 0.90 carat stone. You can save a little money by choosing a marginally smaller stone as the price her carat will be less, but you might not even notice the difference by looking at the diamond.

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Who has a Yellow Diamond?

Fancy diamonds are a popular choice for those looking to make an extra special statement. Among these, yellow diamonds have been gaining in popularity due to their unique beauty and rarity. Yellow diamonds have been coveted by celebrities for decades. From classic Hollywood stars to modern-day A-listers, many famous personalities have been spotted wearing yellow diamond jewellery.

	Heidi Klum Back in 2004, Seal proposed to Heidi Klum with a headline-making yellow diamond. Weighing in at a staggering 10 carats and set in yellow gold, the oval-cut Lorraine Schwartz piece was estimated to have cost $150,000.
	Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lopez never shied away from a coloured diamond ring. This stunning 30-total carat weight yellow diamond ring was a gift from her ex-husband Marc Anthony after their twins were born in 2008.
	Kelly Clarkson The American Idol’s husband, Brandon Blackstock, popped the question with a 5 carat, radiant-cut canary diamond ring set in a halo of white diamonds. At the time, many estimated that the price was around $150,000.
	Victoria Beckham Victoria Beckham spotted wearing an emerald-cut, canary diamond ring. The yellow gold setting increases the vibrance of the stone. Victoria as also been spotted wearing another cushion-cut yellow diamond ring, this time set in a platinum pavé band.
	Nicky Minaj Meek Mill popped the question to Nicki Minaj by giving her a 15-carat, heart-shaped yellow diamond ring.

We have a beautiful selection of yellow diamonds in stock in our core range in our Northampton and Banbury showrooms.

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Need more help?

If you don't know where to start with shopping for an engagement ring, check out our handy guides below

Engagement Ring Buying Guide

Guide to Laboratory Grown Diamonds

Hallmarking Guide

How to Work Out Your Partners Ring Size

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 At Michael Jones Jeweller, we pride ourselves in delivering excellent customer service. Our friendly team can offer help and impartial advice on all our products across our stores in Northampton and Banbury. We stock a wide variety of jewellery and watches; you can browse our full collection via our product pages. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss any products we offer, you can visit any one of our stores, get in touch with us by calling 01295 263540, or through filling out our online contact form.