Summer Sale | 30% off Made to Order items and 50% off Quick Delivery items* - T&C's Apply
30 Day Returns | 0% APR Finance Available | Excellent 4.9 out of 5 
Summer Sale | 30% off Made to Order items and 50% off Quick Delivery items* - T&C's Apply
30 Day Returns | 0% APR Finance Available
It might surprise you to know that diamonds don't only come in the clear colourless form that they're most well known for. Diamonds come in all different shapes and sizes, as well as different colours. Our guide explains the different colours diamonds come in, where they come from and how they're rated.
Diamonds come in almost every colour in the rainbow, although some are rarer than others.
Colourless, yellow, brown and near colourless grades are the most common colours, which is why most people think of a classic colourless stone when they picture a diamond. Near colourless diamonds are usually tinted brown or yellow; nitrogen atoms create these hues during the formation process.
Pink, blue, green, orange and purple diamonds are scarcer. Red diamonds are the rarest coloured diamonds in the world, commanding prices of millions per carat. This rarity results from the specific geological conditions required for their formation.
Pink diamonds form through the same process as red diamonds but with less colour intensity. Pink diamonds are rarer than colourless diamonds and cost more per carat when comparing stones of equal quality.
Blue diamonds form in specific geological settings where boron-rich fluids interact with diamond-forming environments. Whilst still rare, they are more common than red and pink diamonds.
Green diamonds acquire colour through natural irradiation in the Earth's crust and are typically found closest to the surface.
Orange and purple diamonds are rarer than blue and pink diamonds. Some orange diamonds have a yellow undertone, but true orange stones are exceptionally rare. Purple diamonds result from trace amounts of hydrogen, and true purple hues without pink undertones are similarly uncommon.
Grey and black diamonds occur naturally. Black diamonds are usually caused by graphite inclusions rather than true body colour.
Lab-grown diamonds can be engineered in much brighter and more vivid colours than natural diamonds typically exhibit. This means coloured lab-grown diamonds are often more affordable than their natural counterparts.
Different coloured diamonds form under different geological conditions, so they are found across the globe, with different colours sourced from different regions.
Red diamonds are exceptionally rare and have been sourced from only a handful of locations, such as the Argyle mine in Western Australia and a few sites in Brazil.
Pink diamonds originate almost exclusively from Australia's Argyle mine, which produced roughly 90% of the world's pink diamonds. The mine closed in 2020, creating significant supply shortages. Secondary sources exist in Brazil, Russia and Tanzania, but the volumes found there are minimal by comparison. Orange and purple diamonds are also found in these locations, though in considerably smaller quantities.
Blue diamonds were historically found in India, the most famous being the Hope Diamond. In modern times, blue and green diamonds have been mined in Australia, Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Yellow, brown and black diamonds are found across the globe, including Australia, Russia, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Canada. These are far more common than other diamond colours and are often mined alongside colourless and near colourless diamonds.
The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) rates coloured diamonds on three main factors.
Hue: Describes the colour itself: red, pink, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple or brown. A diamond may have a primary hue with secondary undertones; for example, pink with orange undertones.
Tone: Measures how rich the colour is, on a scale from very light to very dark. Very light yields a pale colour, whilst darker tones produce deeper, richer colours.
Saturation: Measures colour intensity, from faint to vivid. Light saturation appears delicate, whereas vivid saturation is intense and concentrated.
Here at Diamond Heaven, we have a range of yellow and black diamond jewellery to suit all tastes and budgets. Looking for a unique piece of jewellery, browse the range or book an appointment to see these spectacular jewels in person.
Visit one of our stores across the U.K with locations in Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Liverpool, Belfast, Newcastle, Norwich, Southampton, Brighton, Maidstone, Chelmsford, Guildford, Nottingham and Dublin.
Click below to book an appointment or contact your local Diamond Heaven
Book an Appointment
Service
