What makes a diamond so valuable? What makes a yellow diamond unique and different? Yellow gems have been known to be rarer than most other colored diamonds, but what exactly makes them so much rarer than the rest of the gem world? If you want to own one of the most beautiful yellow diamonds, we know the right place where you can purchase one and you can find here one of the best pieces out there.
Diamond Mining
Before we can begin our discussion on why yellow gems are so popular, it’s important to understand some basics regarding diamond. The only difference between precious stones mining and oil extraction is that diamonds need a high temperature and pressure in order for its atomic structure to rearrange itself into new structures. These conditions are created by intense heat and pressure for hundreds of thousands of years.
When this happens, carbon forms into a crystal structure that is made up of a large number of individual carbon atoms bonded together. Each one of these small crystals constitutes a single diamond – creating trillions upon trillions of diamonds as the rock cools over time. Diamonds are not like any other mineral because they’re composed almost entirely of pure carbon. They don’t contain any metals, such as iron, nickel, or cobalt which makes diamonds extremely hard and strong.
Because of this strength, diamonds last forever. So long as there’s enough heat to keep the rocks hot enough to allow the formation process to continue, diamonds will remain unchanged for eternity. This is why these shiny rocks are considered a “fossil fuel” that has remained relatively unchanged since it was first formed millions or even billions of years ago.
Different Colors
In addition to being unbelievably rare, yellow stones also happen to be among the hardest of all types of diamonds. Most natural rhinestones tend to range somewhere between VVS1-VVS2 clarity. However, many people believe that yellow diamond clarity levels often exceed a rating of VS2. This means that a yellow diamond of average quality would be at least twice as hard as an ordinary fancy color diamond (which falls under colorless).
Neutral and Fancy Color Diamonds
Most precious rocks are either colorless or come in various shades of blue, brown, green, pink, orange, red, white, black, gray, or yellow. But what makes a diamond a particular color? Tinted stones are usually caused by impurities found within the stone. While no two stones ever look identical, there are actually only four ways that diamonds can take on color:
- From a slight imperfection in the diamond’s crystalline structure. This type of defect is what gives diamonds their sparkle.
- From the tiny amount of metal (iron, manganese) that has infiltrated the diamond during its growth process.
- From the presence of gases (carbon monoxide, hydrogen) trapped inside the original hydrocarbon environment where it formed.
- From exposure to ultraviolet light while still embedded within the earth’s surface.
A diamond with no visible defects or flaws tends to have a uniform, flawless luster. Some diamonds have been described as having a “beaded” appearance due to the distribution of internal stress points. Perfect and unblemished shiny gems are typically less than 5% smaller than perfect gems.
Size Matters… Sort Of
In terms of size, most flashy jewels fall within a certain spectrum. This includes cuts ranging from round brilliant to pear-shaped, cushion cut, emerald cut, pavilion cut, princess cut, radiant cut, and several others.
While the sizes of the different shapes vary, the total weight of the entire piece remains constant. As with most gemstones, larger diamonds are generally more valuable, with some experts estimating that a 1-carat gem could sell for $3,000-$4,000, whereas one weighing 2.5 carats might fetch $10,000-$15,000.
Why the canary yellow diamond is considered special? Why should we care if our diamond is made out of carbon? Shouldn’t all diamonds be alike? Well, not exactly – every one of us knows people who say that diamonds are only valuable because carbon atoms get stuck in them. They’re wrong! A diamond may be made out of carbon, but that doesn’t mean it’s worthless. In fact, diamonds of all colors come from the same place beneath the earth’s surface. No matter what color your diamond happens to be, it holds immense value for those who believe that diamonds were placed under extreme pressure and heat in order to create beautiful stones. You might find yourself thinking that all diamonds were once carbon, but it just so happens that most diamonds are made out of nitrogen instead. But why would someone want to change something as amazing as the composition of a diamond? Perhaps it was done for money!
These shiny little stones have many other unique qualities besides rarity and brilliance. They are very hard, extremely durable, and heat resistant. There’s also a reason why people call them the ‘king’ or ‘queen’ of all gemstones!
Reasons why canary yellow diamonds are so precious:
1. Gases trapped inside the diamond
As mentioned above, these treasures are formed deep beneath the surface (or sometimes underwater). When the stone is formed, pressure forces carbon atoms to stick and bond together into long chains. Eventually, the diamond becomes large enough that it begins to cool and solidify. During this process, diamonds tend to incorporate gas molecules into their structure. In fact, the amount of internal pressure may actually force the diamond to be able to hold a small amount of gas within its structure. One estimate says that there is between 0.2 -0.6 percent by volume of nitrogen in diamonds. Another type of gas found in diamonds is hydrogen. Hydrogen is present at concentrations of approximately 0.01 percent.
The gases don’t really affect the value of the stone because the gas molecules are not visible to the human eye. However, they do help to give the diamond a particular color. Diamonds with higher levels of nitrogen tend to appear bluer, while those with high amounts of hydrogen will exhibit red tones. So if you want to know what your gem looks like, just take a look at the “canary” inside of it!
2. Highly reflective
Another quality that makes diamonds so attractive is their ability to reflect light. A diamond is made out of a material called carbon. In order for the diamond to be clear, it needs to be flawless. Flawless means that no imperfections exist anywhere on the stone. For example, a flaw could be a crack running across the surface or one tiny piece falling off the diamond. If the diamond has any flaws, then when it reflects light, different wavelengths bounce around inside the diamond. This gives the jewel a beautiful shine that adds to its natural beauty.
3. Toughness
Gems are tough! Unlike other rocks such as granite, most diamonds aren’t capable of sustaining much damage. Most types of stones can break apart easily. But diamonds are different. If you try to scratch or chip a diamond, you’ll find that it takes more than your fingernail to get through it. Diamonds also resist chemical attacks better than most materials. For this reason, diamonds are often used in instruments that require durability.
4. Stability
Flashy rocks are considered to be one of the hardest substances on earth, which is why they’re usually found underground. This hardness allows diamonds to withstand extreme geological conditions. As the precious stone moves deeper underground, the temperature increases and it gets harder. This creates two problems: firstly, diamonds become less valuable as the price per carat goes up; secondly, diamonds begin to lose their luster due to thermal treatment. Diamond should never be heated to anything greater than 600 degrees Celsius or 1,112 Fahrenheit. Temperatures above these limits decrease the diamond’s brilliance.
5. High resistance to radiation
Diamonds are excellent insulators. Radiation doesn’t pass through a good diamond. This property protects the diamond from nuclear radiation. It also helps protect astronauts who have jewels placed inside them during space travel.
6. Extremely hard
Although diamonds can be destroyed by heat, it’s very difficult to destroy them completely. The diamond will start turning black after a few minutes but will still be recognizable as a diamond. Due to the way that the diamond crystal grows, the outer layer will wear away over time. Eventually, only the inner part of the diamond will remain. Although it’s possible to cut a diamond using specialized tools, even without cutting the diamond will continue to grow back together. Diamonds can last forever!
7. High purity
Because diamonds form deep below ground, they are protected from many contaminants. They don’t get contaminated with radioactive elements such as Uranium and Thorium. In addition, there are not many heavy metals present in diamonds. Even though most dirt contains some amount of iron, an average diamond won’t contain enough iron to cause any health concerns. Iron impurities do affect how brilliant a diamond is.
Conclusion
If we look at all these qualities, then we come to realize that diamonds certainly are rare and very unique. While everyone wants a perfect white rock, they shouldn’t forget about yellow ones. Yellow diamonds are just as beautiful as white diamonds and they don’t cost nearly as much.
