WORKSHOP | Fancy Diamond Colours Explained

Fancy Yellow Diamonds are often described as Saffron, Canary, Buttercup and Lemon diamonds. The presence of nitrogen in a diamond causes it to appear yellow.

Fancy Pink Diamonds are often called Purplish-Pink, Pink Champaign and Brownish-Pink diamonds. It is a mystery as to why they appear pink. Still, geologists have speculated that a deformation in the atomic structure of the Kimberley region in Australia (where they are mined) has caused their pink hue.

Fancy Green Diamonds are often described with an additional colour focus—for example, Yellowish-green or Brownish-Green. The green colour results from prolonged exposure to natural radiation. Occasionally, the green hue may result from hydrogen present within the stone.

Fancy Purple Diamonds are often described as violet or greyish-purple diamonds. The internal grain formation and occasionally the presence of hydrogen cause the purple colour within diamonds.

There aren’t strict colour variations of black diamonds, but white or grey inclusions make them unique and desirable. Many different graphite inclusions cause the black colour in diamonds, while some black diamonds have traces of nitrogen and hydrogen, which can affect their colour, too. Geologists speculate that some black diamonds fell to earth as meteorites.