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What are the rarest types of diamonds in the world

Diamonds are the rarest gemstones by themselves. But even these sparse precious stones have various popularity levels and are available in different quantities. That’s why their value and price differ dramatically from one stone to another. In this overview, we’ll concentrate on the most exceptional gems in the world. Precisely, we’ll discuss the rarest diamonds in the groups of colored and colorless jewels. Continue reading to meet the most extraordinary stones in the world!

What Are The Rarest Types Of Diamonds In The World

The rarest types among coloured diamonds

The shortest answer to the question “What are the rarest diamonds in the world” is “Colored diamonds.” Any color in these gemstones is unusual, as it contradicts the classic vision on diamonds and the most popular engagement ring design with a colorless round solitaire. At the same time, it's hard to underestimate the value of these rarest diamonds. Most gemstones are precious enough to be sold even before they are polished.

When it comes to certain colors of the rarest diamonds, their popularity depends on the mine capacity and the celebrity choice. For example, the recent closure of Argyle mine caused a dramatic shortage of pink diamonds on the market. Besides, the popularity of yellow diamonds increased after Enrique Iglesias proposed to Anna Kournikova with a ring featuring the gem of this color. These factors always appear suddenly — and so, are mostly unpredictable.

Aside from these fluctuations, there are some common members in the list of the rarest diamonds in the world. Here, we’ll discuss red, blue, green, orange, and pink diamonds in detail. In any color group, the intensity matters. Fancy Color Diamonds are the rarest gemstones, representing even less than 0.1% of the entire supply.

Fancy and intense tones are the rarest in any color group of diamonds

Red diamonds

These diamonds have the rarest color — in fact, there is no intense tint ever found in this category. Even red diamonds of a muted tone are sparse: there are 30 examples only ever found. These days, the spectrum of red-colored diamonds includes several hues, ranging from orangish to an almost brown tint.

Fancy Reds are mostly found in Australia, in a well-known Argyle Diamond Mine. The most popular representatives of this color are the Moussaieff Red and the Hancock Red, the rarest cases of the top clarity and color in this category.

Blue diamonds

Blue is also one of the rarest colors in diamonds. For a long, it was attributed to royalty. These days, these rarest diamonds have a diversity of hues, ranging from greyish to dark blue. If gray, blue, or gray-bluish, these diamonds have the IIb formation type. That’s a type of chemical composition that makes them able to conduct electricity. In detail, such diamonds contain boron and no nitrogen.

On the market, blue diamonds can cost tens of millions. The most remarkable jewels of this color are Hope Diamond and Wittelsbach Graff.

What Are The Rarest Types Of Diamonds In The World 2

Green diamonds

Green is the color that creates an extremely unusual appearance of a diamond. In nature, intense green is the tint for the rarest diamonds; but artificial enhancements are recently used to intensify it these days. Generally, the green color appears on the diamond surface only, not having an even distribution through the stone.

The list of countries where such diamonds are mined includes Borneo, Brazil, Guyana, Zimbabwe, and India. The loudest titles in this color category are Dresden Green and Aurora Green.

Orange diamonds

Orange diamonds are extremely sparse, especially if they are dark and have no yellowish tint. That’s because it’s hard to reach the perfect proportion of yellow, red, and secondary tones in a stone of this color. Frequently, orange becomes the secondary tone in brown, yellow, or pink diamonds. To be titled either orange or “orangy,” a gemstone should be of Ib type — all diamonds with this formation are the rarest.

There are many alternative titles for orange diamonds, including “canary” or “saffron.” The rich color comes as a result of nitrogen inclusion in the chemical structure of such diamonds. The most famous gemstone in this color category is The Pumpkin Orange, a 5.54-carat cushion diamond. The other diamond, titled “The Orange,” has 14.82 carats of weight and was sold for a record $35.5 million.

Argyle Diamond Mine in East Kimberley, Australia, is the place where the rarest diamonds in the world are mined, including red, blue, and pink colors

Pink diamonds

The rarest diamonds of this color are the frequent hosts at auctions and are generally loved by celebrities. To satisfy the demand for this type of colored diamonds, many jewelry stores started offering faint pinks to the wide public. But fancy intense hues are harder to find — they are among the rarest diamonds in the world.

Most pink diamonds are found in the Argyle Mine in Western Australia. Also, there are some gemstones of this hue in Brazil, Siberia (Russia), and South Africa. The most remarkable stones in this color category include Graff Pink and Steinmetz Pink (also known as The Pink Star). Also, pink diamonds are loved by Iranian royalty, as Daria-i-Noor and Noor-ul-Ain are among the crown jewels in this country.

The rarest types among colorless diamonds

Even though colored diamonds are the rarest ones, there are some sparse types among colorless diamonds too. Here, the formation type matters. Among colorless diamonds, Type IIa (or 2 A) is for the rarest samples.

Type IIa diamonds have the title ‘Golconda’ because they are mined in Golconda mine, India. Their hallmarks are the absence of nitrogen impurities and long formation time, which result in the rarest and top-quality characteristics: D color and flawless clarity. IIa type can also be present in the colored diamonds, including light tints of blue, green, and pink. In general, these gemstones are the most expensive, purest, and among the rarest diamonds in the world.

The famous representatives of the rarest colorless diamonds are Koh-i-Noor, Cullinan, and The Lesotho Legend. All of them are Type IIa diamonds.

What Are The Rarest Types Of Diamonds In The World 1

Where to get the rarest diamonds?

If you can participate in auctions, this is the best place to hunt for a rare diamond pick. But this move requires special knowledge and heavy investment. The most popular auction in the industry is Sotheby’s, the grand event that features contemporary art, wine, and jewelry.

If you can’t handle costly participation in an auction, you can contact us to help you get a rare diamond pick. We’re Diamond Registry, the established diamond information platform that offers consumers the expertise of a diamond expert online. We are committed to providing our clients with the most competitive prices in the industry while also maintaining the highest quality standards. Contact us, and we’ll get you the top diamond for the best price!

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