Owning and Investing in Yellow

Rarity of Yellow

Natural fancy Yellow diamonds are the most popular of all natural fancy colored diamonds; they are also more plentiful in nature. It has been estimated that 60% of all natural fancy colored diamonds are of the Yellow category.

Although natural fancy Yellow diamonds are regarded as ‘modestly rare’ in comparison to ‘extremely rare’ natural fancy Red, Blues and Pinks, it is important to understand that both Yellow and Champagne diamond variations (Cognac, Chocolate, Hazel Diamonds ^TM) have seen dramatic sales increases because of their affordability, beauty and rarity, especially in comparison to colorless (White) diamonds.

Recently, a five carat Yellow diamond has increased 40% over prices from 2010. The Ellendale mine which supplies Tiffany & Co. with Yellow diamonds, announced that in the first quarter of 2011, it sold Tiffany & Co. these jewels for an average of $3,379 per carat compared to $2,545 per carat during the first quarter of 2010. Due to high demand and low supply, natural fancy Yellow diamonds exhibit great potential for appreciation.

Tiffany catapulted Yellow diamonds into fame when he purchased the largest natural fancy Yellow diamond ever discovered as a window piece for his New York store. The diamond weighed 287.42 carats in the rough when discovered in 1878 in the Kimberly Mines in South Africa.

Yellow Color Factors

Natural fancy Yellow diamonds often contain a light secondary tone of Green, Brown or Orange. The majority of natural fancy Yellow diamonds are in the mid range, in terms of value, on the colored diamond spectrum. At the upper end of the spectrum are exquisite Yellow diamonds that are sold for as high as 6 figures per carat.

Many Yellow diamonds are ‘Cape’ diamonds. The term ‘Cape’ refers to the Yellow tone characteristic of South African Diamonds. A Canary Yellow diamond shows a clean bright Yellow color like the feathers of the bird after what it was named.

A diamond’s Yellow color is the result of nitrogen molecules absorbing blue light, making the diamond appear Yellow. Yellow in fact is the complement of the color blue. View our inventory of Natural Fancy Yellow Diamonds on the Rare Jewel Exchange.

Learn more about Our Power in Yellow