Everything You Need to Know About Fancy Yellow Diamond Rings

When you hear the word “diamond”, a colorless white diamond will surely come to mind. But after reading this yellow diamond ring feature, that white light is bound to turn yellow. And we aren’t just talking about any old shade of yellow, we are talking about a vivid, translucent, brilliant yellow. A yellow that forms deep in the Earth’s crust. A yellow that they call “fancy yellow” in the diamond industry.

WHAT IS A FANCY YELLOW DIAMOND?

A fancy yellow diamond is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a diamond that is so yellow it looks fancy.

Not all diamonds are white. While rare, some diamonds, by a fluke of nature, have impurities that change their color. This is why there a blue diamonds, red diamonds, orange diamonds, pink diamonds, purple diamonds, yellow diamonds and all kinds of hues in-between.

For white diamonds, the color grading scale ranges from D to Z, and as the letter closes in on Z, it becomes less and less colorless. With that, the price decreases. A Z color diamond will have a pale, yellowish shade. This is not what we call a yellow diamond. It is simply a low color grade white diamond…

However, here’s where things get interesting, if a diamond goes past “Z”, the yellow because more and more vivid (and thus, beautiful). The “impurities” start to work in its favor. Once a diamond reaches a certain beautiful shade of yellow, it lands in the “fancy” zone. There’s fancy light, fancy, fancy dark, fancy deep, fancy vivid, and fancy intense. These yellow diamonds are very special and highly sought after. Low grade white diamonds with yellow hues are common, but fancy yellow diamonds are not. Moreover, they are absolutely breathtaking, whereas a Z color white diamond is not impressive.

Now, you might be wondering, “what are the impurities that cause a diamond to turn yellow?”.

The yellow color is due to the existence of nitrogen molecules that absorb blue light. The more nitrogen, the yellower the stone. If there is even more nitrogen molecules, the diamond can turn orange.

All colored diamonds have some sort of abnormality like this. For example, blue diamonds are caused by boron, while green diamonds are due to radiation. These are impurities, of course, but when Mother Earth adds special impurities to diamonds, in just the right amount, they become highly desirable.

ARE YELLOW DIAMONDS RARE?

Natural diamonds that fall within a color grade that is what the diamond industry calls “fancy” are extremely rare. Approximately one in 10,000 carats are a natural colored diamond, which includes dazzling blue, energetic green, fascinating orange, romantic pink, passionate purple, and, of course, brilliantly luminous yellow diamonds.

Now, out of all of these fancy colors, yellow is the most commonly found. Around 1 out of 16,500 carats that are mined is a fancy yellow diamond. This equates to around 60% of all the colored diamonds found. So, while fancy yellow diamonds are rare in terms of diamonds as a whole, they are not the rarest colored diamond.

WHERE ARE YELLOW DIAMONDS FOUND?

Yellow diamonds form naturally all around the world. However, they are most commonly mined in South Africa. Other places that pride themselves on their exquisite yellow diamonds are Australia and Central Africa.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A YELLOW DIAMOND IS REAL?

The best way to know if a yellow diamond is real is to look at its certificate. At Diamonds By Raymond Lee in Boca Raton, all of our yellow diamond rings come with a GIA certificate, which ensures the yellow diamond you are buying is real. GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is the most reputable and well-known diamond grading lab around the world. It will tell you everything you need to know about the diamond, so you can not only identify its genuineness, but also its quality. This can help you gauge its value. 

18k Yellow Gold 5.33ctw Radiant Cut Fancy Yellow Diamond Band
This is an absolutely stunning yellow gold fancy yellow diamond eternity band. The radiant cut diamonds are fancy yellow in color and VS in clarity, and they total to 5.33 carats.

WHAT DO YELLOW DIAMONDS SYMBOLIZE?

Like all diamonds, yellow diamonds are a symbol of love and devotion. However, yellow diamonds also have their own special meaning. They represent knowledge, intellect, wisdom and the start (or continuation) of love and a happy life. This makes a yellow diamond ring the perfect gift for both a new couple and for a couple who have been together for a long time.

ARE YELLOW DIAMOND RINGS POPULAR?

Yellow diamonds are hotter than ever right now. It is easily the most sought after fancy colored diamond. The steady increase in the value of yellow diamonds proves this to be true. Over the last decade, the price of yellow diamonds has appreciated by over 200%.

The most common way that jewelers use yellow diamonds is in rings (although you will also find some stunning earrings and necklaces with yellow diamonds as well). It’s just yellow diamond rings make for a truly unique and magnificent piece that both the wearer and those in the wearer’s presence can enjoy.

One of the things we love about yellow diamonds is that they pair so beautifully with white diamonds. This makes them easy to wear with other jewelry. It’s also why many designs create jewelry with both white and yellow diamonds, allowing you to have the best of both worlds.

Why are yellow diamonds rings so popular?

• Yellow diamonds are unlike other colored diamonds. Yellow diamonds can’t be mistaken for another kind of gemstone. There is no other yellow gemstone like a yellow diamond. It’s a strong, brilliant color with vivid radiance that can’t go unnoticed.
• Celebrities have taken a strong liking to yellow diamonds, especially for engagement rings. Heidi Klum, Amal Clooney, Paris Hilton, Kelly Clarkson, and Hilary Clinton have yellow diamond rings, to name just a few. This has sparked a huge trend. Brides-to-be are opting for this distinct look as way to express individuality. It’s fun and modern, yet it still holds true to tradition. You can read more about yellow diamond engagement rings here.
• Yellow diamonds are far rarer than white diamonds, both in the crust of the Earth and the jewelry market. They make up just a small fraction of the jewelry sold. The best part is, they are reasonably affordable, as far as diamonds go. Comparing to other fancy colored diamonds, yellow diamonds are a steal. They hold value fantastically well, especially if the diamond is sizable. So, you get a fancy colored diamond for a similar price as a white diamond but with a far better long term value.

Platinum 2.74ctw Diamond Engagement Ring
Here we have a beautiful Platinum diamond engagement ring with a 1.74ct cushion cut fancy yellow diamond. The cushion cut yellow diamonds weigh 1.74cts and the diamond is fancy yellow in color and SI2 in clarity.

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A YELLOW DIAMOND RING?

If you don’t have an expert eye for diamonds, the only thing you need to look for is the yellow diamond’s GIA certificate. While there are other gemological certificates a yellow diamond can have, GIA is the only authority for fancy colored diamonds in our book. If it doesn’t have that, you don’t want it. It’s the only way to know if the yellow diamond is actually of the quality the jewelry store is stating. Moreover, it will justify the price. If you ever want to resell that yellow diamond down the line, you will also need that GIA certificate, because, like you, no one will want to buy it without it.

On the GIA certificate, you will learn about its carat weight, origin, color grade (Fancy Light, Fancy, Fancy Dark, Fancy Deep, Fancy Intense, and Fancy Vivid), clarity and more. All the things you will want to know.

Note: Fancy Intense and Fancy Vivid are the most desirable and best for investments. The other two best options are Fancy Light and Fancy. This is because Fancy Dark and Fancy Deep are very saturated, which makes them have less brilliance and clarity. The scale for fancy yellow diamonds is not as clear cut as white diamonds (D-Z, Z being the lowest quality and least expensive). 

ARE YELLOW DIAMONDS EXPENSIVE?

While yellow diamonds are rare, so are D and E color grade white diamonds. These colorless white diamonds are very expensive and even rarer than fancy yellows. So, when discussing the price of a fancy yellow diamond, we can’t compare it to the very scarce D color diamond.

A fancy yellow diamond is quite similar in price to a G color white diamond, which is also a very exquisite color grade for white diamonds. As such, many yellow diamonds are expensive…but so are high-grade white diamonds.

Generally speaking, you can get a fancy yellow diamond for the same price as a respectable white diamond of the same carat weight. Like white diamonds, the bigger the carat weight, the more expensive the yellow diamond will be (such as this 12 carat internally flawless fancy yellow diamond ring).

To give you a better idea, let’s look at some price ranges for fancy yellow diamonds, based on carat weight and the fancy grade. We will be comparing each with a white G color diamond.

Fancy Light Yellow Diamond:
.5 carat = $700-$1,000
1 carat = $2,500-$4,500
2 carat = $5,500-$8,500
3 carat = $12,500-$18,000

Fancy Yellow Diamond:
.5 carat = $1,000-$1,500
1 carat = $3,000-$4,000
2 carat = $8,000-$11,000
3 carat = $18,000-$25,000

Fancy intense Yellow Diamond:
.5 carat = $1,500-$2,500
1 carat = $3,500-$5,500
2 carat = $15,000-$20,000
3 carat = $25,000-$40,000

Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond
.5 carat = $2,500-$3,500
1 carat = $8,500-$12,500
2 carat = $30,000-$45,000
3 carat = $55,000-$80,000

White Diamond G Color:
.5 carat = $1,000
1 carat = $4,500
2 carat = $14,000
3 carat = $40,000

Note: The prices above are for yellow diamonds with a cushion or radiant cut (the most common cut for yellow diamonds) and the white diamond is a round brilliant. Round yellow diamonds are nearly impossible to find.

As you can see, once the white diamond starts hitting a higher carat weight, it jumps significantly in price, even higher than a fancy yellow diamond. So, it’s really hard to say which is more expensive as every diamond is unique. But, in terms of buying natural diamonds, which is an expensive endeavor no matter what, fancy yellow diamonds are very affordable.

FANCY YELLOW DIAMOND RINGS IN BOCA RATON (AND ONLINE!)

Diamonds By Raymond Lee and Raymond Lee Jewelers in Boca Raton specialize in yellow diamond jewelry. We have many gorgeous yellow diamond earrings, bracelets, necklaces and pendants. However, our largest collection of yellow diamond jewelry is in the form of rings. We have a wide selection of absolutely breathtaking fancy yellow diamond rings, which includes engagement rings, eternity rings, wedding bands, cocktail rings and overall statement pieces.

All of our fancy yellow diamond rings come with a GIA certificate of authenticity. When you buy a yellow diamond from us, you know exactly what you are getting and we can explain everything on the GIA cert to you.

We recommend checking through our website to see all the yellow diamond rings that we have to offer. This post features just a small taste of our yellow diamond ring collection.

Fancy Yellow Diamond Rings at Diamonds By Raymond Lee

Fancy Yellow Diamond Rings at Raymond Lee Jewelers

If you have any questions about yellow diamonds or our collection of yellow diamond jewelry and rings, please feel free to contact us. Our staff is made up of certified gemologists and expert jewelers, so we can answer any and all of your questions.