Everything You Need To Know About Colour Grading Argyle Pink Diamonds
Buying a pink diamond is a privilege particularly because the supply for authentic Argyle pink diamonds is all set to be stopped within the next year. This makes it even more important that if you are looking to invest in these stones, you get a move on with your purchases. However, buying a diamond is not like any other commodity trading. You need to evaluate the stones accords multiple parameters and one of the most valuable of these is the colour grading. Especially for coloured diamonds, these parameters hold the most important when it comes to evaluating their true value today and in the future. If you have to be accustomed to this evaluation, here is a brief guide that will allow you to know everything pertinent about colour grading premium pink diamonds.
Three main colour based attributes determine the overall grade of pink diamonds.
Hue
This is the predominant colour of the diamond and is often referred to as the primary colour. This colour is further enhanced or modified according to the presence of secondary colours or detracting tints beneath the surface of the diamonds. Based on this list of argyle pinks can be classified into purplish pink hue, pink hue, Rose Pink hue and champagne-hued pink diamonds.
Tone
The tone refers to the gravity of the shade of the colour. Therefore, the tone ranges from light to dark shades of pink within the diamond. As a regular rule, darker-toned pink diamonds are held more in value as compared to their lighter shade counterparts.
Saturation
The saturation refers to the clarity of the colour, which also contributes to the overall shade of the pink diamonds. The hue saturation of these diamonds can also range from lighter tones to stronger saturation, which gives a more vivid prominence to the primary colour of the stone.
Presence of secondary colours and their significance
For colour grading pink diamonds, you have to measure the stones according to the above-mentioned attributes. However, the presence of various secondary colours beneath the stone surface also contributes majorly to the ultimate value of the stones. The purplish-pink diamond where a purple undertone darkens the pink shade of the diamond stands to be the most valuable shade amongst the pink diamond family. However, the overtone colours of brown, brownish orange, greyish pink and orange purple are also quite commonly found. Although these overtones might actually lower the value of the diamonds significantly due to their colour, detractions from the truest pink shade (primary colour) of the stone.
GIA grading of colour intensities
Pink diamonds are also measured according to the GIA grade based on their varying intensities. They can be grouped into the light, faint, fancy light, very light, fancy intense, vivid, dark and fancy deep varieties. These intensities are brought out based on various colour shade combinations within the stone.
While colours can be discerned easily through personal observation, it does take a trained eye to distinguish between the various tones, inclusions and shade combinations that truly mark the grade of a pink diamond. Relying on a trustworthy professional for grading and certifying your stone will be the best solution if you are truly looking to purchase an investment-grade pink diamond for your portfolio.
