Fancy Yellow diamonds vs lower color

[spike13]

So fancy yellow diamonds seem to cost a premium but lower color "yellow" stones to most are not as desirable.

What is the difference between the two types? At what point does a lower color become a fancy yellow?

 

[webz]

Fancy color diamonds start beyond the D-Z scale of color for colorless diamonds.

In theory, the "best" Z color stone should be virtually indistinguisable from the "worst" Light Yellow (understanding that there is a range for any given color grade and that the definition of color is a subjective evaluation coupled with the understanding that there are a couple of grades of color below, that is to say less saturate than Fancy Light Yellow) but the reality is that to make the fancy color grade the average Fancy Light Yellow should have significantly more visable color than any stone in the D-Z range.

The actual fancy color diamond color saturation scale by GIA standards is:

Faint
Very Light
Light
Fancy Light
Fancy
Fancy Intense
Fancy Deep
Fancy Dark
Fancy Vivid

The other difference that I''ve seen is that a W-Z color stone has a richer version of the almost manilla coloring that describes lower color colorless stones while the fancy color diamonds have a more pure tonality to the color even if less saturate.

If the pricing you were comparing was between a Fancy Light Yellow and a Z then yes, the fancy yellow will sell at a premium.
However, yellow diamonds are easily comperable in cost to the main range of saleable diamonds in the colorless category.

I hope this helps.
If you have additional questions just post them.
I always find time to answer fancy color questions.

 

[diagem]

Date: 4/22/2008 12:18:21 AM
Author:spike13
So fancy yellow diamonds seem to cost a premium but lower color ''yellow'' stones to most are not as desirable.

What is the difference between the two types? At what point does a lower color become a fancy yellow?

Here is a good read:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/fancy-light-yellow-fancy-or-cape.66898/

 

[oldminer]

I own a 1 ct round with a GIA old cert giving its color as Y-Z. By today's looser standards it is, at the very least, a fancy yellow stone. This is a strong indicator that there hs been some adjustment of GIA standards over the past 25 years and that while we want to believe that the fancy yellow range is after the D-Z scale, the reality today is that is begins sooner. I'd say closer to R/S is about the range where prices take an upturn and diamonds get graded as Light Fancy Yellow when they face-up with nice color. A diamond which is cut to enhance the coloration makes many of the lighter colors look deeper and better.

The pinks and blues begin to be fancy color range quite a way before Z, too. This is nothing new and the rarity of them dictates the market, not a letter of the alphabet. It is what the eyes see and not an arbitrary category defining the value.

 

[spike13]

I find it interesting that there''s a point where color is undesirable and then it flips and it is desirable.

Thank you for the additional information. I guess things like this are what makes stones so fascinating.

 

[diagem]

Date: 4/23/2008 1:16:52 PM
Author: spike13
I find it interesting that there''s a point where color is undesirable and then it flips and it is desirable.

Thank you for the additional information. I guess things like this are what makes stones so fascinating.

You are right..., thats the absurd of the fact!

In my opinion..., the gap should be much, much wider for it to make sense for the value...