“…How many colours can a diamond possess? The answer is every shade of the rainbow. Each colour can be caused by different phenomena or combinations, nitrogen can cause yellow, boron can cause blue; some causes aren’t fully understood. The beauty in impurity: tiny impurities cause fantastic colours. Scientists in Australia and London study causes of colour; diamond is a unique high-temperature, high-pressure material, with very specific chemistry and physics…”
YELLOW DIAMOND
The beauty of a yellow diamond lies in the way light plays within it, a glow revealed only through masterful cutting. Among the finest examples is the L’Incomparable Diamond, discovered as an 890-carat rough and refined to a remarkable 407 carats.
The Eureka Diamond, the first yellow diamond discovered in Africa. Today, it rests with De Beers, treasured not for its brilliance but for the story it tells.
PINK DIAMOND
Soft, romantic, yet fiercely coveted. The Marie-Thérèse diamond, weighing 10.38 carats, commanded USD 13.98 million in 2025. The Rosenberg Williamson Pink Star holds the world record at USD 5 million per carat, its intricate faceting intensifying a mesmerising hue that defies time and light.
ORANGE DIAMOND
Fiery and bold, orange diamonds are true rarities. The Pumpkin Diamond, a 5.5 carat vivid orange gem, made headlines when auctioned the night before Halloween, and later worn by Halle Berry at the Oscars.
A minor chip once required careful repolishing, yet it proudly retained its weight above 5.5 carats.Today, even larger vivid orange treasures up to nearly 15 carats have emerged.
RED DIAMOND
The rarest of all diamond hues, red is a colour whispered about in collector circles. The Hancock Red, a petite 0.95 carat stone, stunned the world in 1987 when it sold for USD 880,000 per carat, proof that true rarity needs no perfection to shine.
GREEN DIAMOND
Green diamonds are exceptionally rare, with their colour typically formed by natural radiation. The true challenge lies in distinguishing a naturally formed hue from one created through treatment.
The 41-carat Dresden Green Diamond, discovered in 1722, later captivated Frederick the Great of Prussia, who had it set as a hat ornament. It remains in this form today, safeguarded in the Green Vault in Dresden for centuries.
BLUE DIAMOND
Born in ancient mines of India and adored by kings, blue diamonds carry a mystique like no other. The Hope Diamond, once owned by Louis XIV, now captivates visitors at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
In modern times, the Blue Moon of Josephine dazzled the market at Sotheby’s in 2015, selling for USD 48.4 million or around USD 4 million per carat to a collector in Hong Kong.
VIOLET DIAMOND
Dreamlike and ethereal, these hues are among the rarest, especially from Australia’s now-closed Argyle mine. Even a diamond of one or two carats is considered extraordinary.
