Are you familiar with fancy green diamonds? It’s a topic that isn’t well-known among most people.
In this informative Twirl Weddings guide, I’ll provide answers to some important inquiries regarding the purchase of engagement rings made with fancy green diamonds. We’ll explore topics such as:
- Where are green diamonds found?
- Are fancy green diamonds authentic?
- How do green diamonds acquire their distinctive color?
Best Places to Buy Fancy Green Diamonds
James Allen
If you’re searching for a vast range of green diamonds to choose from, look no further than James Allen. They consistently rank high on our lists and boast the widest assortment of jewelry options.
They have both natural green diamonds and lab-created fancy green diamonds in their collection. Each diamond is presented with an interactive 360˚ view for your convenience.
Currently, their inventory holds slightly over 40 natural green diamonds. Most of these diamonds have a light green shade, while a few display hints of yellow that create a vibrant neon-like effect. All the natural green diamonds are GIA certified, guaranteeing their quality.
On the lab-grown side, James Allen offers around 80 created fancy green diamonds. Many of these diamonds exhibit light bluish green tones, although there are also several forest green diamonds available. Personally, I find the seafoam light green diamond hues particularly captivating.
To complement these beautiful green diamonds, James Allen provides a wide selection of ring settings, allowing you to create stunning engagement rings. Plus, your purchase includes a free lifetime warranty that covers any regular maintenance your engagement ring may require in the future.
Read the complete James Allen review to know what to expect of the online jewelry store.
Blue Nile
When it comes to selecting a green diamond for your engagement ring at Blue Nile, you’re limited to natural options. They have a collection of approximately 60 fancy green diamonds available, but most of them lack a 360˚ video display. Instead, stock photos are provided, which can potentially mislead diamond buyers who aren’t aware of this.
Out of the available options, only around 20 diamonds currently offer an interactive 360˚ video. However, Blue Nile provides a helpful key describing the different hues of green diamonds. It’s worth noting that even though stock photos are used, you can still inquire and request actual photos of the diamond. Rest assured, all fancy color diamonds at Blue Nile are GIA certified.
Customers often prefer Blue Nile over other diamond retailers due to their exceptional service. They were pioneers in offering loose diamonds online back in 1999, which helped them establish a loyal customer base. Despite not always having the highest prices, many still choose Blue Nile for their engagement rings because of the service they provide.
One aspect where Blue Nile falls short is in offering a comprehensive maintenance plan. While they provide a manufacturer’s warranty that covers design flaws and defects, additional services like rhodium plating white gold or retipping prongs to ensure the security of your green diamond come at an extra cost.
For routine maintenance, you may need to visit a local jeweler and pay out of pocket. It’s important to keep in mind that this could void the manufacturer’s warranty provided by Blue Nile.
Read our complete Blue Nile review.
Leibish & Co.
If you’re considering shopping at Leibish & Co. for a natural green diamond, be prepared to have a substantial amount of money. This company offers a wide range of fancy color diamonds, including some lesser-known varieties like fancy white, fancy grey, and the exceptionally rare fancy red diamonds.
Leibish specializes in fancy color diamonds and colored gemstones. Currently, they have an impressive inventory of over 170 green diamonds. While not all of them have accompanying videos, many do.
When it comes to green diamonds, Leibish offers the finest intensities and tones available online. However, this also means they come with higher price tags.
Their collection comprises the top-notch fancy color diamonds. I would suggest avoiding their engagement ring settings, as they tend to be quite expensive. It’s more cost-effective to purchase a fancy green diamond from Leibish and find a setting elsewhere.
The prices for fancy vivid green diamonds may not be listed on the website. Instead, you may need to contact them directly. While it’s disappointing not to see the prices upfront, it likely indicates that they cater to serious buyers.
Leibish is an excellent choice if you can afford it, especially when it comes to purchasing a green diamond. However, it’s worth noting that they don’t offer lab-created fancy color diamonds, so if budget is a concern, there are other options available on our list.
Read the complete Leibish review.
RECOMMENDED: Lab Grown Blue Diamonds
Brilliant Earth
In contrast, Brilliant Earth specializes in lab-grown green diamonds. They do have natural fancy color diamonds, but their selection is limited to blue, yellow, and pink diamonds.
Their lab-grown fancy green diamonds come in various hues and intensities. However, they don’t provide detailed information about each diamond’s clarity and other specifics. Instead, you can examine the grading certificate to access more detailed specifications.
AVAILABLE ON BRILLIANTEARTH
I must admit, Brilliant Earth offers some of the most stunning engagement ring settings I’ve come across. With a wide array of beautiful designs, it’s challenging to make a choice. They also allow you to view the rings in a 360˚ video format and even superimpose them on your own hand using their mobile site on your phone.
Additionally, Brilliant Earth provides the Brilliant Benefits plan, which covers the routine maintenance required for your fancy green diamond engagement ring throughout the years. Unlike some other retailers, this plan is available for purchase rather than being a free benefit.
Check out the complete Brilliant Earth review.
RECOMMENDED: Best Place to Buy Lab Created Yellow Diamonds
What Makes Green Diamonds Green in Color?
The green color of fancy color diamonds can arise from either internal stresses within the diamond’s crystal structure or the presence of impurities that enter the crystal during formation. Some green diamonds are naturally formed, while others are created intentionally.
Natural Fancy Green Diamonds
To transform ordinary diamonds into fancy green diamonds, a crucial step involves subjecting them to radiation during their growth process. For this to occur, the diamonds must be forming within rocks that contain radioactive elements like uranium, nickel, or hydrogen. These elements replace certain atoms within the diamond’s crystal lattice, resulting in the striking green color that we perceive.
It’s worth noting that different elements can produce various shades of green in diamonds. Pure-green diamonds are incredibly rare, comprising only 0.07% of all green diamonds.
Lab-Grown Fancy Green Diamonds
When it comes to laboratory-grown green diamonds, their journey begins as colorless diamonds and undergoes a process similar to the conditions diamonds experience deep within the Earth. This process is known as the HPHT process, which stands for high pressure high temperature.
To achieve a light green or yellow-green hue in a lab-grown diamond, small amounts of nitrogen or boron are introduced during the growth process. Interestingly, nitrogen is also responsible for the natural fancy yellow diamonds. Additionally, synthetic fancy green diamonds can be created by subjecting yellow lab-grown diamonds to irradiation.
Where Can You Find Green Diamonds?
The majority of green diamonds are typically mined in Africa and South America. These diamonds exhibit a variety of hues, such as bluish-green, gray-green, and yellow-green.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fancy Green Diamonds
Green diamonds remain a lesser-known gemstone, and only a few jewelers offer them in their collections. Traditionally, pink diamonds, blue diamonds, and yellow diamonds have garnered more attention from gem enthusiasts. However, let’s delve into the frequently asked questions about green diamonds.
Are There Any Notable Green Diamonds?
Green diamonds come in various captivating hues, with the most common shades being yellow-green or bluish-green.
The Aurora Green Diamond
Among the renowned green diamonds, the Aurora Green Diamond stands out as a true gem. This extraordinary diamond fetched an astonishing $168 million at an auction, making it the most expensive green diamond ever sold. Weighing 5.03 carats, it boasts a vivid green color and holds the distinction of being the largest natural fancy green diamond ever evaluated by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America).
The Dresden Green Diamond
Another remarkable green diamond that holds a place of fame is the Dresden Green diamond. This extraordinary gem weighs a substantial 40.7 carats and boasts a fancy green color with a clarity rating of VS1. The diamond showcases an even distribution of its captivating green hue throughout its large pear cut, and jewelers speculate that with a recut, it has the potential to achieve internal flawlessness.
Discovered in the year 1722 at the Kollur mine in India, the Dresden Green diamond quickly gained widespread recognition and became renowned as the most famous green diamond of its time. However, its reign of fame eventually saw a new challenger in 2016 with the emergence of the Aurora Green Diamond.
Originally, the Dresden Green diamond was presented to King George I, who held the Indian merchant responsible for this impressive 41-carat fancy green diamond in high regard. Over time, the diamond found its way into the possession of various royalties, including King Augustus and his successor, Augustus II. The diamond underwent several setting changes, eventually finding a place near the Dresden white diamond. Today, it rests in the Dresden Castle, where it remains on public display, captivating visitors with its stunning beauty.
What is the Price Range of Green Diamonds?
Are Green Diamonds Hard to Find?
Finding a natural green diamond is quite challenging, as it belongs to the category of the rarest fancy color diamonds available. While yellow, brown, and black diamonds are more commonly encountered, pink, orange, and blue diamonds are known to be even rarer but more popular. On the other hand, green diamonds, along with purple and fancy white diamonds, remain relatively less known.
What Makes Green Diamonds Rare?
The rarity of natural green diamonds can be attributed to the specific conditions they require to form. These conditions involve the presence of radioactive minerals, which are not readily found in many regions across the globe.
Moreover, for a green diamond to be considered truly exceptional, it must exhibit a sufficiently intense and consistent green color throughout the entire stone. Achieving such uniformity adds an additional layer of rarity to these exquisite gems.
Choosing the Right Metal for Your Green Diamond Engagement Ring
When it comes to selecting the metal color for your engagement ring, opinions may vary. Some individuals prefer their favorite metal, while others consider what complements the color of their diamond or gemstone.
First and foremost, it’s important to clarify that there is no “wrong” choice when it comes to the metal color for your green diamond engagement ring. However, let’s delve into the technical aspects.
What about Fancy Green Diamonds in Platinum or White Gold?
Green is considered a cool-toned color. Cool tones generally harmonize well with other cool tones. For a green diamond engagement ring, experts suggest that it looks particularly stunning when set in either white gold or platinum. Both of these metals have a silvery white appearance. Whether your green diamond is a fancy light green, fancy bluish green, or fancy dark green, it is likely to shine beautifully when paired with a cool-toned metal.
Should Fancy Green Diamonds be Set in Rose Gold or Yellow Gold?
It is not unusual to come across green gemstones set in either yellow gold or rose gold. Both of these metals are known for their warm tones. Generally, you will find gemstones with a darker green shade, similar to emerald jewelry, complementing these types of metals.
However, it’s worth noting that fancy light green diamonds may appear less prominent when paired with yellow gold or rose gold. The colors of these metals can sometimes overshadow the light green hue of the stone.
Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that the choice of engagement ring setting for your green diamond is entirely based on your personal preference. Ultimately, opt for what you love rather than solely relying on expert opinions. The color of the metal does not impact the quality of your green diamond engagement ring in any way.