Can All Yellow Diamonds Be Called Canary Diamonds?

Although rarer than traditional white diamonds, yellow stones are fairly common among fancy colored diamonds. There is a common false impression that ayellow diamond is less valuable than a clear diamonds. Even though very light or slightly yellow diamonds are thought to be fairly common and not of a really high value, yellow diamonds such as intense and vivid are quite valuable.



Natural yellow diamonds with secondary brown tones are worth substantially less than pure yellow stones. However, secondary colors of green-yellow or orange-yellow can significantly increase the value of the diamond because these colors are even scarcer than fancy yellow diamonds.



Yellow diamonds are graded on the strength and intensity of color. The highest-quality grade is the Vivid Yellow, followed by the Intense Yellow diamond. The lowest quality of natural yellow diamond is the Light Yellow diamond, closely followed by the Fancy Yellow. A number of shades of Vivid Yellow diamonds and the rarer Intense Yellow diamonds are called Canary Diamonds. Canary yellow diamonds are the rarest among yellow diamonds and for that reason they are the most costly and are desirable by both investors and classy buyers. The canary diamond has a very unique shade of yellow, and even if you have never seen a Canary Yellow before, if you were to see one, you will “recognize” it immediately!



Yellow diamonds are usually set in yellow gold. When it comes to setting, yellow diamonds look magnificent if they are combined with white stones, as the white ones create a strong color contrast. If you happen to choose a yellow diamond to be the center stone for your 3 stone ring, then it is recommended to have white side stones and trapeze, triangle or oval shapes can be a perfect match.



Just as with other natural fancy color diamonds the color remains the main criterion that influences the value of the diamond, after this comes the size and clarity of the stone. Clarity is also important in the evaluation of yellow diamonds, though this is much less than in white diamonds.



The ideal cut for fancy colored diamonds is the Radiant cut. This is the perfect shape so that it is possible to take full advantage of the color. Yellow diamonds can be also in the Cushion cut, Oval cut, and Pear and Heart shapes. The rarest are the Emerald, Square Emerald and the Brilliant cuts (round shape). Prices of these shapes are substantially higher for all fancy diamonds and not just for yellow diamonds.



The cut quality of a colored diamond is very different to the traditional white diamond. The objective when cutting a fancy color diamond is to intensify the depth and saturation of color while managing to strike a balance between the carat weight and brilliance. When purchasing a natural yellow diamond or any other fancy color diamond, it’s vital to check that the stone is accompanied by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grading report, or other trustworthy laboratories like HRD, IGI, EGL, stating that the color is natural. The report must also state the intensity of color, along with how the color is distributed throughout the diamond.



The Kimberley Octahedron is the largest naturally formed actohedral diamond in the world. It's owner, who happens to be the mine owner prefers not to cut this diamond at all, but to leave it in its original condition. Due to this the color and distribution grades are not able to be given to this wonderful diamond.