Natural red diamonds are the rarest and most expensive type of diamonds in the world because it is extremely difficult for pure carbon components to form a deep red. Keep reading to learn more about this type of fancy colored diamond.
What Are Red Diamonds?
Red diamonds are diamonds that display a rich red color and contain the same properties as colorless diamonds. Natural diamonds are made of pure carbon atoms and lack chemical impurities that give other colored diamonds their hue. Like black and white diamonds, they cannot be found in varying intensity levels, such as light, intense and vivid. These fiery diamonds fall under the category of the most uncommon and one-of-a-kind colored diamonds whose singular intensity level is fancy.
Red diamonds are only found in a few mines. They are known to have been found in Brazil, Australia, India and Africa. Each year, just a few pure red diamonds are discovered, with only 20-30 pieces known to exist worldwide.
There are five known diamonds with true red hues whose weight exceeds 5 carats, implying that they are not famous for their size but for their incredible color. Due to their extraordinary rarity, most known red diamonds weigh less than one carat. These smaller versions are also expensive, costing upwards of $1 million per carat.
What Is the Meaning of a Red Diamond?
Many stones, including diamonds that are fiery red in color, can be interpreted to hold more profound meanings. Most of these meanings have a long history, such as a yellow diamond ring indicating the start or continuance of a good life while being in love.
When used as an engagement ring, these rare red gemstones express one’s understanding, dedication, and commitment to growing and evolving with their spouse since they carry a compelling message of everlasting love.
Aside from symbolizing intense and everlasting love, these fiery diamonds can represent intense beauty, passion, and confidence. They are also associated with a wise mind, plenty of vitality, and good fortune in life.
How Does a Red Diamond Get Its Color?
Whereas other fancy-colored diamonds, such as purple diamonds, obtain their beautiful hues from impurities generated by boron, high nitrogen levels, hydrogen, or even extreme pressure, these fiery diamonds are made up of pure carbon. They are pure carbon gemstones, much like colorless diamonds, with a rare occurrence in atomic structure that enables color to form.
While the exact cause of their color is still under scrutiny by experts, some geologists believe the red color is due to atomic structure changes that occurred throughout the diamond’s trip to the surface of the Earth (a process known as plastic deformation). The high pressure sustained by the red diamonds influences their molecular structure in a manner similar to pink diamonds.
According to this hypothesis, more pressure would result in a deeper red color. However, no one knows where the fiery diamond’s color comes from, which adds to the mystery surrounding this rarest color diamond.
The uneven lattice of the stone bends light due to the atomic structure difference, giving it a deep crimson appearance. Moreover, they might appear different in different lighting settings because their hue is a trick of the light.
While they’ll never appear colorless, various lighting might make them appear more luminously red. The intensity of the red in these stones is enhanced by candlelight and daylight compared to fluorescent lights that do not adequately illuminate them.
Why Are Red Diamonds So Rare?
Unlike other colored diamonds, diamonds of a fiery red color are entirely made up of carbon and exhibit this unique coloration without any chemical impurities. The red color of the diamond comes from a rare occurrence in its structure known as plastic deformation. The extreme rarity of “pure” diamonds with an intense red color is highly sought after. They are rarely found in sizes bigger than 1 carat, and only about 20-30 pure red diamonds are known to exist.
What Is a Red Diamond Worth?
Although they are the most expensive colored diamonds, the price pegged on these coveted gems will depend on several factors, such as the carat, cut, color, and clarity of the stone.
Red diamonds, with modifying colors such as purple, orange, and brown, are more common and will generally cost less.
For example, the Moussaieif Red- the largest and most expensive red diamond discovered in Abaetezinho River by a farmer in the 1990s was sold in 2001 for 8 million dollars, at about $1.2 million per carat.
Another example of how valuable these red diamonds are is the Hancock Red, a 0.95-carat diamond with a striking red color. Bought by Warren Hancock from a local jewelry store in 1956 for a mere $13,500, it later sold for 880,000 dollars at a 1987 auction at Christie’s NY at an astonishing 6500% profit, setting the record of the most expensive diamond to sell at an auction at the time.
Today, however, a red diamond from a reputable regular jeweler is $400,000 to $600,000 per carat.
Why are Red Diamonds Expensive?
These fiery diamonds are expensive because they are extremely rare. Bearing no chemical impurities, a red diamonds’ composition allows it to exhibit a unique coloration. All fancy-colored diamonds are sought after, but these diamonds are the purest and the rarest, making their price per carat significantly higher than other gemstones. There are lab diamond versions of diamonds with fiery red hues which come at a much more affordable price point. Sapphires are another gemstone that come in all hues of red.
Final Thoughts
Coveted for their beauty and exclusivity, red diamonds are one of the most precious and rare commodities on earth. So much so that there’s only one currently on public display – the DeYoung diamond lives behind bullet-proof glass at The Smithsonian in Washington D.C. If you’re in the area, make sure you visit to ogle its beauty.
