When it comes to diamonds, rarity equals value. For diamonds in the common range, colourless diamonds are the most desirable, with D grade diamonds being the clearest and highest-quality diamond type. All coloured diamonds are known as fancy diamonds and vary in rarity. Yellow fancy diamonds are one of the more common colours, with estimations being that 60 percent of fancy diamonds have yellow tones. However, with only 1 in 10,000 carats producing a fancy diamond, yellow diamonds are still incredibly unusual. As not all fancy diamonds have the same depth of colour, the GIA system is used to determine the intensity of a stone’s saturation. The intensity scale for a yellow diamond list is, fancy light yellow, fancy yellow, fancy intense yellow, fancy dark yellow, fancy vivid yellow, fancy deep yellow. Most noteworthy, the further the diamond is along the scale, the more it is worth.
Round brilliant cuts can cause colour desaturation because they are best at reflecting white light, which also gives them their fire. In the case of yellow diamonds, a round cut may make the yellow colour appear fainter, whereas a fancy shape, which reflects less white light, will maximise colour saturation.
The yellow diamond expert tips
A way of intensifying the colour of a yellow diamond ring is through following Beckham’s cue, and having the diamond surrounded with gold. If you prefer the look of white gold or platinum, it is advisable to have the basket that holds the diamond, made out of yellow or rose gold. Once light shines through the yellow of the basket, the diamond can appear to be a grade higher on the intensity scale.
Victoria Beckham's yellow diamond ring
In 1998, David Beckham proposed to Victoria Adams with a marquise-cut diamond on a yellow gold band. Since then, she has owned numerous engagement rings, our favourite being a large fancy yellow, emerald-cut diamond, set on a triple band of yellow gold.
Our top 5 yellow diamond rings
