Top 5 Most Famous Yellow Diamonds
By Space Coast Daily // December 17, 2022
Despite all the variety of original classic colored diamonds, in recent years, fancy diamond gemstones are gaining more and more popularity and demand.
We will learn about bright and interesting facts from the point of view of construction and formation, we will consider some outstanding and famous lemon-colored diamonds.
Let’s also talk about natural yellow diamonds rings. Let’s not forget to mention yellow diamonds and other little-known facts and events.
We hope that this light and informative and interesting article will arouse your genuine interest and attract full and unfeigned attention! We wish you a pleasant and exciting reading.
Long process of formation and properties of yellow diamond
It takes more than one hundred years (and sometimes thousands and millions of years) for nature to form a yellow diamonds and other types of diamonds without human intervention under conditions of constant high pressure and the action of stable high temperatures far in the depths of the earth’s crust. Therefore, they attract attention, remaining one of the most expensive and stunningly beautiful minerals on our planet.
The yellow hue is achieved by getting into the unique solid diamond lattice impurities of ferruginous minerals, including lithium. They can impart a yellowish tint to colorless specimens and fancy diamonds of other colors (blue, cognac, green, etc.).
Also, minerals can form in the form of a yellow or lemon color of the very sample, which will soon become famous and expensive, after an individual cut, giving it a uniqueness.
Yellow diamonds and diamonds are often called the “solar” miracle, as their play really resembles the play of rays coming from our only star, the Sun.
Artificial coloring
There are also “human” measures to give this or that mineral a yellow tint or color saturation with the same lemon color:
1. Mineral processing under the influence of high constant pressure and temperatures . In fact, this is an artificial attempt to repeat the actions of mother nature only for a significantly shorter time period. This method is widely used and allows you to slightly increase or decrease the saturation of a yellow diamond up or down. The automated process makes it easy to observe and control the reaction.
2. Another human intervention to increase the intensity of color saturation is the irradiation of alpha, beta and gamma yellow diamond particles in a nuclear reactor. Passing particles through an experimental mineral affects the covalent bonds and molecules of impurities (the same lithium and other iron ores) and improves their color component, which is also reflected in the saturation of the diamond itself.
There are other ways. Some are legal, conducted under strict control and directed only for the better. Others are not only persecuted, but also punished, and can harm a diamond or other mineral in such a way that it immediately loses any value for jewelry.
A few more possibilities for the formation of a yellow diamond
In addition to the formation process described above in the earth’s crust, some yellow samples came to us from outer space.
Before the appearance of the atmosphere on the planet Earth and the natural satellite of the Moon, our planet was constantly attacked by space guests, carrying diamonds with them.
More unique specimens were formed at the moment of impact of a meteorite on the earth’s surface. This sudden pressure drop and impossibly high temperatures allowed such a miracle to occur.
What is most surprising is that these are not fairy tales, since almost all natural and artificial components of our planet are based on carbon and its compounds, which allow us to enjoy our benefits in any quantity.
They try to recreate such a “coincidence” in experimental laboratories, and scientists succeed. Yes, even if it is not a unique diamond that costs from $1,000,000, but quite nice and artificially bred diamonds can be cut to the same beautiful diamond products.
Then they are put in a yellow diamond ring and put up for sale at a lower cost. Such a diamond can be bought not only by a wealthy rich man. The growing popularity of artificial diamonds was influenced not only by the crisis situation in the world, but also by the growing demand for them.
Top 5 Most Famous Yellow Diamonds
There are several yellow diamonds in the world that have a rich history.
Tiffany
a golden yellow diamond that is one of the largest ever discovered in the world. Its original weight in raw form was 287.42 carats (57.484 grams). Discovered in 1878 in the Kimberley mine in South Africa.
It was processed by Georg Frederik Kunz, a well-known German jeweler in those days. After processing, it has a cushion cut and a weight of 128.54 carats (25.108 grams). Contains 90 facets. The stone was inserted into the Golden Bird jewelry brooch encrusted with diamonds. Work on the stone was carried out for about two years.
Over the years, the Tiffany diamond has taken part in various events and exhibitions. In 1972, it was put up for sale with a price tag of $5 million.
But buyers have not been found for all the time since its sale. Currently, the popular Tiffany diamond is still the symbol of this popular jewelry house and flaunts in one of the windows of the Tiffany & Co store, located on Fifth Avenue.
All night
Fancy bright yellow diamond, the size of which is 101.29 carats (20.258 grams). It is cushion cut, equal in color to Fancy Vivid Yellow and VS2 clarity according to the international GIA classification. It was named after its owner, Alfred Ernest Alnutt.
In 1950, by order of Alnat, the diamond was given to Cartier, who cut it in the form of a beautiful flower with a stem made of platinum, two leaves along the edges and five petals. The stone was resold at Christie’s in 1996 for an impressive $3,043,496.
Sansi
A light yellow diamond that is cut in the form of a drop and shimmers with yellow-pink hues. The weight of this light yellow stone is 55.23 carats. His homeland is India.
French-born collector Nicolas de Sancy bought this diamond back in 1570. Since 1978, the stone has been in the Louvre in the Apollo Gallery, which provides an opportunity for any visitor to enjoy its beauty.
Florentine
Lemon yellow diamond. The second name of the stone is “Austrian yellow diamond”. Its cut is made in the form of a pandelok with nine chains of facets.
The original weight of the diamond is not known, but after the first cut, the weight of the stone was equal to 137.27 carats.
At the moment, the exact location of the diamond is unknown. There is information that it was brought from India to Europe in the XIV century. It is assumed that the stone became so called because it was found in Tuscany.
Graff Vivid Yellow
For a record 14.5 million francs ($16.35 million), the 100.09-carat Graff Vivid Yellow diamond went under the hammer in Geneva on Tuesday.
In the auction house Sotheby’s, which conducted the auction, we are talking about a new record value for a yellow diamond.
The previous price was set in November 2011 when a 110.03 carat yellow diamond sold for $12.4 million.
Encrusted in the Graff Vivid Yellow ring, one of the largest yellow diamonds in the world, was put up for auction by the Graff jewelry house. Prior to the start of the auction, it was planned to raise $15-25 million for this lot.