Fancy Color Diamonds: Unveiling Their Rich Heritage and Fascinating Tales

In antiquity, during the sixth century in the Indian subcontinent, the inception of the first-ever diamond color-grading system was enshrined within the intricate tapestry of the country's venerable class structure. Within this stratified society, the attribution of specific diamond hues as status symbols prevailed, rendering these exquisite gemstones as tangible badges of one's social standing.

The priestly and regal echelons, known as the Brahmins, were accorded the privilege of possessing diamonds that possessed a pristine luster akin to the "whitest of the conch, of the lotus, or of the rock crystal," indicative of the spectrum extending from pure white to colorlessness. Simultaneously, the landed gentry and valiant warriors were assigned diamonds bearing the "brown color of the eye of the hare," distinguishing their stature. The merchant class, on the other hand, was entrusted with diamonds reflecting the "pretty nuance of a petal of a kadl [flower]"—namely, shades of yellow. Contrariwise, individuals of humbler origins were assigned diamonds evoking "the sheen of a burnished sword," denoting hues ranging from gray to black. Remarkably, kings were bestowed with the prerogative to possess diamonds of any chromatic manifestation.

The journey of diamond color-grading has traversed a considerable distance since those bygone epochs. Presently, well-established methodologies for the assessment of diamond color hinge upon rigorous scientific criteria, transcending the subjective comparisons to natural elements such as conch shells, rabbits' eyes, and delicate petals. The only determinants governing the selection of diamonds in various colors are presently limited by factors of availability and financial means.

The domain of fancy color diamonds, historically relegated to the periphery of the diamond industry, has experienced an unprecedented resurgence in terms of popularity and accessibility in recent decades. Pioneering this transformation, the Argyle mine in Australia spearheaded a marketing campaign during the 1980s, branding their brown diamonds with monikers like "Champagne" and "Cognac." Argyle not only successfully heightened public awareness concerning fancy color diamonds but also notably concluded their promotional endeavors during the late 1990s. In the contemporary context, the Argyle mine's reputation extends beyond its production of brown diamonds, having cemented its standing as the world's preeminent source of exceedingly rare pink diamonds.