The long-term value of colored diamonds
The $17.3 million sale of the blue-green Ocean Dream by Christie’s Geneva in May has retrained the spotlight on colored diamonds. Meanwhile, new hues are gaining in popularity.
In terms of scarcity, the numbers speak for themselves: colored diamonds account for just 0.01% of all mined diamonds. A rare red diamond appears only once every six or seven years. Nor is there any doubt as to the value these stones command. According to the Natural Diamond Council, since 2005 prices for fancy colored diamonds have soared 205%, reaching a record +393.5% for pink stones and +242.4% for blue. An exceptional vivid blue-green, the Ocean Dream is all the more remarkable as its color is saturated right the way through the stone: a rare phenomenon that explains this record price. COLOR… BUT ALSO CUT A sign of the surge in interest in colored diamonds, nine specialist diamantaires were among the exhibitors at the latest GemGenève fair. Yellow diamonds are driving the market, representing between 80% and 90% of sales, followed by pink, blue, green, violet, orange and red. Rachminov Diamonds, who “sees the world through the prism of colored diamonds”, observes a difference between Europe, where the focus is on higher grade Intense and Vivid stones, and the United States, which accepts a broader range of color and purity. However, quality of cut remains a prime requirement. A colored diamond can take months to cut and demands extremely specific expertise. “You need to analyze the shape that will bring out the most beautiful nuances while preserving as much of the stone as possible,” said an exhibitor at GemGenève. “A stone that loses color, loses value.” /public-objects/e5794766-0e39-4197-8b67-90d2e5debfac-261fd009-9935-4922-9936-a5c467c74c99-Louis%20Vuitton%20bague%20Victory%20or%2C%20diamant%20vert%2C%20diamant%20rose%20et%20diamants.webp Image sélectionnée /public-objects/dd184ab3-03ca-4624-9404-4de4f41f9470-48685df8-baab-48ab-9099-be806fd4589c-De%20Beers%20London%20bague%20Jacket%20or%2C%20diamant%20fancy%20yellow-green%20de%202%2C15%20cts%2C%20diamants.webp Image sélectionnée /public-objects/917b6d7e-e496-4ce5-a834-40355aa0f4c9-8385215f-d256-4e86-8b09-4d552a5d6cd7-JAQUELINE%20POWERS%20bague%20diamant%20fancy%20brown-orange%20de%20pr%C3%83%C2%A8s%20de%2016%20cts%20sur%20c%C3%83%C2%A9ramique.webp Image sélectionnée /public-objects/9bb2d7f8-79ca-48d9-a6f4-2ef694cd25a4-7d1b5875-a8fc-4153-9f61-dc3526298f6a-AMC%20Groupe%20Choron%2C%20diamant%20rose%20brut%20de%20108%2C39%20carats%20de%20la%20s%C3%83%C2%A9rie%20Kao%20Legend.webp Image sélectionnée /public-objects/59455ee2-cfcf-4a24-964b-534b93e1a4c2-f51720b2-31fb-4974-848b-68fa34b4627f-Antwerp%20Cut%20diamant%20Fancy%20Intense%20Blue.webp Image sélectionnée WIDENING THE SPECTRUM Today’s market is opening up to more affordable diamonds in less spectacular but also less codified shades such as champagne, brown, cognac or salt and pepper. Ravi Bhansali, CEO of Rosy Blue NV, showed a 12-carat Fancy Brownish Orange diamond displaying delicate pink champagne nuances and gorgeous fire. He explained the role celebrities play in shaping trends, citing Taylor Swift’s engagement ring and Bad Bunny’s brown diamond as encouraging a perspective guided more by the emotions. Other specialists confirm the growing interest in these warmer shades, boosted by the Desert Diamonds campaign that De Beers launched in 2025 to promote stones in a palette from nude to brown: a reminder of diamond’s African origins. For Dynamic International, “quiet luxury” has a part to play: “These customers have gone beyond showing off their wealth. They simply want to treat themselves with a different type of diamond.” Another diamantaire, AMC, concurs but warns that “a beautiful cognac diamond is rare and can be worth a lot.” /public-objects/54d8ff79-3281-4a1b-b082-8d55c5ffc469-a87a7129-9bc0-4958-bd6e-f53c1f8d18c7-Louis%20Vuitton%2C%20sertissage%20du%20collier%20Victory%20avec%20un%20diamant%20fancy%20vivid%20orange.webp Image sélectionnée