PURPLE DIAMONDS
LAVENDER, ORCHID, grape
A 1 carat natural vivid purple diamond set in a platinum ring design by Scott West
Natural PURPLE diamonds
The lavender, orchid, grape purple tones are some of the most beautiful colors in the color diamond spectrum. Natural purple diamonds are one of the most rare colors in the diamond world. Among collectors, designers and jewelry enthusiasts, these diamonds are highly sought after.
Cause of Color
Much of the appearance of natural purple diamonds is believed to be attributed to plastic deformities; however, the exact nature of the flaws responsible is not 100% confirmed according to the Gemological Institute of America. The scientific gemological term that describes this phenomena is called “atomic distortion. The arrangements of the atoms in the crystal are determined by the heat and pressure in the earth. This is the same structural anomaly that causes a red, pink and brown diamonds.
The GIA’s fancy color grades for purple diamonds range from Faint to Fancy Vivid. Diamonds that are darker in tone may receive grades of Fancy Dark (weaker in saturation) or Fancy Deep (stronger in saturation). If a diamond in this hue range is both very dark in tone and very strong in saturation, it may receive a grade of Fancy Deep Purple or Fancy Dark Gray-Purple.
Origin of purple diamonds
According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), In a few published gemological reports on purple diamonds, their geographic origin is not mentioned. One recurring source, however, is Russia’s Siberia region. Purple diamonds have been found on occasion in all the Siberian deposits explored to date, but they are most often recovered from the pipes of the Mir Kimberlite Field (comprising the Dachnaya, Internatsional’naya (also spelled Internationalaya), Mir, and sputnik mines). they typically account for 1% of all diamonds from the deposits in those mines, though as much as 6% of some parcels have been described as purple (Gnevushev etal., 1961; orlov, 1977; Zintchouk and Koptil, 2003). The majority of purple diamonds from the Siberian deposits are pale, but crystals with more highly saturated purple colors are sometimes found.
A close up look at a natural intense purple diamond. This color shade is almost like lilac flower
A natural intense purple diamond compared to a colorless diamond.
