Fancy Yellow Diamonds – Canary Yellow Diamonds
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If you’re out there looking for the best fancy yellow diamond for your money, then please contact me and let me know your budget and what you’re looking for. I’ll sift through the available inventory online and send you a list of 4 or 5 suggested stones to choose from that fit your needs the best. Unlike the other sites, I’m not looking to sell you anything – my advice is objective and in your best interest. The service is free, and there is absolutely no commitment to buy any of my suggestions. You have nothing to lose!
Yellow Diamonds – The Perfect Intro to Fancy Colors
Different Yellow Diamond Color Intensities
For someone looking for an affordable introduction into the world of fancy color diamonds, fancy yellow diamonds, or canary diamonds as they are often called, are the perfect alternative. As you probably already know, the color scale for white diamonds runs from D to Z. But when you think about it, there is really a continual scale all the way from D color pure white all the way through to a Fancy Vivid Yellow diamond. On one end of the spectrum you have completely white without any traces of yellow whatsoever, and on the other end of the spectrum you have a diamond fully saturated with yellow and no traces of whiteness whatsoever.
The reason I’m mentioning this is simply to drive home the point that yellow diamonds are quite common. Other colors, such as pink diamonds, are so rare because they don’t fall within this color scale I described above which covers 99% of all the gem quality diamonds mined in the world. Because of their commonality, relative to other fancy colors, yellow diamonds can be rather affordable.
1.21 Carats Fancy Light Yellow Diamond
Fancy Light Yellow diamonds, for example, will price out similar to a J color white diamond. Take these two stones as examples:
1) 1.21 Carats, Fancy Light Yellow, VS2 Clarity, Radiant Cut, GIA Certified – $4460
1.16 Carat Fancy Yellow Diamond
2) 1.20 Carats, I Color, VS1 Clarity, Radiant Cut, GIA Certified – $4970
Fancy Yellow diamonds, on the other hand, will price out similar to G color white diamonds. See these two examples:
1) 1.16 Carats, Fancy Yellow, VVS2 Clarity, Radiant Cut, GIA Certified – $5650
2) 1.12 Carats, G Color, VVS2 Clarity, Radiant Cut, GIA Certified – $5550
Similarly, its possible even to find a Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond that compares in price to an F or G color white diamond.
1.02 Carat Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond
At their strongest, though, fancy vivid yellow diamonds can become rather expensive. A fancy vivid yellow diamond with a decent color and eye clean clarity will cost the same approximately as a similar sized D Color Flawless diamond of the same shape. But a fancy vivid yellow diamond with a really special and uniquely strong and saturated color can go for much more than that. As discussed in my article about fancy color diamonds in general, it’s all about the color!
See the diamond pictured to the right, for example. It is a 1.02 carat, fancy vivid yellow, VS2 clarity, GIA Certified Cushion Cut. This stone is priced at $19,850 due to its unusually strong and beautiful color. A 1 carat cushion cut diamond with a D color and Flawless Clarity costs in the vacinity of $10,000 to $12,000.
Aside from the strength of the color, another factor that can have a major affect on the price of a yellow diamond is the modifying color on the certificate. Brownish-Yellow diamonds, for example, will be heavily discounted from a pure Yellow diamond. Orangey-Yellow diamonds and Greenish-Yellow diamonds, on the other hand, will be significantly more expensive then a pure yellow diamond.
How to Save Money Buying Fancy Color Diamonds
As you can see, there are many choices you will be faced with once you decide to buy a yellow diamond. You need to consider your budget, how large of a stone you want, what kind of color intensity you’re hoping to buy, and finally you’ll have to decide what your tolerance is for modifying colors.
1.53 Carat Fancy Light Yellow Set in Yellow Gold Basket
But with yellow diamonds, as with anything else, there is a well known trick you can employ to really get your money’s worth. Assuming you are buying a yellow diamond to set in jewelry, and not sit loose in a safe as part of a collection, you can have the diamond set by a professional who understands fancy yellow diamonds and have the diamond surrounded by bright yellow gold.
Even if you prefer white gold or platinum, it’s possible to have just the basket that holds the diamond in the setting made out of yellow gold. I have personally seen many fancy light yellow diamonds set in this way that end up looking like very strong Fancy Yellow diamonds. So one strategy you might want to employ would be to specifically look for one intensity grade lower (in order to save money, or use the money towards a larger diamond) and have it set in this way to maximize its color.
Take the ring to the right as an example. This diamond is a 1.53 carat fancy light yellow diamond that, set in this ring, looks like a strong fancy yellow. The trick is that the basket underneath the diamond is made from a bright yellow gold. You can see hints of this with the tiny yellow prongs on the corners of the diamond.
And, of course, the most obvious way to save money when buying a yellow diamond is to buy it from a source that is as high up on the diamond supply ladder as possible. In most circumstances, people like you don’t really have access to high-level diamond wholesalers who trade on much lower margins than your typical retail store (which should be avoided at all costs when shopping for fancy color diamonds).
Luckily for the yellow diamonds shopper, one of the world’s largest and most respect fancy color wholesale dealers has opened the internet’s best destination to shop for fancy color diamonds. I’m speaking of Leibish & Co Fancy Diamonds at FancyDiamonds.net. Leibish Polnauer is known the world over as one of the top suppliers of fancy color diamonds to wholesalers and retail stores alike. Many of the most expensive pieces at Graff and other ultra-high-end jewelry stores were sourced through Leibish & Co.
Leibish & Co. is higher on the supply ladder than any other online shop for fancy color diamonds. And it’s because of this that they are able to offer the best prices on the internet for fancy color diamonds. So take advantage of this fact, and shop there first before you go anywhere else.
Related posts:
- Best Fancy Color Diamond for $20,000: 3.00 Carat Fancy Yellow (Canary Yellow) Cushion Cut GIA Certified
- Best Fancy Color Diamond(s) for $25,000: A Jaw-Dropping Arrangement of 7.67 carats of Fancy Vivid Yellow-Orange Diamonds
- Best Fancy Color Diamond for $18,000: a Fancy Vivid Yellow Color VS1 Clarity 1.36 Carat Pear Shape GIA Certified
- Q&A: Looking for Yellow Diamond in White Halo Engagement Ring Setting. Not Sure if he can Afford Fancy Yellow. Budget of About $6000.
- New Videos Posted
Hi Ira,
You have an amazing website. Thank you for all of your hard work. I am looking at purchasing a fancy yellow diamond for an engagement ring. I was wondering what you thought of the following diamond from leibish and co:
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5516.htm
It is a 1.28ct, fancy intense yellow. I know its not often you see fancy intense in this price range, and I am guessing its because of the strong blue fluoresence. I have read your article on fluoresence. But the picture of the diamond looks good. What would you recommend? Your thoughts are appreciated.
Hi Satrajit. Thanks for the very kind words! I know the buyer at leibish personally, and I can tell you he doesn’t buy ugly yellows. FIY stones with strong blue fluorescence that still look great like FIY stones should are usually sold a discount because of the stigma – so it’s a great way to get a great deal!
Thank you for the information. So I am guessing I can’t do any better for the money, the stone is at the top of my budget. Thanks again for all of the education. I would be so clueless without your website. I would not have trusted Leibish and co without your reference to them, should I mention you when I speak with them next?
It was my pleasure! I’m glad I could help! Yes, please do tell Leibish & Co that I sent you to them.
I want to ask you for advice on purchasing a yellow diamond I found. The specs are as follows: Fancy Light Yellow
Shape:Radiant-Cut Rectangular
Carat weight:1.23
Clarity:SI2
Girdle:Very Thick to Extremely Thick
Fluorescence:None
Selling for $4,150
Is that a fair price? Also I was wondering if setting it in rose gold would bring out the color of the diamond.
Hi Jbizzie. That price could be good, but there are too many unknowns to really be able to tell you. I don’t know what the cut is like. I dont know what the SI2 is like – is it eye clean or not. And I don’t know what the color is really like.
Hello from STL. For Christmas, my husband purchased a 6 CT diamond ring for me. I love Canary diamonds, so he purchased the ring with a center stone that is:
GIA certified
Pear Modified Brilliant
10.67 c 6.56 x 4.32 mm
Natural
Fancy Yellow
Even
Can you give me an idea what would be a fair price for the stone alone?
Hi Mary . See these for comparison:
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5321.htm
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5340.htm
So based on these links, the price for the 6ct stone should probably be about $120K, assuming the clarity is very high and the color is very nice.
You are the best!
Please note the diamond fancy yellow is 2.3 ct. The total weight of the ring (with other white diamonds) is 6 ct. That is definetly a game changer. Please advise.
Leibish has two similar stones:
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5589.htm
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5686.htm
So the answer I’d say is about $18,000 to $19,000.
Oh, and BTW, I went to Wash U for a year. I love St. Louis!!
Ira, Thanks a lot. Your are awesome and a diamond lovers best friend. Wash U is a great school. I hope you have a blessed holiday. Thanks again for your help.
Hi Ira,
Thank you for the great article; it has been the most informative article I’ve come across thus far. The comments have also been very useful in my research!
I’m currently looking at a cut cornered square modified brilliant fancy intense yellow diamond. It is 1.85 ct with even distribution and SI1 clarity. The depth is 68.5% and table is 74%. The girdle is thick to extremely thick and there is no culet. It has good polish and symmetry and no fluorescence. It is GIA certified and they are asking about $20k.
I have a few questions for you:
1) There is a feather at one of the corners. I understand this is fairly ideal as the feather can be hidden by a prong, but does the location pose a durability issue?
2) I visited a different jeweler who told me he would never sell a fancy diamond with no fluorescence. Is no fluorescence in a fancy diamond a bad thing? My preference is for a true yellow diamond, rather than a lime-yellow.
3) Does the price look reasonable?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
Tiffany
Hi Tiffany (great name!).
1) A feather in the corner can definitely be a durability risk.
2) Not sure what this jeweler meant. That doesn’t make any sense. Fluorescence in a fancy yellow is generally considered a negative thing.
3) The price seems OK. I found this at Leibish & Co that’s on sale now:
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5723.htm
It’s 2.03 FIY. It’s a VS1, and it’s on sale for $18,690. The only negative is that it has strong blue fluorescence, but the color in the pictures looks fantastic.
Ira
I was wondering if a cushion cut is a good cut for a fancy yellow diamond which is about 2 carats in weight? Also what is the best depth percentage range for a cushion cut? Lastly, i do not quite understand the fluorescence of a yellow diamond and i was wondering if you could briefly explain it to me.
Hi Tom. Yes, a cushion cut is one of the best cuts for displaying fancy yellow color. See my article about cushion cuts for all the stats regarding cut.
Fluorescence can sometimes dull the yellowness of a fancy yellow stone. Because of this, fancy yellow stones with medium or stronger fluorescence usually trade at a discount. The interesting thing is that this effect is not constant. Only some medium blue fluorescent stones lose a bit of color, so this can often be a way to get a better deal, as long as you can confirm that your stone still looks great.
Ira
Thanks for your quick response. I saw a diamond that looks nice. Of course it would be better to see it, but i don’t have a picture of it. Here is the following information about the diamond. I was wondering if you can advise me if it seems to be a fair and reasonable deal.
Dimension: 7.38mm x6.35mm x4.58mm
Style: Cusion Modified Brilliant
Weight: 2.02 Carats
Colour: Fancy Lignt Yellow
Clarity: SI-2
Cut: Very Good
Fluorescence: Strong Blue
Depth Percentage: 72%
Price: 13500.00 US dollars
GIA certified gemologist signature and stamp on (they said they can get GIA certificate if we want).
Thank you very much. I appreciate all of your help.
Tom
I’ll say a few things:
1) You absolutely cannot buy a fancy yellow diamond without seeing it (at least a photo).
2) A fancy light yellow with strong blue fluorescence is not a very desirable stone.
3) The price isn’t very good
4) This is a much better deal:
http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/5370.htm
Hi there. I have to say searching the web to get an understanding of what a fair price is is a tough one. What would you consider fair prices for a 1 carat and a 1,5 carat vivid yellow VS2 cushion shaped diamonds?
Cheers
Hi blifeuser. Thanks for writing in. The fancy color market is constantly in flux. Since I’m not trading in it on a day to day basis, this is very difficult for me to answer. I’ve found that Leibish & Co’s (www.fancydiamonds.net) prices are among the best in the business. So if I were you, I’d just search for those parameters in their inventory and see what comes out!
You are looking at around $25K for a vivid yellow cushion, you could squeeze this down to $20K for an eye clean SI1. 1 carat would be closer to $15K. Compare the stones, as some vivids can be considerably more vivid than others. It is always nice to get some orange in the configuration, too.
I am looking to purchase a light canary fancy diamond. I want about 1.5 carets and an oval shape. Can you tell the range this type of diamond would be priced?
Hi A. It’s hard to give an exact figure because there are a lot of potential varying factors, but I would say probably between $5,000 and $8,000.
Hi Ira,
Was hoping you can help me clarify a couple of questions regarding yellow diamonds.
What cut maximizes a stone’s color (rather than brilliance)? I assume that is the type of cut that would be best with a colored stone…
Also, I read in another section that florescence can make a yellow stone whiter, so I would assume for a canary diamond, one would want as little florescence as possible?
Thanks!
Hi CH. Typically, radiants show of a stones color the best. This is why most fancy color diamonds (especially yellows) are made into radiants. That’s true what you write about fluorescence. They don’t always necessarily make the stone look whiter, but any fluorescence usually makes the price go down a bit at least.
Hi Ira, so glad I can ask an independent knowledgeable party about yellow diamonds. I lately seen a Gia certified 2.6 carat yellow orange diamond. I am wondering if at this size and color this stone would have investment value. If so would it’s value be lowered by my having it set.
Hi A low. As long as the stone is set correctly, it would not diminish the stone’s value at all. And as a wise man once told me, you might as well enjoy your investment on your finger as opposed to stuffing it in a safe. You can buy insurance for next to nothing these days to cover the stone in the very rare case something happens to it.
Hi Ira, Thank you for your great site. My aunt recently left me her beautiful 2.8 carat, VSI Cartier Light Fancy Yellow diamond ring. The Cartier stamp is hard to read due to wear, but I have all the papers and multiple appraisals from the last 48 years.
In your opinion, should I have it reset by Cartier in another setting to keep the Cartier value, or what other options should I consider as I wish to change the setting from its 18K to platinum or white gold.
Do you have any idea of the resale value from these limited details?
Also – do you know if Cartier will restamp the original setting so it can be more easily identified – if I choose not to reset it?
Thank you.
If you have all the papers, I don’t see why a Cartier stamp that’s faded is a problem.