A: Thanks for the kind words about the site! I really appreciate it.

Now about your questions…

Firstly, the style you describe is a very classy one that has no downsides at all. If you get a yellow stone set properly by a jeweler who understands yellow diamonds, you will end up with a very classically beautiful ring.

Secondly, regarding where to find such a stone, you’re in luck. It happens to be that one of my closest friends (and neighbor) is Yossi Polnauer, CEO of fancydiamonds.net. Now, I admit that I am biased, but they really are the best place in the world from which to buy colored diamonds. Firstly, their prices are unbeatable. They are primarily a wholesale outfit – their website brings in some welcome extra income, but the vast majority of their business is B2B. They are one of the largest dealers of fancy color diamonds in Israel. The reason why this is so important for you is that they really don’t differentiate between their retail and wholesale customers. Their prices are very low across the board.

Why don’t you let me know your budget (including the ring), what shape you would like, and ideally what size you would like to end up with, and I will sit down with Yossi and discuss what your best options are and get back to you.

In the meantime, take a look at these few rings they already have set that are similar to the style you describe:

http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/3649.htm

http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/2820.htm

http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/633.htm

I look forward to hearing from you!

……

Yossi sent me the attached pictures.  Enjoy!

Q: Thank you for the quick response. Seeing those rings and how they are put together definitely put my mind at ease with the dual tone. Here are some more of the specifics that my girlfriend and I had discussed for her ring.

Cut – Cushion or radiant

Clarity – Looking to try to stay in VS2 / SI range – but as you said on your site it is all about what type of flaws that the diamond has and not necessarily on the actual rating. So I am flexible.

Color – Already discussed, trying to stay in the W, X, Y, Z range and not get into the fancy. The 1064 shown above is pretty much spot on. With the right yellow gold setting the diamond will take more of that bright yellow color.

Carat – Largest of course with the prior criteria. I was shooting for at least 1 ct. Although more is always better.

Budget – I’m looking to spend 5000-6000 USD with ring.

About the ring, she has already found a few local stores that carry several styles that she really enjoyed. The ones you showed above are not that far off. Several key things she is looking for:

-Halo of smaller diamonds around the center stone

-Side stones down part of the band

-Two smaller bands intertwined in the ring

-Majority of the ring white gold but yellow gold is ok to accent the main diamond.

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

A: Take a look at this stone that Yossi found today in the bourse. It’s a real beauty at a great price. It’s fancy light yellow, so its stronger in color than an XYZ. It has strong fluorescence, but it doesn’t dull the color at all.

The price for that stone in a ring like you suggested will be $5800.

Q: That is a very nice one and has definately caught my eye.  The price you listed below, would that be the stone by itself or with the ring?  In regards to the ring setting — Does Yossi’s company do it’s own mounting or primarly sell loose stones?  I’m just curious if there is an inventory of rings of his that I could browse through.   If that is the price for the stone and ring combined I think we could be close to something final.  Thank you for your continued assistance.

A: Yeah, that’s the price including the ring.  FancyDiamonds.net doesn’t fabricate their own rings, but there are a ton of jewelry manufacturers in the area of the bourse in Israel, so it wont be a problem at all to have a ring made either exactly to your specs, or at the very least something very similar.  Why don’t you find a pic of one style you like the most, and we’ll see how close we can get.

Q: She really liked the detail of these two tacori styles.  We took a look at one at a local store which she really liked — it is the 2623RDSMP pics (there are 2).  She also likes the dual band as shown in the other pic 2573.  I think a combination of those would be perfect but even if we left off the dual band she would really enjoy it.

A: Ok, great.  I will discuss with Yossi tomorrow and we’ll see what we can come up with.

……

I spoke with Yossi and he says that in the fancy color business no two rings are alike. Everyone he sells a ring to gets a custom made ring to his/her specifications. He says since every stone is different in size, shape, and color, and since every client has their own very specific tastes (by definition someone looking for a colored diamond wants to be unique), they don’t even bother trying to sell the stock stuff.

The price will remain $5800 as long as the diamonds on the side are pave (and not larger like in one of the pictures you sent in your last email).

So I’m going to pass you on to Chavi, fancydiamonds.net’s head of jewelry. I have CCed her and Yossi to this email. I forwarded them your last email, so they have an idea already of what you’re looking for.

Of course, before they start working on your ring, you’ll have to arrange payment with them. The $5800 is the price for a bank wire (including shipping). For credit card, they’ll need to add 5% to cover related expenses. You’ll be able to work that out with them as well.

I’m always here if you have any more questions. Be well, and I look forward to hearing more from you!

Q: Ira, thank you so much for all of your assistance.  I will be sure to write up a recommendation when everything is all said and done.

A:  Unfortunately, I have some bad news. There was a miscommunication before between myself and Yossi regarding the price of the ring. We had priced the diamond at 5200 and the ring at 600 (cost). Basically, the problem is that a ring like this will have to be hand made. I mistakenly thought that a pre-existing mold would already be available. If you would like fancydiamonds to do the ring, they can do one that matches the tacori “2627PRLG”, but it will be $1400 for the ring (so $6600 total). That is their cost from their jeweler. It’s still a fantastic deal at $6600. A tacori ring like this with a stone like this would cost many thousands more in a retail store, and a couple thousand more from any other online store.

I feel really terrible about the mistake.

So I think there are three ways we can move forward.

1) You can stretch your budget, and we’ll still make the ring for you with this 1.53ct diamond for $6600.

2) We can scratch this stone, and look for a smaller/cheaper one to make the whole package fit into your $6000 budget.

3) You can buy the stone loose for $5200.

Please accept my heartfelt apologies once more. I truly hope we can still come up with a viable solution for you that will make you very happy.

Q: I must apologize, after having a long (and frustrating) conversation with my girlfriend.  Apparently, the type of ring I thought she wanted and what she actually wants are pretty different. So far we have pretty much come to the conclusion on two things.  The yellow stone and the halo.  The good news is I think the style she is leaning towards is simpler than I originally thought.  I’ve included a few pictures of what, I think, should be an easier ring to come across.  Here is a the latest set of criteria that we have discussed.

- Still the halo around the center stone
– Fairly shallow mount (does not want the main stone or prongs to sit high)
– Small adjustment from the images: A smaller sized halo and have the main stone sit slightly higher (she didn’t like the visible spacing between the stone and halo – see HD-B-change HD-A-Change)
– Thin band (single is is fine)
– Intricate classic metal working (such as the numerous notches between side diamonds shown in pics)

Let me know if Chavi or Yossi has something similar to this and can provide any pictures.

A: I spoke with Yossi and Chavi, and this will work great. Since the ring is being custom made for you, it will fit the diamond perfectly – no space between the diamond and the halo. Chavi even sent me a picture of a similar ring she’s made in the past. I’ve attached them to this email as well. We’ll be able to do this ring and this stone together for 6300 — will this be OK?

I’ve CCed Chavi on this email, so please be in touch with her directly now to make sure she understands your requests perfectly.

—–

(FROM CHAVI):

Hi there.  Here we go…  Your ring turned out BEAUTIFUL! It Looks like a Fancy Yellow not like a Fancy Light Yellow.

……….

(FROM ME AGAIN): Saw pics of the ring.  It looked amazing!  Did you get it yet?  I’d love to hear your reactions once you see it in person.

Q: I did get it and in time.  Chavi was great in expediting the process to I was able to propose exactly how I wanted to, for that I am very grateful.  The ring is beautiful! I am still very impressed with the service that both you and fancydiamonds.net provided.  Thank you once again Ira for all your help.

A. Take a look at the attached screenshot. That’s most likely your stone. I searched for 2.05 H VS2 and the exact table and depth specified. That’s the only stone that came up. That price is the wholesale cost of the stone. The guy is taking you for a ride. He’s making 27%! Nobody does that any more.

I can get you the same stone for cost + a 10% brokering fee. let me know if you’re interested.

Q. Thank you for the quick response. That has to be the same one. It has the exact measurements as the GIA report he sent me via email. I was already leaning towards using this guy as a jeweler for the setting, but not necessarily for purchasing the rock.

I don’t mean to offend, but I am a little wary of purchasing through an individual I found over the internet. Although I don’t have a problem with Blue Nile or James Allen, it is harder to verify an individual than a corporation. That being said, my budget is $15,000 and I am trying to find the best emerald cut diamond I can. I have been using your website as a guide (it is very helpful having someone tell me I don’t need to buy a flawless stone) and was shooting for around 2 carats, but bigger would always be better.

A. I totally understand your reservations about having me broker you a stone. $15,000 is not a small amount of money. I’ll just offer you two things that might change your mind. Firstly, I can provide you with several references of people whom I’ve brokered stones for in the past. And secondly, the way it would work is that if I find a stone for you in the US, you will pay the stone’s owner directly. You will be wiring money directly to a wholesale diamond company – not me as an individual. Once you know the company’s name, you can feel free to do your due diligence. You’ll just be sending me my brokering fee. So there’s no risk of me running off with $15K.

If I find you a stone in Israel (where I live), then you’ll be invoiced through my friend’s company, www.fancydiamonds.net. They’re a very well established company around for several years with a very professional website. They’ve been around long enough that it won’t be difficult at all to find positive reviews about them on the ‘net. If you still have hesitations, I’d be happy to recommend specific stones to you online based on your budget and specifications. Just let me know! …… FYI: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Premium-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1125757.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 Looks like JA had it listed and it was sold.

Q. I think if I had a reference I could talk to stateside and it was a domestic company I would feel pretty comfortable with it. My work computer won’t let me get to fancydiamonds.net due to the word Cydia somewhere on the page. Apparently Cydia is an iPhone hack that they don’t want employees getting a hold of.

I would be happy to talk to you over the phone. My direct line is in my signature. With the commission I guess we would be looking at approximately $13,500 for the cost of the rock. I did notice that the James Allen markup for that stone was approximately 8%, so maybe that is the route to go. I am assuming you are compensated by them if you direct me there as well.

A. That’s so funny about cydia. I was curious, so I went to the page. Cydia is found one place on the home page. Unfortunately for them, it’s here: fanCYDIAmonds.net!

JA’s markup is closer to 15%. They probably have an agreement with that one vendor that knocks their cost down 10% or so from the advertised price on Rapnet. You are correct. JA does pay me a commission for traffic I refer to them. There’s an article about it on my site called “Truth about TruthAboutDiamonds.com.” I’ll give you a call later. Things are very busy in my house now. It’s almost dinner time here (I’m in Israel). Can I give you a call later tonight? Say, in about 3-4 hours?

Q. That works for me. Thanks.

A. You know what, I thought about it, and I think you’ll be better of just buying from James Allen. I can’t offer some of the support that they offer (30 day return policy, etc). And I’d rather you just do what you’re comfortable doing. I’m confident I can save you money, but it probably won’t be anything too significant in your price range. So here’s what i found for you on james allen: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1201389.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1269572.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1128349.asp?a_aid=dmnd1357 Each of those is at least as nice as the stone you were offered. The first one, the 1.89 is the nicest cut. Great l/w ratio. Depth and table are right where they should be. Even though it’s the lightest stone, it’s the longest because of it’s better l/w ratio. Let me know what you think.

Q. What do you think of this one?

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS1-Premium-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1278425.asp

I am guessing 1.4-1.5 is considered the best emerald cut ratio? My overall inspiration is this ring, which my girlfriend has said she likes a lot.

http://www.bridal.cartier.com/index.php?t=1&nav=ficheprod&ref=N4190700&cc=us&codeLang=en

A. That stone looks stubby to me. Also, it’s deep. Compare the LxW to the 1.89 stone, and you’ll see that the 1.89 will look bigger.

Also, it’s less deep, so it’s weight isn’t wasted on it’s depth, its spread out in its area.

Q. I checked out Fancy Diamonds.net on my home computer and I would like to pursue having you potentially broker a diamond for me. I did see they have a New York office and seem quite reputable. The 1.89 carat diamond you listed below is definitely the best bang for my buck and has some of the best proportions I have seen. That being said it is a bit smaller and slightly less than I was hoping to spend. I understand you are fairly busy with Widow’s Mite, and I know this probably isn’t a particularly large purchase for you. That being said, I am excited by the potential of getting a larger, equally high quality (or better) diamond for a similar price.

I also noticed that when comparing James Allen images, the color change from H to G appears pretty evident. I can’t tell if it is just the photography or if it is only evident when compared side by side.

A. Wow. You’re good I actually sold thewidowsmite.net about 3 months ago. I need to update my linkedin profile.

Most likely, the difference in color you spotted was just an issue of photography. I’ve seen D color stones that have a yellowish tinge in the JA pics. The only thing I have found those pics to be useful for is to judge inclusions. Sunday is a full workday in Israel, so I will begin my search tomorrow for stones in Israel and update you if I have found anything. Alternatively, take a look at the attached screenshot. It’s search results from Rapnet which is the largest online wholesale trading site for the diamond trade. I searched for H+ VS2+. L/W Ratios 1.35-1.60. And max cost 14,000. I sorted the results descending by size. Have a look and let me know if anything catches your eye.

2.00 G VS2

…….

GIA Cert for 2.01 GVVS2

I hope you’re enjoying your weekend so far. Good news. I have two great stones to show you that we found today in Israel.

One is a G VS2 2.00. The broker didn’t have the cert available with him, but it’s GIA certified. The price on this one is $16000. That one’s nice, and it’s a decent deal. The pic is attached. The next stone, though, is a killer deal. We found a seller that is desperate to sell a beautiful stone. Attached is the cert and the pic of the stone. It’s a G VVS2 2.01. It’s got a great make for an emerald, with a perfect L/W ratio. The price for this one is $16,800. Compare this with the cheapest 2ct GVVS2 EM on James Allen for $18,150. I know it’s more than what you had hoped to spend, but relatively speaking, it’s a much better value.

2.01 G VVS2

Let me know what you think!

Q. Thanks for the suggestions. The two diamonds that you sent me are definitely beautiful, but are outside of my budget. My total cost with your commission for the 2.01 would be $18,480. That is just a little too high.

When I got into the office this morning I printed out the RapNet search you sent me and spent some time looking at it. The one stone that seems like a good value to me is the 2.05 carat H VVS2 from Edalati. I also found its listing on Blue Nile: http://www.bluenile.com/diamond-search?track=bbt#diamonds_pid=LD01594526. It is a little shorter than 1.5, but I am not sure if that will make a huge difference in the setting I have picked out.

Alternatively, I thought the 2.11 carat from Maxnew looked like a deal. It’s L/W ratio is 1.51 and pretty shallow. I couldn’t find that one on either James Allen or Blue Nile. If you could give me your thoughts on those two, it would be a huge help.

A. Miscommunication – the prices I quoted INCLUDED the commission.

Q. In that case, the 2.00 carat diamond looks great. A couple of questions. The table is a little smaller than the range that you recommend on truthaboutdiamonds.com. How will that affect its appearance? There don’t appear to be any eye visible inclusions from the picture, is that accurate? Both BN and JA have cut ratings. That isn’t in the GIA report, so what is it based on and in your opinion where would this diamond fall?

This does appear to be a pretty good deal. Blue Nile has a comparably priced stone, but it has strong fluorescence.

A. Does this change your perspective? Can you do 16,800? I checked BN also, and the nice make 2 ct GVVS2s are way over 16,8000.

Q. It does. I think our emails are crossing each other in the Atlantic somewhere. I had a few questions regarding the 2.0.

A. The 2.00 or the 2.01? What are the questions?

Q. I apologize. The 2.01 carat diamond that had the GIA report.

A. What are the questions?

Q. The table is a little smaller than the range that you recommend on truthaboutdiamonds.com. How will that affect its appearance?

There don’t appear to be any eye visible inclusions from the picture, is that accurate?

Both BN and JA have cut ratings. That isn’t in the GIA report, so what is it based on and in your opinion where would this diamond fall?

This does appear to be a pretty good deal. Blue Nile has a comparably priced stone, but it has strong fluorescence.

A. Ok, Here we go! Lets get the easy stuff out of the way first.

1) The BN comparable stone is not only strong flr, it’s also a very ugly make. Deep stone, big table, and off-square and off-rectangular. 1.15 or something like that ratio.

2) A VVS2 will never be visible to the naked eye. It’s microscopic. See my article “diamond clarity chart” here: http://www.truthaboutdiamonds.com/diamond-clarity-chart/

3) BJ and JA have a table of parameter ranges. If any of the parameters of a given stone fall beyond the range of one grade (ie, ideal), it gets knocked down to the lower level (ie, premium or very good). For example, lets say for rounds, JA’s ideal parameters for depth are about 60-62.5 and their parameters for table are 53-57. So if a stone has depth and table in that range, it’s ideal. Their next their might have a range of 59-59.9 and 62.6-63.5 for depth and 50-52 and 58-60 for table size for “premium.” The bounds of the different ranges are chosen on a very subjective basis. This is why I basically tell people to ignore the store’s cut grades. With rounds, you can always just rely on the GIA cert (which is based on a much more elegant solution that looks at combinations of parameters, and not at individual parameters separately). With square/rect fancy shapes, it’s pretty easy to learn what to look for. For the round-sided fancy shapes (oval, marquise, pear), it’s pretty much impossible to judge on parameters alone. You need a picture or even to see the stone in person.

4) The one diamond shape where the parameters matter the least is the emerald cut. Of course, L/W matters, because the basic shape of the diamond is affected, and part of the beauty of an emerald cut is its adherence to the natural beauty of the 1.5 rectangular ratio. Depth matters too, but not because it affect brilliance, because it simply affects how big the face of your diamond will be. With other shapes, the depth matters much more because it has a direct affect on the stone’s brilliance (how light is reflected around on the inside of the stone). Emerald cuts, though, aren’t brilliant cuts. They’re not cut to reflect light around and make sparkle. They’re cut to show off the simple beauty of the luster of a diamond. So shallow or deep, the diamond is still going to just be a clear mineral that you’re see light pass through (and not bounce around a thousand times). Likewise with the table size. With other shapes, the table size has a direct correlation to how well the light is reflected around inside the diamond. With Emeralds, though, it’s really just about how it makes the outside of the diamond look. You don’t want a diamond that just has a big flat window on top, you want a stone that’s built up a little bit with a few step facets on the sides. A smaller table adds to the beauty of an Emerald – it doesn’t detract from it. btw, take a look at this stone: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Emerald-Diamond-1270856.asp You see, according to JA’s own parameter table, the parameters of the 2.01 would get an “Ideal” grade. Sorry I kind of rambled there, but was it clear?

Q. That is helps a lot. I do really like the stone, and I think it is within my price range. How would the billing work? Would this be through FancyDiamonds.net or another company? How would I be invoiced?

A. through fancydiamonds. You could either pay by wire or they could send you a google checkout invoice, but then they’d have to add 5% to cover their expenses.

Q. Either way I would like to see a formal invoice from the Company. I hope you understand that I am trying to add a layer of security for myself.

A. Of course. I don’t believe it will be a problem.

Q. I would like to go ahead with the purchase then for the 2.01 carat VVS2 diamond then. Please let me know what the next steps are.

A. Great! Do you want to pay by wire or google checkout (credit card)?

Q. Preferably by wire.

A. Here’s the instructions. If you can send the wire today, it’ll show tomorrow in Israel, and we’ll be able to make the shipment tomorrow as well. Please send your mailing address. is the phone number below the number you want on the shipment?

Q. I probably won’t be completing the wire today. I need to call my bank to get instructions from them as well. Would you be opposed to my contacting Leibish & Co. through their website to ask about your relationship with them?

A. Of course not! Go right ahead. The ceo is the closest thing I have to a brother.

Q. Despite my worries that this all seems a little too good to be true, everything appears to be transparent and legitimate. I just got off the phone with Yossi and he was very helpful. It is a bank holiday today in the U.S. (Martin Luther King Day) so my bank is currently closed. I talked to their customer service line and I need to go into the branch to wire the money. I will most likely be able to get it out on Wednesday.

Thank you for your help, and I am looking forward to seeing the diamond next week.

A. Great to hear. You will not be disappointed – I’m sure of that.

I’m here if you have any more questions.

Q. I completed the wire this afternoon. I don’t know how long it will take to show up in Israel. The bank told me anywhere from 2-10 days, but I doubt it will be that long.

A. In our experience, the money always shows up the following morning in Israel. ….. Just wanted to let you know the money arrived as expect this morning.

Q. What is the timeline for shipping?

A. Shipping today. Takes 2 days from Israel. Attached is the invoice you’ll be getting in the shipment. …… Hey *****. Did you receive the diamond? What do you think?

Q. I got the stone on Friday. It is beautiful and completely clear. I am hoping to get it appraised at lunch today. The jeweler that helped me look at settings on Saturday was very impressed with my buy and complimented the stone.

Thanks for the help!

…….

I got the diamond appraised today at lunch. Although it takes a couple of weeks to get the paper appraisal, he said he told me it would retail in the “low twenties.” I am currently shopping around for a setting, but that is a much easier task. Thanks again for all your help, and I am so happy this worked out. Although a bit of a leap of faith, you and Leibish and Co. couldn’t have been more professional. Let me know if there is a place I can provide a review because it would definitely be positive. I will definitely be referring my friends.

A. Sorry it took so long to respond to your wonderful update. I’m very happy to hear you’re totally satisfied with the purchase. I also want to thank you for taking that leap of faith. It’s easy from our side, because we know you’ll end up being completely satisfied with buying from us, but I recognize that the decision to buy from a complete stranger halfway across the world is not a simple one in the slightest.

If you have some spare time, it could really help me out if you wouldn’t mind leaving a little bit of feedback on ivouch.com. This helps me convince future customers that it’s safe and beneficial to buy through my brokering service. If you can do it, I would be most grateful. Here is a direct link if you decide to write something:

(URL REMOVED)

Thank you once again. And may you and your future wife share a long life together filled with health, happiness, and love.

Q. I just posted a review on iVouch. As I said before, it was a great buying experience, and I am happy I trusted you. After I propose next month I will be telling all of my friends that I know the guy that can get them great diamonds for a great price.

(see his ivouch here: http://www.ivouch.com/truthaboutdiamonds-com/great-diamond-buying-experience)

A. I couldn’t have asked for anything better! Thank you once again.

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here to View a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

1.36 Carat Fancy Vivid Yellow Pear Shape

Carats: 1.36

Diamond Color: Fancy Vivid Yellow

Diamond Clarity: VS1

Measurements: 9.80 X 6.53 X 3.37

Depth: 51.6%

Table: 59%

Diamond Polish: Very Good

Diamond Symmetry: Good

Diamond Fluorescence: Faint

Diamond Price: $17,000

Click Here to be Brought to the Diamond on Fancy Diamonds Leibish & Co

Here’s the Stats (Or Click Here for a Copy of the GIA Certificate):

Diamond Magnified - Click to Enlarge

Carats: 3.00

Diamond Color: Natural Fancy Yellow

Diamond Clarity: VS2

Measurements: 8.60 X 8.69 X 4.58

Length/Width Ratio: 1.01

Diamond Polish: Good

Diamond Symmetry: Good

Diamond Fluorescence: None

Diamond Price: $21,000

This stone has a depth of 54.9% which helps bring out the color better, but more importantly, it gives the stone a huge spread face-up.  The stone looks like a 4ct diamond.

Click here to be Brought to the Diamond on Fancy Diamonds Leibish & Co.

7.67 Carat Arrangement of Fancy Vivid Orange-Yellow Diamonds

Following yesterday’s pink pick for the best fancy color diamond for $30,000, today we present you the best fancy color diamond for $25,000.  Although today’s pick isn’t a “diamond” at all — it’s a stunning arrangement of 36 fancy vivid yellow-orange diamonds ready to be mounted in an unforgettable necklace upon your order.

Here’s the Stats:

Carats: 7.67

Diamond Color: Fancy Vivid Yellow-Orange

Diamond Clarity: Varies, but all eye-clean

Number of stones: 36

Average weight: 0.21ct

Shapes: Round, Cushion, and Pear

Diamond Price:: $24,000

Click Here to be Brought to this Diamond Arrangement on Fancy Diamonds Leibish & Co.

Most people don’t realize that the best way to buy something utterly unique is to buy a fancy color diamond.  I say utterly unique because you’d be hard pressed to ever find two fancy color diamonds anywhere that are identical.  Let alone the fact that you probably won’t ever find another person wearing a fancy color diamond ring.  I think most people don’t realize that fancy color diamonds are a great option simply because they either aren’t aware at all about fancy color diamonds, or because they didn’t realize that you can buy many beautiful fancy color diamonds (especially yellow diamonds) for pretty much the same price as you would a high quality white diamond of the same size.

The trick to finding an affordable fancy color diamond is knowing how to use the rules of fancy color diamond pricing in your favor.  For example, a one-carat fancy intense orange (with no modifying colors) diamond will probably cost around $100,000 — obviously way out of the price range of a mere mortal.  But – that same one carat stone graded fancy intense yellowish-orange will probably cost only around $8,000-$12,000.  Find a stone that still looks great, but has the word “brown” anywhere in its description, and its price plummets.

I searched far and wide to find the best vendor online for fancy color diamonds, and decided upon www.fancydiamonds.net.  I contacted them to let them know, and they were nice enough to offer readers of Truth About Diamonds a 5% discount on their products, so don’t forget to mention our name!  They don’t have an automated coupon system, so you need to make sure to tell them you came from this site to earn the discount.

In the same style as my regular daily diamond posts, I will post diamonds from FancyDiamonds.net based on different budget levels.