Blue diamond engagement rings hold an enchanting and instantly captivating very rare fancy color diamond. If you have fallen in love with the thought of a beautiful blue engagement ring, with this info you can be sure to find the perfect diamond for your ring.
Here
you'll find fancy blue diamond properties, grading and price guides,
tips on where to find colored diamond engagement rings plus affordable
alternatives to natural blue diamonds - after all, these fancy color
diamonds command some of the highest prices per carat!
Fun Fast Facts About
Blue Diamonds!
The Hope Diamond - at 45.52 carats - is one of the largest, and most famous, of all fancy blue diamonds ever discovered.
Blue diamonds are some of the rarest fancy color diamonds known.
What element contributes to the blue color in diamonds? Boron.
And if you have any blue diamond wedding ring questions, or would like to post comments, reviews or pics of your fabulous blue engagement ring, just use the handy comment box at the end of the page.
Blue Diamond Properties
Blue diamonds have properties which are very similar to colorless diamonds - including a perfect 10.0 on the Moh's hardness scale and unrivaled brilliance and fire. The main difference between a blue diamond and a colorless diamond is the presence of boron.
Rare blue diamonds have boron particles
scattered throughout their structure, and less than one percent of all
diamonds ever found have these types of impurities. Another very unique
characteristic of blue diamonds is that these diamonds are natural
semiconductors.
Blue Diamond Clarity and Cut Grades and Certification
Blue diamonds are graded just like regular diamonds in terms of cut and clarity. The ideal diamond grades to stick with for blue diamonds in blue diamond engagement rings include:
With blue diamonds, there is a bit of leeway when it comes to clarity - because the blue color can hide some inclusions. However, because severe inclusions can affect the stability of a diamond it is still best to stay with I1 and above clarity grades.
The two top diamond certification laboratories for fancy color diamonds are the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the International Gemological Institute (IGI).
Both of these laboratories issue diamond certifications which address the unique needs of fancy color diamonds. In addition to a standard certification on a diamond's cut, clarity and carat size - the labs issue a separate color certification that assess the diamond's color hue, saturation and intensity and also verifies if the color is natural or artificially enhanced.
For colored diamond engagement rings, or loose colored diamonds, it is best to purchase rings/diamonds that come with a GIA or IGI report.
Blue Diamond Prices and Values
Blue diamonds are classified, from lightest to darkest as:
And the price of a blue diamond will dramatically increase as the intensity of the blue color increases too.
On
average, a 0.5-carat light colored loose blue diamond will cost around
$50,000 dollars, and an intense blue 0.5 loose diamond will cost around
$135,000 dollars. A medium toned 1-carat blue diamond (fancy blue to
fancy intense) is around $200,000 dollars.
The
price and value of a blue diamond will also depend on the diamond’s cut
and clarity characteristics too - but by far color and carat size are
the two most important C's for determining the value of fancy blue
diamonds.
If the price for real blue diamond engagement rings is way too high for your budget - don't worry! There are plenty of much more affordable alternatives that can still offer an exquisite look for the right price.
Loose Blue Diamond and Blue Diamond Engagement Ring Recommendations:
Natural Loose Fancy Blue Diamonds
Our Number 1 recommendation for natural loose fancy blue diamonds is Blue Nile. Here you can find a small collection of quality fancy blues which can be purchased loose, or placed into a ring design of your choice. Here is an example of blue diamonds which have been available at Blue Nile:
0.92 Carat Vivid Blue Pear Fancy Blue Diamond $698,280
0.41 Carat Radiant Fancy Loose Blue Diamond $47,734
3.12 Carat Light Greenish Blue Cushion Cut Diamond $215,234
Lab Created Loose Fancy Blue Diamonds
Our Number 1 recommendation for lab created fancy diamonds is Brilliant Earth. Here you will find a great selection of synthetic lab created fancy blue diamonds, these diamonds have the same exact physical qualities of a natural diamond - the only difference is that they were created in a lab. Synthetic fancies are priced much lower than natural fancy diamonds. These fancies can be purchased loose, or placed in a pre-set design or made into a design-your-own ring! To see a Full Collection of Loose Fancy Diamonds at Brilliant Earth just click on the link.
0.52 Carat Fancy Vivid Blue Pear-Cut Diamond
$2,850
0.78 Carat Fancy Blue Emerald-Cut Diamond $2,410
0.99 Carat Fancy Intense Blue Heart Cut Diamond $5,460
Shopping Tips and Recommendations for Blue Diamond Engagement Rings
Because blue diamonds are so valuable, couples need to use extreme caution when shopping for a blue diamond wedding ring or a loose blue diamond.
The number one way to protect yourself as a buyer is to stick with natural, synthetic or enhanced blue diamonds that come with either a GIA or an IGI certificate.
Mounted diamonds cannot be graded for certification, if you have found a rare blue diamond antique engagement ring keep in mind that the ring should come with an appraisal and certificate of authentication from a third party - like the American Gem Society.
1. Synthetic Blue Diamonds
One
of the best alternatives to real fancy blue diamonds are man made
synthetic blue diamonds - these diamonds have the exact same properties
as natural diamonds, the only difference is that they were made in a
laboratory instead of in nature. And like natural rare blue diamonds,
synthetic blue diamonds should come with a GIA or IGI certification.
On average, synthetic blue diamonds are priced around $3,000 for a 0.5-carat or $8,500 for a 1-carat stone. Like natural blue diamonds though, the price of synthetic blue diamonds increases with the saturation of the blue color and the carat size.
2. Enhanced Blue Diamonds
Enhanced blue diamonds are real natural colorless diamonds that have been permanently treated - through heat or irradiation - to create a beautiful blue color. If you are looking for big blue diamonds in larger carat sizes, enhanced blue diamonds are definitely one of the best choices because it is difficult to find synthetic diamonds over 2 carats in size.
Blue diamonds which have been enhanced should also come with a GIA or IGI certification.
Overstock has a small selection of enhanced blue diamond rings, with a price range much lower than natural or man made fancy diamonds:
Ebay also has a large selection of enhanced fancy blue diamond engagement rings and bridal sets!
3. Blue Gemstone Engagement Rings
For a blue engagement ring, gorgeous blue gemstones can also offer an affordable alternative to real blue diamonds - and most blue gemstones are less expensive than blue synthetic or enhanced diamonds.
Three gemstones which can offer outstanding durability - and eye catching style - for beautiful blue engagement rings include blue sapphires, blue topaz and blue aquamarine.
Blue sapphires have flash and fire characteristics which are closest
to those of a natural diamond. And while most blue sapphires are a lot
darker than natural blue diamonds,
blue sapphires have their own beauty and sparkle and are quite dazzling
in
engagement and wedding rings.
Blue topaz gemstones have a blue
color tone that is a lot brighter than
natural blue diamonds, but they are an affordable alternative if you are
looking for an engagement ring that sports a blue gemstone. For a
darker blue color, the London blue topaz gemstone are an excellent
choice too.
Aquamarine gemstones showcase a gorgeous display of marine blue, plus they are affordable and extremely durable too. Aquamarines do have lower flash and fire qualities than blue topaz and blue sapphire gemstones, but even with these less eye catching properties aquamarines are treasured for their natural beauty and luster.
The best of luck searching for blue diamond engagement rings, I sincerely hope with this info you can find the perfect blue diamond ring of your dreams - and feel free to use the comment page below to send in questions, comments, reviews and pics to share with future visitors!
Questions or Comments?
Send in your questions and comments, or upload pics of your blue diamond ring here to share with our viewers!
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