Purple Diamond

Natural purple diamonds are some of the rarest and most desirable gemstones in the world. Their unique color, ranging from light lavender to vivid purple, sets them apart even among fancy color diamonds. But where does this distinctive hue come from?

What Causes the Purple Color in Diamonds

Most diamonds get their color from chemical impurities present during their formation deep underground. In the case of purple diamonds, the impurity is hydrogen:

• Hydrogen atoms become trapped in the diamond crystal structure during growth
• They cause structural distortions that interact with visible light to produce a purple coloration

This hydrogen impurity is very uncommon, occurring in less than 1% of colored diamonds. That makes natural purple diamonds astonishingly scarce and costly.

How Natural Purple Diamonds Are Formed

Natural purple diamonds require a very specific and rare combination of conditions to form underground:

• Extremely high pressure, over 45,000 times atmospheric pressure at sea level
• Relatively low temperatures, less than 2192°F
• Precise amounts of hydrogen present in the crystal growth environment

This unusual set of parameters restricts where purple diamonds can grow in Earth's mantle. Less than 1% of global diamond production yields purple stones.

The Allure of Natural Purple Diamonds

The extreme scarcity of natural purple diamonds, along with their mesmerizing color, makes them highly in demand. Large polished purple diamonds can sell for over $1 million per carat at auction. Their mystical allure will likely only increase as supplies dwindle in the coming decades.

The Spectrum of Purple Diamonds: From Lilac to Deep Violet

While grouped under the umbrella term "purple diamonds", these rare gems span a wide range of shades and saturations.

Their exact purple hue depends on subtle structural factors within each stone. Some of the most common shade varieties include:

Light Purple Diamonds

• Lilac – Very pale purple, sometimes with grayish undertones
• Lavender – Soft purple shade, moderately light
• Plum – Slightly darker than lavender, vibrant purple hue

Medium Purple Diamonds

• Grape – Rich vivid purple color, the intensity builds on the plum shade
• Orchid – Royal purple color, named after the flower
• Mauve – Balanced blend of pink and purple hues

Dark Purple Diamonds

• Violet – Deeper, more blue-based purple shade
• Purple – Highly saturated pure purple color
• Deep Purple – Very dark, intense violet-purple shade

The depth of color in natural purple diamonds depends on three main factors:

• Concentration of hydrogen impurities
• How impurities are clustered within the crystal lattice
• Interaction of impurities with internal crystal structures

Lighter purple diamonds with lower color saturation can sell for around $50,000 per carat. Deep violet purple diamonds with intense even color can auction over $2 million per carat – a world apart in value!

Price Per Carat Insights in New York City

The incredible rarity and allure of natural purple diamonds make them among the most costly diamond types in the world. However, pricing depends greatly on the individual stone's characteristics:

Color Intensity

• Pale shades (lavender) maybe $5,000 to $10,000 per carat
• Medium purple tones (grape) can be $25,000 to $50,000 per carat
• Rich vivid purple hues (violet) might sell for $100,000 to $300,000 per carat

Clarity

• Inclusions negatively impact value more than color
• A flawless 1-carat purple diamond could be over $500,000 per carat

Cut Quality

• Premium cuts enhance purple color intensity
• Poor cuts result in "windowing" and dull spots

Carat Weight

• Larger stones are exponentially more rare
• 5+ carat Purple Orchid diamond sold for $1.2 million per carat

Source

• Natural purple diamonds cost over 30X more than treated stones

The combination of phenomenal color saturation, perfect clarity, expert cutting, and size over 3 carats produces the most valuable purple diamonds, regularly selling for over $1 million per carat at auction.

This places them among the most expensive gemstones in the world – a testament to their truly enigmatic allure.

From Mine to Market

The extremely rare geological conditions that create natural purple diamonds restrict mining locations across the globe. A few prime sources include:

• Argyle Mine, located in Australia, was responsible for producing 90% of the world's natural purple diamond supply before it closed in 2020. The mine operated using open-pit mining techniques, extracting alluvial deposits from ancient riverbeds.
• Ekati Mine in Canada is a kimberlite pipe that contains a diamond deposit. The mine is known for producing small amounts of high-quality purple diamonds.
• Siberia, Russia: Secondary alluvial diamond deposits are found along rivers and coasts.

Once extracted from the remote mines, rough purple diamonds undergo an arduous refinement process:

1. Initial Sorting: Separating natural purple diamonds from other stones
2. Clarity Assessment: Identifying inclusions using 10x magnification
3. Cutting and Polishing: Precise cutting to maximize color and minimize waste
4. Grading: Gemological analysis for cut, carat, clarity and color factors
5. To Market: Top diamonds are sold at auctions; others at jewelers

This complex journey from harsh mines to glamorous red-carpet events imbues natural purple diamonds with a special allure and contributes to their astronomical values in today's market.

Browse our website, vividcarat.com, to choose diamonds that are suitable for your needs and budget. Whether you're looking for a wedding ring or a pendant, or just want to invest in a loose diamond, we have something available in stock to suit you. We work in New York City.

Certification Before Purchasing Purple Diamonds

Authenticating natural purple diamonds demands expert certification. GIA, AGS, or GCAL certificates confirm natural origin. Documents detail color grade, clarity, and cut quality factors

Beware of sellers offering stones without a current certificate – for Purple Diamonds certification is crucial due to their extremely high costs.

Treatments of Natural Purple Diamonds

To enhance the beauty of natural purple diamonds and intensify purple tinges, they can undergo irradiation and heating can produce purple hues.

However, treated gems are not considered natural purple diamonds and sell for drastically lower prices.

Investment Appeal in New York City

The rapid appreciation of value has made natural purple diamonds an excellent investment. The global supply is critically low.

For example, a flawless 2-carat natural purple diamond purchased in 2008 for $150,000 has been resold in 2022 for over $4 million!

While these diamonds are too rare for traditional financial portfolios, they do offer significant upside potential. However, certification remains essential to confirm the authenticity and origin of the diamond before buying diamonds.

Our jewelry store, located in New York City, offers a wide selection of diamonds. We will inform you about any treatments and provide complete assistance when purchasing loose gemstones or jewelry items. You can also order custom jewelry with inlaid gems to match your design. Explore the entire section of minerals that we sell at vividcarat.com.