Green Diamonds: The Grand New Entrant in the World Carbon Gemstones

Among some of the rarest gemstones in the world, the green variant in the fancy-coloured diamond family is a truly special entrant. Unlike other coloured stones in the diamond family, green diamonds feature distinct elements with respect to their colour and are known for their distinct green hues, whilst being among the rarest in the carbon family of gemstones.

In this Education page we look at the key features of green diamonds, and analyse what sets them apart from other top gemstones, including other diamonds, coloured and colourless, and some top green diamonds.

The Cause of Colour in Green Diamonds

Green diamonds are among the more remarkable naturally coloured diamonds. The emergence of this specific hue has been attributed to the radioactive effects that the diamond is subjected to during its stages of development. Since diamonds form under conditions of extreme heat and pressure, the encounter with radioactive materials and the effects of radiation is believed to alter the atomic structure of the stone. Causing changes to the order of its crystal lattice structure, enabling the stone to reflect green light. In some cases, green diamonds are believed to carry the scars or effects of radiation on their surface.

Since colour is a function of the ability of the material to interact with light, green diamonds are unique in how they are able to produce their unique hue. This is an interesting feature in green diamonds in that the source of colour differs from other notable varieties such as yellow diamonds, where the source of colour is attributed to the presence of trace minerals. With green diamonds, the source of colour is far more interesting: The effects of radioactivity. Though this is not the only factor. And this is one of the things that makes coloured diamonds more interesting. Things are not all uniform According to the GIA, research in the area of green diamonds has revealed that Green diamonds coloured by H3, hydrogen, or nickel defects occur in many localities. For decades the largest producers of green diamonds coloured by GR1 defects have been alluvial deposits in Brazil, Guyana, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, the Central African Republic, and India.

Of course, it might be worth considering that potential buyers look into its possible radioactive character. Though in reality, the green diamonds that enter popular use, in the gemstone and jewellery industry are generally free of any radioactive effects, so owners of green diamonds can rest assured. 

The Rarity and Country of Origin of Green Diamonds 

As noted green diamonds are among the rarest gemstones in the world. Whilst, not the rarest diamond types (that is reserved for pink and red diamonds), they are still immensely difficult to come by, at least in comparison to the more popular colourless diamonds. In addition, when one controls for carat, cut, and clarity these variables makes the process of finding a top quality gem quality green diamond more difficult.

This is due to a number of factors. The most notable is the sourcing of green diamonds. Diamonds as those who follow developments in the gemstone industry would know, are not found in all gem-producing countries. And gem producing nations themselves are not widespread with only a number of countries in South and South East Asia, Central and Eastern Africa and the major nations in South and North America specialising in the trade. When it comes to diamonds, however, a smaller number of nations lead the way: many of them in Southern Africa, Russia, Brazil and other major mining nations like Canada and Australia, with some rare findings in parts of India, which we shall discuss below.

When it comes to green diamonds, the countries of origin that are known for sourcing them are fewer in number. However, upon closer look, green diamonds can be sourced from all major diamond-producing countries, though only in smaller quantities, and are found in kimberlite and secondary alluvial sediments. The notable green diamond sources are Brazil, Guyana, the Central African Republic, and to a lesser extent India.

Famous Green Diamonds

When it comes to buying a top green diamond, it might be interesting to note that they are experiencing a recent surge in popularity. Arguably the most popular adoption is the engagement between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez: with the latter proposing a stunning 8+ carat green diamond. Among the more popular historical green diamond stones is Dresden Green Diamond. Originally sourced from India, a massive 40+ carat diamond is believed to be from the Kollur mine in south-eastern India, and is the most famous in the world.

Green Diamonds: Who is For?

When it comes to owning a top-quality green diamond there are a few factors that you need to keep in mind. Notable here is the proposition: are green diamonds for you? Given that green diamonds are a select group of gemstones, whose adoption in the gemstone and gemstone jewellery world is relatively rare. Meaning they are not only hard to come by, but generally command a much higher price point. With top-quality engagement rings quality, green diamond gemstones are generally beyond the range of average gemstone jewellery buyers. With gemstones at a single carat ranging in the 50 – 100 thousand dollar mark, with better quality stones fetching prices far higher.

So when it comes to buying authentic green diamonds, it is important to know what you are getting into. It is a premium-quality gemstone that commands a high price. However, if you are interested there are a number of points concerning green gemstones that you must consider: generally, when it comes to green gemstones, the vibrancy of colour is valued, with gemstones with higher concentration being valued higher. Also, it is important to look out for inclusions, which affect the quality of colour in the gemstone, with high-quality green diamonds, as in other green gemstone types featuring few or no inclusions.

When it comes to buying green diamonds for fine jewellery like engagement rings, it might be a good idea to opt for a solitaire ring style, to showcase the colour and magnificent hue of this gemstone, minus the distractions.

Artificial Green Diamonds

When it comes actually purchasing a green diamond, given their high price point, there has been an upsurge in demand for green diamonds, leading to the entry of artificial variants. This is an important point to keep in mind, considering that naturally sourced gemstones of whatever variety are valued and priced much more than artificial or lab-grown ones. With respect to green diamonds, their high price point is a function of their rarity in nature hence lab grown variants could seek to exploit this demand. As the technology to differentiate between natural and artificial green diamonds remains new, buyers must be aware of artificial variants of natural green carbon stones.