Brown Color Diamond Buying Guide

What is Brown Color Diamond?

Fancy color diamonds like brown colored diamonds have a noticeable secondary hue of yellow, pink, or orange, and range from light to dark brown.

Brown colored diamonds were famously marketed during the 1980s and 1990s. The color of brown diamonds is quite nice, but they are not among the most desired gems, and they were considered suitable only for industrial use until the 1980s. In order to attract more attention, the Argyle mine, where many of these diamonds were found, changed the name to brown color diamond. By naming these stones according to their color tone, the desire for these stones increased.

Like yellow and orange color diamonds, brown colored diamonds are colored by nitrogen present in their crystal structure. When nitrogen atoms are arranged in the diamond’s crystal structure, it absorbs light through structural defects and creates a brown hue as a result. Nitrogen content determines the intensity of a diamond’s brown color.

Various parts of the world produce brown colored diamond, including Australia, Siberia, and Africa. Due to a stagnant diamond market and increasing operation costs, the Argyle mine in Western Australia closed in 2020.

How Affordable are Brown Color Diamonds?

The price of brown colored diamond can range from fairly affordable to exceedingly expensive, just like all gemstones. However, their price is generally lower than that of other types of diamonds, such as green, blue, or red. It is true that brown color diamonds are becoming increasingly popular, however, they are nowhere near as desirable as colorless diamonds.

Are Brown Color Diamonds Rare?

Brown colored diamonds are the least rare of all colored diamonds. Brown diamonds are usually cheaper than white diamonds. While color brown diamonds are rarer than white diamonds, they actually cost less. There are always exceptions to every rule. A diamond’s value is determined by its 4 C’s, including its color. The value of brown colored diamond with red hues is considerably higher than brown diamonds with yellow hues. Price changes if the brown’s hue is special, rare, or in any other way unusual.

How to Choose a Brown Color Diamond?

Color

Color is an essential factor in choosing colored stones! The color of brown diamonds ranges from the lightest brown to a deeper brown, with secondary colors such as yellow, pink, or orange. The richer the shade, the more expensive and rare that stone is considered. Ultimately, it is about your preference – pick the hue you like best.

Cut

A diamond’s cut differs from its shape, as it refers to how it is shaped and polished. Among the 4Cs, a diamond’s cut determines its sparkle. Diamonds with a better cut are more sparkly and brilliant.

When buying a diamond, remember what’s important: does it sparkle, shine, and catch light from every angle? Those are the signs of a great cut. A jeweler can check the diamond for those hard-to-see things like symmetry, polish, and proportion.

Clarity

Clarity refers to how clear the stone is. A stone with fewer flaws is more valuable. It is recommended to purchase brown colored diamonds that are ‘eye clean’ – that is, they have no visible scars.

Like colorless diamonds, brown colored diamonds are graded by the GIA according to this scale:

• Flawless
• Internally Flawless
• Very
• Very Slightly Included
• Slightly Included
• Included

There are few flawless brown colored diamonds, and the highest clarity grades are generally not worth it. The stone is significantly more expensive, and you won’t be looking at it all day!

Depending on the shape, it is usually possible to find an eye-clean diamond in the VS1–VS2 range. You can even find eye-clean diamonds in the SI range with brilliant cuts. Nevertheless, grading varies from lab to lab – it’s more about the look than the grade! Clarity is less critical than cut.

Carat

Carats are based on your preferences and budget. You’ll get a larger diamond for less money with brown diamonds than with colorless diamonds.

The carat weight of a diamond refers to its weight, not its size. According to their cut, two 1 carat diamonds can appear very different in size.

Setting can also play a significant role in maximizing face-up size. You’ll get the most prominent stone with a pronged solitaire setting.

Where to Buy Brown Color Diamonds?

Always choose a reputable and trustworthy retailer when buying brown color diamonds. It is always advisable to obtain a certificate of authenticity from an independent laboratory and to inquire about the origin of the stone.

If you’re looking for loose brown colored diamonds, we recommend checking out the Blue Nile. They have one of the largest online diamond inventories and offer a wide variety of brown diamonds at reasonable prices.