The Blue Diamond: One of the Rarest of Gems
Natural colored diamonds are rare and highly sought after because of their exclusivity and the blue diamond is among the rarest of all. In fact, one of the most celebrated diamonds blue in color is the Hope Diamond which can be viewed at the Smithsonian Institute. The blue diamond should not be confused with a sapphire, although some may be similar in color, simply because the diamond is not only the hardest material known to man but it also sparkles and provides a fiery brilliance that sapphires cannot capture.
Natural and Rare
The blue diamond found in nature is quite rare but it can easily be recreated in a laboratory setting although it would not fetch the price a natural one would. When colored diamonds are found in nature, it is the presence of trace elements that give the diamond their color. For instance, nitrogen present during the formation of a diamond could produce the color yellow while boron can produce the color grey.
Excessive hydrogen present during the formation of a diamond results in the revered blue diamond and can also produce various shades of blue, depending on the amount of the element present. And while inclusions in white diamonds are not desirable, they can be quite acceptable in colored diamonds like the blue because they provide additional flashes of color as well as personality.
Expensive doesn't even begin to cover the value of the blue diamond and in fact, 99% of the jewelers in the world have never personally seen or will ever own a diamond such as the blue one. Only the most special of conditions produce the blue diamond which is the reason why they are so rare and costly.
Recreating Nature
A laboratory can create not only simulated white (clear) diamonds but also ones that are of different colors. The simulated version of the blue diamond is a lot more affordable for the common man but still can be a bit pricier than a normal diamond. You should always assume that if you see a colored diamond at a reasonable price that they are made in a lab rather than found in nature. And if the jeweler claims it is a natural colored diamond, ask for proof of authenticity which should show chain of providence, meaning where it was mined, sold and cut.
Most of the world's population that buy jewelry will never see a real blue diamond up close and personal unless it is in a museum, like the Hope Diamond. However, with the genius of labs these days, you can wear your own blue diamond for a fraction of the "priceless" price tag.
