| Blue diamond engagement rings are as rare as | | | | indicates the presence of more than one mineral |
| the men who are willing to shell out the bucks to | | | | impurity in the gem. |
| purchase one. The closest I ever came to a blue | | | | The interest in colored diamonds increased in the |
| diamond was at the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian | | | | 80s and began to reach a frenzy in the 90s and |
| houses the Hope Diamond which is one of the | | | | millenium. This can be attributed to the media and |
| most well known blue diamonds throughout the | | | | celebrities bringing colored diamonds into the public |
| world. If you ever get the chance to go to the | | | | eye. |
| Smithsonian in DC to see the Hope Diamond, I | | | | While natural colored diamonds are out of the |
| highly recommend it. It's awe-inspiring...even for | | | | price range of most, there are still ways that the |
| those who aren't particularly interested in precious | | | | average joe can get their hands on a |
| gems. Blue diamonds either get their coloring from | | | | colored-diamond. For example, diamonds can be |
| minute traces of boron within the diamond's | | | | color-treated by a process involving irradiation and |
| composition or by large amounts of hydrogen. | | | | intense heat, resulting in affordable, yet beautifully |
| The blue shade can range from just a hint of | | | | colored diamonds in a range of hues. Also, |
| color to a deep royal-blue. | | | | Synthetic stones can be grown in a lab with the |
| A solid pink or blue diamond engagement ring can | | | | same impurities that comprise natural blue stones. |
| cost anywhere from 10 to 50 times more than a | | | | This process involves inserting carbon dioxide into |
| similarly sized white diamond engagement ring. It's | | | | hot plasma which mirrors the high temperature |
| not unusual for a blue diamond to cost hundreds | | | | conditions under which natural diamonds form. You |
| of thousands of dollars or even into the millions. | | | | should know that color treated or synthetic |
| While regular diamonds usually don't go up in value | | | | diamonds have little resale value. |
| over time and depreciate from their retail value, | | | | Also, you can always pair white diamonds with a |
| the moment they leave the store, natural colored | | | | colored gemstone as an alternative to colored |
| diamonds seem to fair better as an investment. | | | | diamonds. If you can't settle for anything less |
| Stones with deep, solid blue color are considered | | | | than a natural blue diamond engagement ring yet |
| the most desirable. These "fancy diamonds" are | | | | have limited cash flow, you could always consider |
| also more expensive - a shade that is | | | | colored diamonds for sidestones. |
| multi-colored will be less expensive since it | | | | |