The world of diamonds is captivating, filled with shining stones symbolising love and commitment. But within this realm exists a rare and enigmatic treasure: the red diamond.
A Scientific Mystery
Most coloured diamonds get their hues from tiny impurities trapped within their crystal lattice structure during their formation deep underground. These impurities, often nitrogen or boron atoms, act like little imperfections that disrupt the way light travels through the diamond. This disruption alters how the light gets absorbed and reflected, creating the specific colour we see. For example, nitrogen impurities can cause yellow or brown tones, while boron can contribute to blue hues.
However, red diamonds defy this well-understood process. Scientists haven’t found significant levels of these typical impurities in red diamonds. This is why the origin of their red colour remains a scientific enigma.
One leading theory suggests that the intense red in these diamonds might be caused by a specific type of deformation within the diamond’s crystal lattice structure itself. Imagine the diamond’s crystal lattice as a perfectly arranged network of atoms. During the extreme pressure and heat conditions deep within the Earth’s mantle where diamonds form, some red diamonds might experience a unique type of distortion in this atomic arrangement.
This distortion in the lattice structure is theorized to interact with light in a way that causes specific wavelengths of light (those corresponding to red) to be scattered and emitted more strongly. In essence, the distorted lattice acts like a filter, allowing red light to pass through more readily, giving the diamond its captivating red hue.
While the deformation theory is a strong contender, research is still ongoing to definitively explain the origin of these gems’ colour. Scientists are exploring additional factors like the presence of other, rarer elements or even the influence of extreme pressure and heat on the diamond’s atomic structure itself.
Unmatched Rarity and Value
The rarity of these coloured diamonds is what truly sets them apart. It’s estimated that only around 20 to 30 true gem-quality red diamonds exist in the world, some weighing less than one carat. This scarcity makes them far more valuable than even the most flawless white diamonds of similar size. In fact, a vivid red diamond can be worth millions of pounds per carat, reaching record prices at auctions, as exemplified by the Hancock Red and the Moussaieff Red.
The Enigmatic Hancock Red
Among the world of red diamonds, the Brazilian Hancock Red holds a unique and storied place. Weighing in at a respectable 0.95 carats, this brilliant-cut round diamond boasts a purplish-red hue, a colour considered exceptionally desirable within the red diamond spectrum. While some larger red diamonds exist, like the De Young Red, their beauty is often diminished by the presence of brown overtones. The Hancock Red, on the other hand, showcases a pure colour, further amplifying its rarity and value.
The Hancock Red’s fame extends beyond its exceptional shade. In 1987, it captured the world’s attention at a Christie’s auction in New York. The final gavel strike of £880,000 secured its place as the most expensive diamond per carat ever sold at the time. This staggering price tag translated to a remarkable £926,315 per carat, a record that remained unbroken for twenty years. Adding another layer of intrigue to the story, reports suggest that Mr. Hancock, the original owner, acquired the diamond in 1956 for a mere £13,500.
The Moussaieff Red: A Crown Jewel
Another entry in the red diamond hall of fame is the Moussaieff Red. This magnificent gem, unearthed in the rivers of Brazil, weighs a remarkable 5.11 carats. While its size alone commands attention, the Moussaieff Red’s true brilliance lies in its exceptional colour. Like the Hancock Red, the Moussaieff Red boasts a pure, vivid red that is unmatched in its intensity, a significant factor behind the record-breaking price it achieved at a 2001 auction. The final bid of a staggering £8 million established a new benchmark for the price per carat of a red diamond, solidifying the Moussaieff Red’s place as a crown jewel in the history of these rare and coveted gems.
Conclusion
Red diamonds exist at the crossroads of captivating beauty and scientific intrigue. While the mystery continues to be unraveled, one thing remains certain: red diamonds are incredibly rare. With only a handful of true gem-quality stones in existence, they transcend mere jewels, becoming objects of desire and symbols of luxury, a testament to the enduring brilliance hidden within the Earth.
