Fancy Colored Diamonds: When a copy of The Fancy Color Diamond Book arrived at the JustLuxe offices, we were excited. Who doesn’t love a great coffee table book that will evoke a good conversation and teach you something interesting? Most often, when you hear the word “diamonds” you think of the clear kind. Of course colored diamonds have always been around, but lately we have been seeing them pop up on celebrities everywhere, as they are gaining more and more popularity; Mariah Carey sports a pink diamond, while Heidi Klum wears a beautiful yellow shade.

Straightforward and simple to understand, The Fancy Colored Diamond Book is a wealth of information as well as an interesting read. “The uniqueness of this book is that it provides in-depth knowledge, as well as technical information about fancy color diamonds, and diamonds in general, written in a user-friendly manner. This book is a must for every connoisseur and lover of diamonds of every age and status, from every country. It is especially useful for the experienced diamantaire but no doubt would be of interest to the private diamond high-end consumer,” said the author, Eden Rachminov. Rachminov is a third generation diamond trader and managing owner of Rachminov Diamonds 1891. What he doesn't mention is that the book also looks beautiful in the living room or on a side table flipped open to any of the glossy images, in addition to being packed full of knowledge.

I am by no means a gem expert, but thanks to the Fancy Color Diamond book, I have quickly acquired many fascinating facts to share. You might be surprised to find out that there is a vast array of colored diamonds: blues (I am sure you recall the Hope Diamond or even the necklace from Titanic), greens, reds, grey, even black. One of the most interesting variations of the gem is the Chameleon. Chameleon diamonds will quite literally change color depending on how they are treated. According to the book, these diamonds are typically a greenish hue, however when heated to more than 200 degrees Celsius or simply left in the dark for about 24 hours they will change to a more yellow or orange shade. The book also goes into detail regarding cuts, value, how to understand a Diamond Grading Chart and much more. If you are a fan of diamonds, are in the market to buy jewelry featuring the gem or are simply in need of a great new coffee table book, this is a great purchase.

Here are a few more interesting tidbits:

The word diamond comes from the Greek word adamas meaning unconquerable.

Only one diamond in a million weighs one carat or more

Auction numbers show that for every 112 Picassos offered, ONE blue diamond is sold.

Up to 20 carats of diamonds were used in the manufacturing of your car.

Bill Boyajian, former President of the Gemological Institute of America said, “In my 31 years with the Gemological Institute of America, the last 20 as president, I recognize the tremendous value of this book. I therefore encourage anyone interested in obtaining knowledge and an appreciation of fancy color diamonds to read it. Eden Rachminov has truly done a masterful job in this very important contribution to the literature on these glorious gems.” Well, I suppose that says it all.