Natural-Color Fancy White and Fancy Black Diamonds: Where Color and Clarity Converge

Abstract

mond, we typically discuss atomic-level defects rather than inclusions—relying more on our spectrometers than our microscopes. Seldom are the diamonds distinguished not by color saturation, but by tone (neutral lightness and darkness) and transparency. Nevertheless, Fancy white and Fancy black diamonds break these rules and exist within their own special category, distinct from the other fancy-color diamonds described previously in our article series (Breeding et al., 2018; Eaton-Magaña et al., 2018a, 2018b). Fancy white diamonds, due to their scarcity as faceted stones, comparatively small size, and the lack of notable historical examples, are not well known. They are largely procured by connoisseurs. Probably the most famous of Fancy black diamonds is the Black Orlov (figure 1), a 67.50 ct cushion with a provenance dating back two centuries and, like the Hope diamond, rumored to be “cursed” (Balfour, 2009). Other famous Fancy black diamonds include the 312.24 ct Mogul-cut Spirit of de Grisogono, one of the world’s largest black diamonds, which originated from the Central African Republic. The Gruosi diamond is a 115.34 ct heart shape reportedly discovered in India, and the Korloff Noir is an 88 ct round brilliant. NATURAL-COLOR FANCY WHITE AND FANCY BLACK DIAMONDS: WHERE COLOR AND CLARITY CONVERGE