Where Are Red Diamonds Found? (All You Need To Know)


Where Are Red Diamonds Found

Lindsey, do you know where red diamonds are founds? This is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

Searching for diamonds of any kind is the act of hunting down the greatest riches the world has to offer, but there is one specific type of diamond that is harder to find than any other.

Any diamond with a red color is incredibly rare and extremely valuable so you might be wondering: where are red diamonds found?

Almost all of the red diamonds in the world have been found in Australia, but a small number have also been located in places like Brazil, Russia, and Africa.

Read on to discover all about these elusive and mysterious stones!

Are Red Diamonds True Diamonds?

Before we get into where exactly they can be discovered and what might cause them to grow, we need to know what a red diamond actually is.

Although they might be mistaken for garnets, rubies, or other red gemstones, these are in fact a much more precious kind of stone altogether. They are diamonds, and they are true diamonds in every sense.

The only difference is that they have a unique appearance that makes them particularly valuable.

These diamonds are part of a subcategory known as “fancy color diamonds” which covers all the various and beautiful colors of diamonds that can be found throughout the world.

You might be surprised to hear that diamonds come in many more colors than the clear examples that you typically see, including red, blue, green, pink, orange, yellow, purple, black, white, gray, and brown.

Read also >> Are Red Diamonds Real? (All You Need To Know)

Read also >> What Is the Biggest Red Diamond Price? (All You Need to Know)

Where Do Red Diamonds Come From?

So, where have these incredibly rare diamonds actually been found?

There are very few mines that have ever unearthed diamonds that the GIA have graded as Fancy Red, and the most prolific of them recently closed down.

Almost all of the world’s red diamonds have come from the Argyle Mine in Western Australia, which shut its doors in 2020.

Argyle was also the source mine for 80% of the world’s pink diamonds, which further links the two color types.

Besides the Argyle Mine in Australia, some red diamonds have also been discovered in Brazil, Russia, and Africa.

How Rare Are Red Diamonds?

Diamonds categorized as having a red color are the rarest kind of fancy color diamonds, and perhaps the most exclusive gemstones on the entire planet.

In fact, only around 30 natural red diamonds of true gem quality have ever been officially graded by the GIA. Even lower-quality red diamonds are very hard to come by and they are rarely put up for sale.

This number is astronomically small, and quite remarkable when you consider just how many diamonds are being discovered every year.

On average, between 100 and 200 million carats of diamonds are produced by mines annually, and only a small handful of them are officially considered red diamonds.

Read also >> Are Red Diamonds Rare? (All You Need To Know)

Read also >> Red Diamonds Price (All You Need To Know)

Why Are Red Diamonds So Rare?

So, how is it possible that so few red diamonds have ever been discovered? Well, there are a few things that you need to understand about red diamonds if you want to get your head around why they are so rare.

Firstly, it is to do with the very limited number of locations where they can be found, which is related to the specific conditions that are required for them to form (about which, very little is understood).

On top of that, there is also the question of whether or not these diamonds are actually an entirely separate color type at all.

It is believed by many that red diamonds are actually very vibrant and intense pink diamonds, with only the strength of their coloring setting them apart.

Pink diamonds are certainly more common than red diamonds, but they are also incredibly rare compared to other color variations, second only to red diamonds themselves.

If it is true that the red color is actually the most vivid and powerful version of pink diamonds, then that would make them the rarest presentation of the rarest color type of all.

What Makes A Diamond Turn Red?

One of the reasons why this color of the diamond is such an enigma, and why they are so hard to come by, is down to the way that they are formed – and how their color becomes visible.

The exact origin of the red color in these diamonds is not completely understood, although there are a number of different theories that try to explain its appearance.

Even though scientists have researched these diamonds for many years, they still do not know exactly what makes them red.

The prevailing theory is that it is a result of plastic deformation in the crystal lattice structure that occurs during very specific kinds of shear pressure. This displaces some of the atoms as the diamond moves through layers of rock below the earth and alters the color that is visible.

This theory is also believed to be the same process that results in the formation of pink diamonds, which further supports the idea that they are different color intensities of the same kind of diamond.

What Kind Of Colors Do Red Diamonds Appear In?

One of the other reasons why many think that red diamonds are actually part of the pink diamond color spectrum is because they only appear in one color intensity.

Fancy color diamonds like green, yellow, and blue can be categorized as one of a number of different intensities, including Faint, Light, Fancy Light, Vivid, and Deep. Red diamonds, however, are only ever described as Fancy Red.

If you see a diamond for sale that is being described as one of the other intensity variations, then it is probably fake!

This supports the theory that this type of diamond actually occurs due to a dense and highly concentrated dose of what would otherwise be considered a pink color.

That is not to say that all red diamonds are the same color, though. Red diamonds also come with a variety of different secondary hues, so they can be described as brownish red, orangey red, or even purplish red (which is generally seen as the least valuable of the three).

Can You Buy Lab-Created Red Diamonds?

Fortunately for fans of red diamonds, you don’t have to fight for one of the very few natural examples on the market if you want to get your hands on one yourself.

Methods have been developed to create diamonds in a lab, which are much more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable than mining and drilling. These diamonds can also be treated or grown under specific conditions to give them a certain color.

It is still not common to see red diamonds on the market, though, as it is a difficult color to generate at the right intensity and they are not particularly sought-after by the general public. L

lab-grown diamonds are, however, physically, chemically, and optically identical to any that can be dug up from the earth, and they typically come with a much smaller price tag.

Read also >> Lab Grown Diamonds Price and Value (All You Need to Know)

Red Diamond Price

Considering how rare they are, and how few sources have ever found them, how much do red diamonds sell for?

It should come as no surprise that they are generally highly expensive and are often the most valuable diamonds of their size.

To get an understanding of just how much they cost to buy, we can look at a few of the very limited numbers that has actually been put up for sale in recent years.

DiamondCaratApproximate Price
Fancy Red Radiant Shape0.27$130,000
Fancy Red Radiant Shape0.71$600,000
Fancy Red Princess Shape0.90$1,500,000
Fancy Purplish Red1.32$2,400,000
JAMES ALLEN

James Allen is the leader in online diamond sales. Their imaging technology is the same as inspecting a diamond with a jeweler's loupe. They have the largest exclusive loose diamond inventory online and fantastic prices.

They also have the nicest collection of lab created diamonds online. Save 10% off select lab grown diamonds and 25% off ring settings during limited time sale!


WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THEM:

  • No questions asked returns within 30 days of shipment. James Allen will send you a paid shipping label to return the ring.
  • Lifetime Warranty
  • Free International Shipping
  • Free prong tightening, repolishing, rhodium plating and cleaning every 6 months
  • Provide insurance appraisals
  • One free resizing within 60 days of purchase
  • Free ring inscriptions
  • Best-in-class high quality imagery of all diamonds in stock
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • Best-in-class packaging


Conclusion

So, where are red diamonds found? In very few places indeed, is the true answer. Only a few mines have ever unearthed diamonds that have been officially graded as “Fancy Red”, and the main source mine for red and pink diamonds actually closed down in 2020.

Red diamonds are truly one of the most remarkable gemstones on the planet, and their value is closely linked to how difficult it is to find them.

They are the rarest of all diamond color varieties, and perhaps one of the rarest gemstones of any kind.

References

https://www.leibish.com/red-diamonds

https://www.statista.com/statistics/274921/worldwide-production-of-rough-diamonds/

Lindsey

Lindsey graduated with an MBA in 2009. Since then, Lindsey has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Lindsey is also the head writer and Co-founder of Rvandplaya.com. Lindsey is based in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Recent Posts

error: Content is protected !!