Diamonds are valuable for a number of different reasons, two of which are the purity of their color and the rarity of their existence. Rarer still is when those two elements come together and create naturally occurring colored diamonds. Accounting for less than 3% of all jewelry grade diamonds in the world, they immediately create diamond engagement rings that are among the most unique on the planet. The question is how do they happen and what colors can be found?   [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="418"] Add a fancy color diamond to any setting at Van Scoy[/caption]   Traditionally, jewelers and diamond experts have broken down the colorization of diamonds into two categories. The first concerns itself with white diamonds that have a yellow hue to them. These are strictly graded, the most commonly accepted grading system in the United States being the letter value system preferred by the Gemological Institute of America. Ranging from D to Z, they cover all white diamonds from a level of Colorless – other grading systems refer to these diamonds as Exceptional White +, Finest White and River – which is graded D all the way do a grade of Z for those diamonds that are Light Yellow, or Tinted Color 3, Yellow or Dark Cape.   Once a white diamond has fallen off this scale because of how intense the yellow is, it joins the company of the second category. Known as Fancy Colored Diamonds, these diamonds are then graded by the specificity of color much like rubies, emeralds and other colored gemstones are. These are also the colored diamonds that are having the biggest impact in the world of diamond engagement rings today.   People are constantly looking for engagement rings that stand out from the crowd but are unwilling to embrace designs and styles that may become too outdated and be more of a fad than a fashion. Instead, they are turning to diamond engagement rings that are made with naturally colored diamonds. There are 27 color hues that the industry recognizes, allowing people the chance to find the perfect color to match their sense of style and personality.     Keep in mind that because they are so popular and so rare, some people may try to pass off artificially colored diamond engagement rings as the real thing. That is why when shopping for engagement rings, or diamond jewelry of any kind, it is best to do so with a certified jeweler who can assure you the integrity of the diamonds you are looking for.