Champagne diamonds refer to brown diamonds which contain secondary hues of yellow giving the stone the color of Champagne. The amount of the yellow secondary color in the stone can be weak or strong. The GIA describes these stones as: fancy light yellow brown, fancy light yellowish brown, fancy yellow brown, fancy yellowish brown, etc.
The champagne diamond color is caused by the presence of nitrogen and its resultant absorption within and reflection of certain wavelengths of light back to the viewer. The Argyle Mine in Western Australia is one of the areas where some of the finest Champagne-colored diamonds originate.
Several years ago, the mine began a smart marketing campaign by changing the name (brown) to something far more attractive (Champagne, a drink known for success and good times). This association has helped to increase the stone’s desirability and stimulate sales.
