Marcus Tempus
Named for Helios, the sun god of ancient Greek mythology, this distinctive ring celebrates the natural warmth and individuality of a Fancy Yellow diamond.
At its centre is a 0.36ct natural Fancy Yellow oval cut diamond, selected in an exceptional VVS2 clarity and accompanied by its individual GIA certificate. The elongated oval cut gives the diamond an elegant presence, while its brilliant faceting brings light and vibrancy to its naturally golden colour.
Crafted in Platinum 950, the cool white tone of the metal provides a beautiful contrast to the warmth of the yellow diamond, allowing its colour to remain the defining feature of the design. Refined proportions keep the overall appearance elegant rather than overstated, placing the focus firmly on the individuality of the centre stone.
Natural fancy coloured diamonds are treasured for the remarkable variations of colour created by nature, meaning no two possess quite the same character. With its sunny yellow hue, exceptional clarity and graceful oval shape, The Helios offers a distinctive alternative to the traditional colourless diamond engagement ring.
Part of The House of Gemstones collection, where exceptional gemstones meet timeless craftsmanship.
✦ Crafted in Platinum 950
✦ 0.36ct natural Fancy Yellow diamond
✦ Elegant oval cut
✦ Exceptional VVS2 clarity
✦ Individually GIA certified
✦ Naturally occurring fancy yellow colour
✦ Platinum setting provides beautiful contrast to the centre diamond
✦ Distinctive natural coloured diamond engagement ring
The House of Gemstones
Natural fancy yellow diamonds are diamonds whose body colour is sufficiently distinctive to be considered beyond the traditional D–Z colour scale. Their yellow colour is most commonly associated with nitrogen within the diamond crystal.
Each stone is judged as an individual. Hue, tone, saturation, colour distribution and rarity can have an enormous influence on desirability.
Yellow Born in Nature
Nitrogen incorporated into the crystal during formation can give natural diamonds their distinctive yellow colour.Fancy yellow diamonds share diamond's exceptional resistance to scratching, but they can still chip or cleave if subjected to a sharp impact.
Understanding Natural Yellow
Yellow colour is commonly associated with nitrogen atoms incorporated into the diamond crystal as it formed.
Nitrogen-related defects can absorb parts of visible light, allowing the diamond's characteristic yellow appearance to emerge.
The concentration and arrangement of nitrogen, together with the diamond's cut, can influence the strength and distribution of its visible colour.
Golden Light
Yellow is one of the best-known natural fancy diamond colours. Its colour is commonly associated with nitrogen incorporated into the crystal as the diamond formed.
Unlike diamonds graded within the D–Z range, stronger yellow colour can become increasingly desirable once the stone is classified as a fancy colour diamond. Rich, even saturation is particularly prized.
The Language of Colour
Fancy yellow diamonds are assessed differently from colourless diamonds. The dominant hue, any modifying colours, the lightness or darkness of the stone and the strength of its saturation all contribute to its appearance and grade.
The visible colour or combination of colours.
How light or dark the colour appears.
The strength or intensity of the colour.
Colour Intensity
Terminology varies with the individual stone and grading laboratory. Natural coloured diamonds may fall within the D–Z range at lower colour strengths, while stones meeting fancy colour criteria are described using recognised fancy intensity grades. The exact wording should always be taken from the accompanying laboratory report where one is present.
The Character of Yellow
Fancy yellow diamonds can range from relatively pure yellow to colours influenced by modifying hues. The exact description depends on the appearance of the individual stone and, where applicable, the terminology used by the grading laboratory.
For important stones, the laboratory report should be used for the formal colour description rather than relying on appearance alone.
Beauty Through Cutting
With colourless diamonds, cutting often focuses heavily on maximising light return. In fancy yellow diamonds, cutters may also use facet arrangement, proportions and shape to strengthen the face-up appearance and distribution of colour while retaining as much valuable weight as practical.
What Matters Most?
Clarity remains an important characteristic, but colour is usually the dominant value factor in a natural fancy colour diamond. A stone with visible inclusions may still be highly desirable if its colour is rare, attractive and strongly saturated.
Carat weight, cut, clarity, colour distribution and rarity all remain part of the complete assessment.
Transparency Matters
Natural diamonds can be treated to alter or enhance their colour. Processes such as irradiation, annealing or HPHT treatment can produce or modify colour, so determining whether colour is natural is especially important for valuable fancy yellow diamonds.
Where a treatment is known or identified, it should be clearly disclosed. At Marcus Tempus, we favour natural diamonds in their untreated state and source from trusted suppliers, while assessing stones and supporting documentation individually.
Colour produced through natural geological processes during or after formation.
High pressure and high temperature treatment can alter the colour of some diamonds.
Controlled irradiation can modify diamond colour and requires disclosure.
Heating may be used with other processes to alter the resulting colour.
Independent Assessment
For important natural fancy yellow diamonds, an independent laboratory report can be particularly valuable because it may describe the colour origin, colour grade, carat weight, clarity and other identifying characteristics.
GIA
IGI
HRD Antwerp
Recognised independent gemmological laboratories include GIA, IGI and HRD Antwerp. Natural diamonds may be accompanied by an independent grading report from one of these or another recognised laboratory. The laboratory and type of report will vary depending on the individual diamond; the logos shown here do not imply that every Marcus Tempus diamond is graded by these laboratories.
Responsible Sourcing
We favour trusted suppliers and transparent sourcing wherever possible. Provenance and documentation can vary according to the age, size and market history of an individual diamond or piece of jewellery, so each is assessed on its own merits.
Marcus Tempus Diamond Selection
We consider the complete visual character of each natural fancy colour diamond, including hue, saturation, tone, colour distribution, cut, clarity, carat weight and rarity. Where an independent grading report is supplied, it forms part of our assessment rather than replacing examination of the stone itself.
Marcus Tempus Bespoke
A natural fancy colour diamond can become the starting point for a completely individual piece. Metal colour, surrounding diamonds and setting style can all be chosen to complement or intensify the centre stone's natural colour.
Natural fancy yellow diamonds vary enormously in availability and rarity. Particular combinations of colour, intensity, size, shape and clarity may require specialist sourcing.
Enquire About Bespoke Options →Fancy Colour Diamond Questions
A natural fancy colour diamond displays body colour sufficiently distinctive to be assessed using fancy colour terminology rather than solely within the traditional D–Z scale.
Yellow colour can occur naturally in diamond, commonly through the presence of nitrogen. Diamonds can also be colour treated, which is why disclosure and appropriate testing matter.
Colour intensity, hue and distribution are major factors, considered alongside carat weight, clarity, cut, rarity and the overall beauty of the individual diamond.
Clarity matters, but colour is often the dominant consideration in a fancy colour diamond, particularly when the hue and saturation are rare.
Yes. Some diamond colours can be produced or modified by treatment, so known treatments should be disclosed and important stones may benefit from independent laboratory assessment.
No. A grading report records gemmological characteristics, while a valuation assesses the complete item's value for a stated purpose.
