Green is the neutral mediator of the warm and cool color spectrum, a perfect harmony of passionate emotions and tranquil moods. To find green, nature is the best color palette.

Natural green diamonds are particularly alluring: they are breathtaking, beautiful, and somewhat complex.

The colors of these extremely rare and beautiful gems are formed deep underground under the influence of gamma radiation. Since this natural radiation can be replicated in a laboratory setting, it is often challenging in real life to determine whether the color of a green diamond is natural or a result of processing.

Surface stains of green or brown might indicate a natural color, but more often than not, the cause of the green color in a diamond cannot be conclusively determined. Brands selling green diamonds typically provide certification, such as a GIA certificate. Through this certificate, consumers can ascertain whether the color of the purchased diamond is natural.

The green color tones in diamonds vary, and the intensity of green in a green diamond differs from one gem to another. The majority of natural green diamonds belong to the IA type, with a higher nitrogen content, exhibiting strong N3 color centers and GR1 color centers formed by radiation damage. The variation in the green color is influenced by the ratio of absorption of N3 and GR1 color centers.

When the relative absorption intensity of N3 color centers is greater than that of GR1 color centers, the diamond appears yellow-green; conversely, the diamond appears blue-green. When the absorption intensities are equal, the diamond appears green.

As early as the 1940s, people mastered the technology of using artificial radiation, and unfortunately, this technology was dishonestly applied in laboratories by some sellers to treat diamonds with irradiation to masquerade them as the rarest natural green diamonds.

Regrettably, many green diamonds on the market today have undergone such treatment. The most famous recorded natural green diamond to date is the Dresden Green Diamond, weighing 41 carats, mined from the historic Golconda mines in India.

Like many famous gemstones, the Dresden Green Diamond has a complex history shrouded in mystery. In the 18th century, this diamond was brought from India to Europe by a merchant but remained unsold for a long time. Eventually, the last Saxon king, Frederick Augustus III, purchased the Dresden Green Diamond for 400,000 thalers—an amount that could have been used to build the entire Dresden Cathedral at that time.

This rare green diamond was set in a headdress adorned with four hundred small diamonds, and it has been preserved in this form to this day.

The unique color of the Dresden Green Diamond set it as a benchmark. This green diamond became part of the research conducted by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), leading to the development of methods to determine the source of diamond colors. Understanding the nature of green diamond colors has been a major focus of their research, as there is a significant price difference between natural green diamonds and lab-grown green diamonds.

Over the years, GIA has analyzed over 50,000 green diamonds using high-precision equipment and developed specific methods to distinguish natural green diamonds from those grown in a lab. This contributes to preventing fraudulent practices in the jewelry industry, where, unfortunately, selling fake diamonds under the guise of natural colored diamonds is all too common.