Diamonds have always fascinated us, especially the range of colors they can come in. If the carbon atoms the diamond is composed of are pure, the diamond will be completely clear, but this rarely happens as there are usually nitrogen atoms of some sort present, giving the diamond a different look without actually changing its make up. Still, we often wonder what makes blue diamonds and other colored diamonds.

Colors come from reflected sunlight, like in the case of blue jeans which absorb all light except that which gives them their blue appearance. The light has to be at a certain wavelength for it to appear as it does to us. The same is true in the case of these diamonds. The more nitrogen that is present, the more defined the color will be.

Diamonds that are blue actually get this color because some of the nitrogen is instead replaced with Boron, which actually reflects the blue light. It only takes a little of this element to get a very significant effect. That said, diamonds that look this way are very hard to come by. The Hope Diamond is one of these rare examples highly rated on the Gemological Institute of America's (GIA) color scale.

While many blue diamonds are extremely beautiful, most stones pale in comparison to that found back in the early 17th Century--The Hope Diamond. A gem of immense "violet beauty", in even its crudest cut; attraction is further enhanced by the mysterious origin of the gem; both regards mining and legitimacy of ownership. This didn't detract the then King of France, Louis XIV having it re-cut, set and used as a ceremonial statement, however.

The stone remained in the ownership of the French rulers until it was, apparently, stolen when France succumbed to revolution. Whilst not categorically proven, the stone is widely thought to have next turned up in the collection of a trader in the streets of London. From here, it passed back into the royal line; this time through the court of King George IV of England.

Here it stayed until his death, when it was traded to cover debts mounted up by the lavish Monarch. Passing to a private family, it is from here the stone was christened the Hope Diamond.

Whilst it stepped out of royal ownership, the trade continued to be ruled by death and debt, until it finally came to reside in the walls of the Smithsonian Institute in 1958. It remains on site today, and can be enjoyed by members of the public.

Following 16 years of ownership, the gem was finally weighed in 1974. Above all predictions, this most precious of blue diamonds shocked the world once more as its carat value of 45.52 was announced. Mindful of the above mentioned auction, the retail value alone would be well above sixty million dollars. It's story would make even this sum seem inconsiderable.

Of course, the Hope Diamond isn't the only famous blue diamond in the world. Diamonds like the Queen of Holland, the Blue Empress, and the Regent Diamond are celebrated by people all over the world. Their past travels will probably not be continued as their current owners would rarely be willing to let go of these valuable possessions.

All these diamonds, from these exquisite ones to the ones even you can buy, are found in various shades and huge. There are six that are especially well valued, and the amount you'll have to pay for any diamond you might be interested in will depend on that color and how prized it is. Some special occasions call for you to look for a certain shade.

Besides the color, the cut is also important as it plays a big role in how the diamond looks. A diamond's beauty is enhanced when it is well cut and it becomes even more expensive. If you do ever get your hands on a blue diamond, you should consider it a treasured asset and appreciate everything about its appearance and the story behind it.