Ray of sunshine: nine of the best yellow diamond engagement rings

By Åse Anderson in London

Sparkling with the intense colour of the sun, yellow diamond engagement rings are guaranteed to put a smile on the face of any bride-to-be.

Coloured diamonds are a popular choice for those who want to stand out from the crowd but still prefer a diamond centre stone. These diamonds are very rare: only around one carat out of every 10,000 carats mined is a natural fancy colour diamond.

Yellow diamonds are among the most desired of all coloured diamonds and their colour can vary from warm brown yellow to fiery orange yellow. Less than 0.1% of all diamonds are yellow and the colour is created by the presence of nitrogen atoms deep within the earth.

Intense canary yellow diamonds are the purest form of the stone and therefore the most sought-after - and expensive. However, compared to other coloured diamonds, such as pink and blue, yellow diamonds are usually at the more affordable end of the spectrum.

Eye-catching and glamorous with an undeniable red carpet appeal, it is no wonder that yellow diamond engagement rings are popular with stylish celebrities. Country music star Carrie Underwood, tennis ace Anna Kournikova, American socialite Olivia Palermo and actresses Rebecca Romjin and Megan Fox all wear yellow diamond engagement rings, as did supermodel Heidi Klum when she was married to Seal.

Lewis Malka London halo style yellow diamond engagement ring (0.5ct starting from £4,950).
Amrapali yellow diamond engagement ring with a double band of yellow pavé diamonds (£POA).
Messika 11.73ct emerald-cut yellow diamond engagement ring with a white diamond pavé band (£POA).
McCaul Goldsmiths Wave pear-shaped yellow diamond engagement ring (£2,800).
Harry Winston Classic Winston emerald-cut yellow diamond engagement ring in platinum with two brilliant-shaped diamond side stones.
Hirsh Regal yellow diamond engagement ring with a 1.01ct radiant-cut natural Fancy Vivid yellow diamond set in platinum surrounded by brilliant-cut diamonds (£25,000).
Graff Twin Constellation engagement ring with a double pavé setting surrounding a yellow diamond centre (£POA).
Star Diamond yellow diamond engagement ring with a 21.18ct VS1 clarity emerald-cut yellow diamond flanked by two trapeze-cut white diamonds (£POA).
Boucheron Jaune Imperial 15.00ct emerald cut yellow diamond engagement ring in white gold and platinum flanked by two colourless diamonds (£POA).