Everyone is familiar with the traditional white diamond and most people have seen colored diamonds, such as pink or yellow. But now the black diamond is drawing attention.
The black diamond, also called Carbonado, is a natural polycrystalline that absorbs light rather than refracting it as white diamonds do. As many diamond experts will point out, black diamonds are actually low-grade diamonds that become discolored when carbon in the stone remains uncrystallized, creating the black hue. But low-grade does not necessarily equate to low value. The black diamonds are found only in Brazil and Central Africa, making them extremely rare. With black diamonds, darker hues are considered to be higher quality, and thus worth more.
Over the past decade, demand for black diamonds has been growing. In part, celebrities sporting the beautiful gem on the red carpet have been leading the trend. The fact that black diamonds are rare lends a sense of exclusivity to jewelry made with the stones. Black diamonds are edgy and modern and can be used to dress and outfit up or down. They set off the ever-popular little black dress exceptionally. Black diamonds have even begun to show up in engagement wedding rings, either as the main stone or as accent stones. They are also a masculine gem choice for men and have become a popular accent for men’s wedding bands.
Black diamonds make a striking contrast against white metals like silver, white gold, platinum, and titanium, as well as with lighter stones like white diamonds. Black and white jewelry is hot right now, making it the perfect time to invest in black diamond pieces.
You may be questioning whether the interest in black diamonds is a phase. Many jewelers and diamond dealers are confident that it is more than a passing trend and that we will continue to see an increase in black diamond jewelry. As with white diamond jewelry, black diamond jewelry pieces are likely to become heirlooms.
