Black Diamond Wedding ring
With their vibrant colours and breathtaking beauty, fancy coloured diamonds have long been the centrepiece at auctions and museums. There is one category of gem however, that’s a touch less “prevalent”, pure black diamonds.
The history of black diamonds is rich, and a few popular black diamonds are shrouded in mystery. Black diamonds were first discovered in 1840 by the Brazilians. They were called carbonados. Black diamonds are found almost exclusively in Brazil and therefore the Central African Republic.
Black diamonds formed 2.6 to 3.8 billion years ago and are exceptionally rare. They are a natural polycrystalline diamond and there have been only about three metric tons mined, usually from the beds of streams. Larger black diamonds are literally made from many other smaller black crystals. Traditionally, diamonds are one, solid stone, but black diamonds are bound together by internal inclusions that hold many smaller pieces together.
This is why they are known as a polycrystalline structure and it is what gives them their colour and also the reason why spots can appear dark grey.
Throughout most of the 19th and 20th centuries, jewellers regarded the black diamond as too difficult to cut and polish. It was deemed to be best suited for industrial use and was thought of as being mostly unsuitable for jewellery.
Is a black diamond wedding ring an affordable choice?
Natural fancy black diamonds are relatively affordable, but obviously it depends on the dimensions wanted. Treated black diamonds, however, are significantly less expensive and the demand is quite low as most prefer the real thing.
How are Black diamonds graded?
The 4Cs of diamond grading still apply to black diamonds, but there are some differences. The grading is colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight. This is combined with the International Diamond Laboratory Grading System. These are the standards by which colourless to near-colourless (D-to-Z colour diamonds) are graded. Because black diamonds fall outside of this shade range, their colour is based on International Diamond Laboratory colour grading system for coloured diamonds.
The other aspect to consider is because black diamonds are opaque; they can’t be graded on the International Diamond Grading clarity scale. Also, there is variation in the tone and saturation of a black diamond. Therefore, they are only referred to as ‘fancy black’, which differs from other fancy coloured diamonds like pink, blue and yellow. A reputable jeweller such as Your Diamonds will be able to provide you with a Coloured Diamond Identification Report. The report will note if the colour is natural or treated.
Is it the right choice for me?
While the white diamonds are the favoured centre stone for engagement rings, black diamond wedding rings are also great, especially for the people that are fashion-conscious. As they say, there is nothing classier than the colour black. This diamond colour will be perfect to pair with any colour of outfit, plus it can have a casual look, when you wear it on a daily basis, and it can have a change in the look as well, as it can easily look great as a compliment to a formal dress. This is perfect if you want to wear it for special occasions.
Black diamond engagement rings however signify authority, power, strength and keenness. This symbolism makes it a perfect gift especially when you are about to propose. The carbonado engagement rings are perfect for ladies of power, and for those women who believe. What’s even better about the black diamond is its perfect for both genders, so it is practically a perfect gemstone for engagement rings for both men and women.
When going for engagement rings, the most popular shapes are round brilliant and princess cuts, which make it a perfect shape for halo engagement rings and three-stone engagement rings with the black diamond as the centre stone. This is the specified shape of the carbonado as they are doing not refract light.
Black diamonds are opaque, meaning they don’t glitter tons so meaning you’ll either choose a bezel or a prong setting without experiencing any problem with how the black diamond shines. However, black diamond rings are perfect if you go for platinum or white gold metals, just so you can add on to the contrasting colours of the ring.
Black diamonds have also become quite popular mounted in rose gold with the opaque black colour in stark contrast to the deep rose coloured hue.
The only disadvantage of going for black diamond engagement ring is that you have to consult with your diamond dealer to select the correct cut to get the “glitter”, since it does not refract light to begin with.
Small round black diamonds are also a perfect choice for accent stones or creating a bit of flair and contrast on your unique engagement ring.
