Why are black diamonds cheaper?

Black diamonds are also called “carbonado” (from the Latin carbo – coal). Carbonado differs significantly from its other colored or colorless counterparts. Ordinary natural diamonds acquire pink, yellow, or other tints from elements incorporated into their monolithic crystal lattice during formation. The structure of carbonado itself is different – it is a polycrystalline combination with a large number of inclusions, most often graphite.

Master Brilliant diamond earrings and ring

Origin of black diamonds

Deep black color and excellent clarity are not all the requirements that a diamond must meet to become a diamond. The concept of black diamond includes several categories: dark diamond chips, which are waste from the extraction of more valuable varieties of diamond; carbonados with a polycrystalline structure and porous structure; and finally, pique diamonds with a monocrystalline structure and many impurities. It is the latter that are used in jewelry and turned into delightful black diamonds. Black diamonds are formed in the earth’s crust under conditions of high temperature and pressure, causing carbon atoms to crystallize to form diamonds. There is also a theory that natural black diamonds were part of a star that exploded 3,8 billion years ago, and its residual material fell to Earth in the form of meteorites.

Master Brilliant Lemon Gold Necklace with Black Diamonds

Cause it’s black

Black diamonds owe their color to inclusions of graphite, pyrite, or hematite, which are distributed throughout the stone and give it a black, metallic appearance. These diamonds may also have numerous chips or cracks that are colored black or turned black due to graphitization. The concentration of these internal elements provides color. Due to the large number of inclusions, black diamonds are almost completely opaque, devoid of the shine and “game” common to other precious stones. The polycrystalline structure of carbonado makes the stone incredibly durable, which is the main reason it cannot be used in jewelry, since it entails a particularly complex processing process.

Brilliant Style white gold earrings with black diamonds

The value of black diamonds

The path to the world of jewelry for the black diamond was opened by the ambitious jewelry designer Fawaz Gruosi, founder of the de Grisogono jewelry house. Having once discovered a black diamond in one of the jewelry catalogs, he decided to purchase a whole batch of stones. Their cost at that time was low, but Gruosi made the right decision by purchasing a large number of unpopular stones at a “ridiculous” price. The first three pieces of jewelry, made as a test, were a huge success, and within two years the black diamond became the symbol of the de Grisogono jewelry house and one of the most expensive stones. Thanks to Gruosi, the price of black diamonds instantly soared more than 20 times. And the stones themselves have become frequent “guests” in the collections of various jewelry brands.

Master Brilliant earrings and ring with black and white diamonds

How are black diamonds valued?

The evaluation of any diamond is influenced by 4 characteristics – color, clarity, weight and cut. These characteristics are not entirely applicable to black diamonds, since such an understanding as color cannot be determined in these stones, since they are black and the characteristic “uniformity of color” is applied to them. There is also no point in evaluating the cut of the stone, since it does not sparkle. The only chance to get at least some kind of shine effect is by adding more edges. For example, large stones are given more than 100 facets, which makes it possible to achieve a shiny surface. These days, the popularity of colored diamond jewelry is constantly growing. All people know clear diamonds well, because. This is how diamonds are usually found in nature. Where do colored diamonds come from? Colored diamonds are formed in that rare form when atoms of minerals enter the crystal lattice of the diamond, which cause a particular color of the diamond. In pink diamonds, this is the presence of manganese, a blue diamond is aluminum, a green diamond is chromium, a blue diamond contains boron, a yellow diamond contains lithium atoms, the green-yellow color of a diamond is due to nitrogen, and the brown color (cognac) indicates the presence of iron. After white diamonds, the second most popular item is jewelry with black diamonds. First you need to understand what a black diamond is. Previously, the diamonds from which black diamonds were cut were considered technical, and the price of such raw materials was no more than $10 per 1 carat. According to gemologists, the color of black diamonds is formed due to the presence of graphite or hematite inclusions in the diamond. There are also alternative theories, for example, other experts think that the color in a black diamond arises from disturbances in the crystal lattice.

Examples of cutting black diamonds

The structure and characteristics of black diamonds are almost no different from transparent diamonds. However, unlike colorless diamonds, a black diamond transmits only a little light or does not transmit light at all, due to the large number of black inclusions (graphite and hematite). A black diamond reflects light rays with its facets. Therefore, a lot of time and labor is spent on cutting a black diamond. Which are necessary in order to get a shining black diamond from a black diamond, but this diamond needs a special cut. Not all black diamonds are suitable for cutting, but only those in which the black color is evenly distributed. This is due to the internal structure of the diamond, which consists of a large number of graphite inclusions. Therefore, when cutting a black diamond, it may begin to crumble. Also, a black diamond reflects light rays only with its facets; if the polishing is poor, then the diamond does not “play.” Therefore, in order to get a good black diamond, an experienced cutter must work with the diamond, whose professional work will allow the black diamond to start playing. In this case, the sequence of applying clear edges to the diamond is important so that the diamond suddenly glows with fire. Cutting black diamonds is a very long process, which greatly affects the price of the diamond. Today, the latest technologies for cutting black diamonds continue to be developed.
Black diamond is relatively new in the world of jewelry, prices for black diamonds are much lower than other colored diamonds. Therefore, jewelry with black diamonds can be a good alternative when choosing a purchase, allowing you to purchase diamond jewelry for reasonable money. It should be borne in mind that not all gemologists believe that a cut black diamond is a diamond. A black diamond does not allow light to enter, it does not glow from within and reflects light only with its polished edges. But the trade name “black diamond” has already taken root and has the right to exist.
Also note that a “black diamond” is not always completely black. The color of a black diamond can be of different shades, black-brown, dark gray, these diamonds are also classified as “black”.
There is no doubt that this gemstone is very beautiful and original. Black diamonds have a beautiful rich color, thanks to which white diamonds in combination with black ones look very advantageous and contrasting. Therefore, jewelry with black diamonds deserves attention, and the owners of black diamonds look confident and respectable.
Due to the growing popularity of black diamonds, there have recently been a large number of enhanced black diamonds that have been given their black color by isotope radiation. Also, artificial black moissanite (grown stone) is sold. Independent gemological laboratories do the examination and often find that the diamond has been treated or that it is a man-made black diamond. Therefore, if you want to be confident in your purchase, you must require a gemological certificate from major international gemological laboratories such as EGL and GIA.
The black diamond is very original, so there is a version of the extraterrestrial origin of black diamonds. The mystery of origin, beautiful color and unusual crystal lattice – all this gives the black diamond its attractiveness, and a ring with a black diamond always emphasizes the style and elegance of the owner.