What Makes a Diamond Black?

One of the hottest trends in the jewellery market right now is black diamonds. Anyone who has seen Carmen Electra’s black diamond stunner ring knows how striking these stones can really be. But how are they black? Is this the result of laboratory work, or are these stones real?

Some are concerned that black diamonds are manufactured rather than discovered, and this is what gives them their dark hue. This is incorrect. Black diamonds are, in fact, diamonds. They are mined primarily out of Central Africa or Brazil; sometimes instead of black, they can present as a stylish grey.

These diamonds simply display a different crystalline structure from regular diamonds. This presents some challenges. Because black diamonds are already “shaped” by nature in hundreds of small angles, crafting a black diamond for a setting takes true skill. The crystalline carbon structure is one of the hardest structures on Earth. Meaning, it takes another diamond to cut this diamond! The process takes skill, as during the shaping process black diamonds are more likely to fracture than regular stones. But after the stone is placed, it is nearly indestructible.

Many black diamonds on the market today are enhanced by technology applying intense heat and irradiation. However, this still doesn’t mean they are fake. This process mimics the same method nature used to create these diamonds in the first place, only without the thousands of years of waiting!

What is the difference from a “regular” diamond? Well, black diamonds absorb rather than give off light, so the sparkle that one associates with a regular diamond doesn’t occur with a black diamond. But this doesn’t mean the stones are “flat” and dull. Black diamonds, rather, are luminescent. Consider pairing them with that little black dress to see their true shine.