Things to know about diamonds blacks

Do you like blacks diamonds? You know that not all blacks diamonds are alike? Here are six things to know about diamonds blacks.

If you think about a diamond, it is likely to have in mind a white, dazzling, gleaming transparent stone, perhaps mounted on a ring. But the jewelry companies have discovered, or rather rediscovered, the colored diamonds. And if those blue, pink or yellow are the kings of the auctions, with dizzying prices, to their collections the jewelers often use diamonds also another color: black. And in many cases these diamonds do not have crazy prices, indeed. So the question arises: are really cheap the blacks diamonds? Where they come from? They are the same as transparent? Here are six things to know about diamonds blacks.

1 What is the origin of blacks diamonds?
Not all black diamonds have the same origin. There are diamonds that have turned black without being black at the origin and there are natural, fancy diamonds (called fantasy, because they have a different color from white). All of them, white, yellow, pink or black, are diamonds, but they have different stories. Most black diamonds, the ones that don’t cost too much, are originally diamonds of another color, considered not valuable, which have been heated to very high temperatures. Basically, they were cooked and turned black. On the contrary, natural black diamonds are very rare. The natural black color, in fact, is produced by the inclusion of graphite in the crystal structure during the formation of the gem, millions of years ago, before the deposits of kimberlite (where the stones are located) reached the earth’s surface. In a nutshell, the only difference between white or, more correctly colorless, diamonds and natural black ones is that the latter have the inclusion of graphite and the clear ones do not. The crystalline structure is instead the same. In their natural state, these stones are found in very few places, especially in Brazil and Central Africa.

2 What is the right price of blacks diamonds?
Obviously natural blacks diamonds cost more than those heated. The ratio is at least ten times or more. If, for example, a black diamond heated costs 100 Euros or dollars, it will cost about 1,000 if it is natural, with the same carats. On eBay there are blacks diamonds (treated) from 1 carat to just over $ 100-200. A natural 1 carat black diamond oscillates about $ 2,500-3,000, but the price is variable according to the request.

3 How do I recognize a black diamond?
Natural black diamonds are generally opaque, but with metallic reflections, although there are different qualities. Natural black diamonds are also often difficult to polish and cut. Another weak point of natural black diamonds is the surface, which could be porous. In practice, it is very difficult for a jeweler to use natural black diamonds, although it cannot be ruled out.

4 How do I know what kind of diamonds I’m buying ?
Artificially treated diamonds may not have an official certificate that guarantees their quality, such as the one issued by Gia, the American Gemological Institute. On the other hand, black diamonds are often used to compose pavé and a certificate may be superfluous: jewels of this type are valued more for their design than for the quality of black diamonds. A natural black diamond, on the other hand, is an official recognition, which you can ask your jeweler: given the price difference it is worth it.

5 Why they are cool?
For some years the blacks diamonds are considered as special stones, a little unconventionals. In an episode of Sex and the City, Mr. Big gave Carrie Bradshaw a ring with a crown of diamonds blacks, because “because you are not anyone else.” Also blacks diamonds were worn by Katherine Heigl, Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Evan Rachel Wood, Jennifer Lawrence, Lauren Conrad and Sarah Jessica Parker.

6 I have a black diamond. Can I wash it, or it will fades?
You can clean a black diamond just like other diamonds. Also read How to clean diamonds.