Some things are timeless. The lasting image of the ideal engagement ring is one of those things. That powerful visual of a sparkling, larger-than-life rock will always spring to mind when we think of “the question” being popped to a bride-to-be.
It’s impossible to argue with the value of a tried and true showpiece engagement ring–if it suits the wearer’s tastes.
While these traditional sorts of diamonds–or as we call them, show stealers–are often white, sometimes they don’t have to be. Also, extravagance and clarity frequently win the day, as personified by the Clear Lozenge Diamond Engagement Ring.
With all this said, what about people more interested in a unique diamond or an alternative engagement ring?
After all, some brides-to-be march to the beat of their own drummer. They have their own sense of identity and stylistic flair. Undoubtedly, they love to stand out from the pack, but they don’t need to do it by competing with all the other fiancees wearing clear and white diamond rings.
Let’s say you or your bride-to-be likes to buck tradition and forge a more personalized unique version of romantic splendor. Then, you might be enticed by a black diamond engagement ring.
This alternative engagement ring, while not the first option that springs to mind for many couples intending to get married, is no less a show-stealer. More to the point, because it’s a unique choice–while still utterly gorgeous–it stands out even more.
Yes, a black diamond ring is an alternative engagement ring that’s bound to wow onlookers as much as it will melt the bride-to-be's heart. Still, before making any decisions about this unique diamond, you should learn more about it. After all, it’s an investment and requires the appropriate research–which we’re providing below:
What Is A Black Diamond?
Black diamonds are known for their exponentially high number of inclusions and are classified as “fancy colored” opaque diamonds.
The black diamond is rare and unique in color. Yet, unlike other diamonds classified similarly, black diamonds aren’t formed by the chemical impurities in a given stone’s composition.
Boron, hydrogen, and nitrogen are geological impurities in different color diamonds. Conversely, black diamonds have graphite and random clusterings to dictate their coloring.
For the above reason, a black diamond resembles its white counterpart more than blue or yellow diamonds, for instance.
Additionally, it’s worth noting that colorless or white diamonds have inclusions that appear as minuscule dark specks. Alternatively, with black diamonds, inclusions can appear in abundance, with the diamond still appearing entirely black.
What To Look For In a Black Diamond
Understanding The Judging Criteria
Of course, just because a black diamond is an alternative diamond doesn’t mean quality suddenly falls by the wayside. Quite the opposite, really. Quality is everything with these unique stones.
Unsurprisingly, black diamonds have different characteristics you need to prioritize compared to other stones. Either way, start by checking the certification. This will inform you whether the black diamond is heat-treated or natural.
Thus, you must figure out the judging criteria and what qualities you must seek. Specifically, GIA (or a similarly respected lab) should grade the black diamond. It’s the only way you’ll know whether it’s a natural fancy black diamond or a treated one.
The GIA provides a report for identification and origin, including color grade (black), carat weight, color origin (natural), and diamond measurements.
Clarity And Color Don’t Matter
Clarity isn’t a complicated issue with black diamonds. Nor is color. Every black diamond has a vast number of inclusions, and there’s only one color rating–that being fancy black. The stone’s opaqueness also means polish and symmetry aren’t factors.
Prioritizing Personal Taste
Your choice will come down–primarily–to personal taste. Also, the cut will be a primary determining factor in choosing your black diamond (like our Black Speckled Pear Engagement Ring).
Cut Is Vital
Cutting a black diamond is intensely challenging due to its brittle construction, meaning you’re paying much more for high-quality cuts. A well-executed cut can add sparkle to a black diamond, despite how it doesn’t reflect light like other diamonds.
Maximizing the sparkle factor of your black diamond will rely on a cut with large crown facets and a small table.
Much of the time, black diamonds don’t get cut in the fancier styles. They’re often cut into pear, round, and cushion shapes. Other shapes will necessitate more market research and a much higher budget.
Shape And Cut Mean More Than Carat Size
Black diamonds are denser than other diamonds, meaning carat is different. Since carat is the weight of the stone, a 1-carat black diamond is smaller than a clear 1-carat diamond. So–focus more on the shape and cut in a black diamond that you do its carats.
Dispelling Misconceptions About Black Diamonds
Many people think that black diamonds aren’t rare since they aren’t the most talked about piece of jewelry.
However, black diamonds are rarer than their colorless counterparts.
No, they aren’t the rarest occurring color throughout nature. Still, their artistic beauty and dark allure bring with them high value.
Additionally, black diamonds aren’t by any means “cheap.” First, cheap would imply lesser quality, which is the furthest thing from the truth. They might be more economical than higher in-demand stones–but that also comes down to size and cut. Natural Fancy Black Diamonds often cost between $3,000 to $5,000 for each carat. That’s far from “cheap.”
It is worth noting that treated black diamonds are much less expensive, but that’s due to their lesser quality.
Types Of Black Diamonds
The two main types of black diamonds are natural black diamonds and treated diamonds that are made black artificially.
It should be no surprise that natural black diamonds are the more desirable and valuable of the two main options. They obtain their color from the creation process, which involves zero external interference. While there are many inclusions in these natural diamonds, these natural diamonds form graphite clusters, offering the stone a black, metallic aesthetic.
The organic creation process of natural black diamonds makes them incredibly rare and valuable compared to their treated counterparts.
On the other hand, treated black diamonds don’t carry nearly as much value because they’re actually white diamonds. They just happen to have many fractures and inclusions. Plus, they have a dull grey appearance. In fact, treated black diamonds don’t carry much worth in their initial state. Their purposes are primarily industrial.
Only once they’ve been subjected to treatments for pressure, heat, and irradiation is the black hue induced in these less authentic stones.
Another type of black diamond is the carbonado. It’s naturally occurring and only located in Central Africa and Brazil. According to Geophysicists, these stones–which consist of diamond, graphite, and carbon–are derived from a meteorite.
There are also black diamonds created in a lab from beginning to end. They might appear identical to natural diamonds, but neither the color nor the stone exists in nature.
Why Should You Consider A Black Diamond?
There are plenty of reasons to consider a black diamond.
For one, provided you find a quality cut and shape, the bride-to-be will be in awe when the question gets popped. The aesthetic appeal is undeniable and is its own form of high fashion.
Moreover, since a black diamond is an alternative engagement ring, the bride-to-be makes a bold statement by wearing it. She’s telling everyone she has her own sense of style and flair and sets her own trends–she doesn’t follow in others’ footsteps.
We don’t want to make any guarantees, but if you’re the first of your peer group to go with black diamonds, your other soon-to-be-engaged friends will follow suit. You’ll open up everyone’s eyes to this visually enticing engagement ring alternative.
Designs are often sophisticated, elegant, extravagant, and sleek, whether set in yellow gold, platinum, rose gold, white gold, etc.
As long as alternative rings speak to your or your fiancee’s tastes, black diamonds will strike the perfect balance of stylish and unique.
Also, while you’ll enjoy the top-tier quality of a black diamond engagement ring, you are selecting a more budget-friendly option. After all, this is an alternative diamond. By definition, that means black diamonds aren’t in as high demand as more traditional stones.
Once more, however, we’ll reiterate that “economical” and “budget-friendly” don’t translate to cheap and low quality. Black diamonds are as striking and high-quality as any clear or white diamond if cut expertly.
Why Choose Point No Point For Your Black Diamond Engagement Ring?
Point No Point stands out from the competition because of our unrivaled breadth of settings. We provide CAD-rendered models to our customers, all aspects are handled in-house, and we can guarantee superior quality for any setting. Our competitors plainly can’t keep up with that level of service.
Our partnership with Jewelers Mutual–the longest-standing jewelry insurance company around–offers you extra assurance.
We also provide a return label with our deliveries, leading to hassle-free exchanges and returns.
Moreover, Point No Point boasts a wide range of loose stone inventory, offering you a broad diamond selection.
Want to learn more about our process? Then click here. Do you wish to discover more about our black diamond engagement rings? Then contact our customer service team through Zoom, phone, or email. You can also visit our location to speak to one of our specialists.
