Black diamonds
Diamonds are also known for their black beauty which adds value in the jewelry. They are neither translucent nor sparkle much. For this reason, they were rarely used for jewelry in the past. In the 90s the black diamonds and precious stones came into fashion. Even today, they are an indispensable part of the fashion scene and are among the cheaper diamonds. This is due on the one hand to the fact that they are not quite as rare as diamonds of different colors and on the other hand because the demand is relatively low. Black diamonds are often used in jewelry with pavé or micropavé settings. Several black diamonds look particularly glamorous. Black diamonds are becoming increasingly popular in men’s jewelry now. On the other side, fabulous natural black diamond engagement rings are becoming more popular among ladies, see the latest collection here.
Formation of black diamonds and their intensity
Black diamonds are created by the strong pressure on carbon under the earth. This pressure and the high temperature create a geometric grid. Black diamonds are also known as “carbonado” because of their carbon. The black color is caused by the penetration of graphite into the crystal lattice. The black diamonds consist of individual small crystals (poly crystals), which makes them more porous than other fancy colored diamonds. As a result, black diamond grinding is relatively difficult. The opacity of the material also means that black diamonds are not available in different intensities.
Overtones in black diamonds
Another special feature of black diamonds is that they do not exist with overtones. So all black diamonds are always fancy black.
Black diamond locations
Black diamonds are mainly discovered in Central Africa or Brazil. There the fancies are found in their raw state in alluvial deposits. The increasing popularity of black diamonds has led to diamonds being treated with radiation to artificially create a black color. The treated black diamonds are, however, not equivalent to their natural counterparts and must be marked as such in the certificate. Yorxs does not offer treated diamonds.
Famous black diamonds
The Black Orlov
Black diamonds have not gone unnoticed in earlier times either. The best-known example of this is the 67.50 carat Black Orlov. The history of this diamond should be treated with caution, as some evidence suggests a different origin. It is reported that the Black Orlov originated in India. However, there are actually no black diamonds to be found there, and not of this size – the diamond weighed 195 carats in its raw state. In addition, the color black does not bring luck in Hinduism, which does not speak in favor of keeping such a find. In the 18th century, the diamond was supposedly owned by the Russian princess Nadia Vygin-Orlov and thus probably got its name. To date, the cushion-shaped black diamond has been exhibited, bought and sold several times.
The Spirit of de Grisogono
The Spirit of de Grisogono (312.24 carats) is the largest black diamond in the world. It was discovered in a mine in Central Africa, but further details are not known. The rough diamond (587 carats) was acquired by the Swiss jeweler Fawaz Gruosi and the diamond cutter and specialist in black diamonds de Grisigono. Grisigono gave the diamond its cut and thus the diamond finally got its name “Spirit of de Grisogono”. The cut of the diamond is very unusual. It is a so-called Mogul cut. The planning and development of this form took over a year. The Spirit de Grisogono was then integrated into a ring. It forms the main stone of a ring in white gold, which is set with 702 white diamonds totaling 36.69 carats.
Gray diamonds
Pure gray diamonds are rare. Their importance and value have only recently increased in the market. For example, in November 2011, a 10.67 carat estimated at $ 120,000-200,000 was sold for a record $ 1.19 million. That equates to a price per carat of over $ 100,000. In general, gray diamonds usually have shades from dark steel gray to light silver gray. Often terms such as coal gray, steel gray, dove gray, silver or slate color are used to describe the diamonds. Besides blue diamonds, gray diamonds are the only diamonds that are semiconductors for electricity.
Formation of gray diamonds and their intensity
Gray fancy diamonds get their color from boron or hydrogen atoms, which are embedded in the diamond’s carbon lattice. However, boron atoms are significantly less common in gray diamonds than hydrogen atoms. During the formation process in the earth’s interior under high pressure, the non-carbon atoms penetrate the material. Gray diamonds come in a wide variety of nuances and overtones. Gray as the primary color can have a light or strong intensity.
Overtones in gray diamonds
Gray diamonds often have green, brown, or blue attributes. The overtone changes the hue of a gray diamond. They appear warmer with a brown overtone and cooler with a blue overtone. Gray is a very common overtone in diamonds of different colors. A gray overtone is particularly common with blue and green diamonds.
Gray diamond locations
Gray fancies come from Russia, India, South Africa, Brazil and Australia. A particularly important location for gray diamonds is the Argyle mine in Australia, which is best known for its red and pink diamonds. The gray diamonds created there often have a purple overtone.
Pure gray diamonds are rare. Their importance and value have only recently increased in the market. For example, in November 2011, a 10.67 carat estimated at $ 120,000-200,000 was sold for a record $ 1.19 million. That equates to a price per carat of over $ 100,000. In general, gray diamonds usually have shades from dark steel gray to light silver gray. Often terms such as coal gray, steel gray, dove gray, silver or slate color are used to describe the diamonds. Besides blue diamonds, gray diamonds are the only diamonds that are semiconductors for electricity.
