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Black Diamond
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend…
Typically, we think of beautifully sparkling colourless diamonds. But did you know that black diamonds can also be a stunning eye-catcher? With its unique, subtle shine, a piece of jewellery featuring a black diamond can transform any outfit into a stylish ensemble. Here, we delve deeper into this stone, how it gets its colour, and its unique properties.
How does black diamond get its colour?
This is the most frequently asked question when it comes to black diamonds, and we can be quite brief. Black diamonds get their colour from the many inclusions (imperfections) in the stone. When you have a colourless diamond, the idea is: the clearer the stone and the fewer the inclusions, the more beautiful the sparkle. With black diamonds, it works the exact opposite. The many inclusions prevent the light from reflecting inside the stone, resulting in the colour black. The fact that the stone has so many inclusions also means that this diamond is slightly less hard than its colourless counterpart. This can also mean that a black diamond may have a tiny hole in it. After all, it is made up of inclusions. Furthermore, the number of inclusions determines the colour of the stone, so when you place two black diamonds next to each other, there may be a slight colour difference. Nonetheless, black diamonds have a beautiful shine.
Black diamonds, also known as Carbonado, are found in only a few places in the world, namely in Brazil and the Central African Republic. Some scientists believe that black diamonds were formed in the Earth's crust by the impact of a large meteorite millions of years ago; however, this process usually formed colourless diamonds. The meteorite theory does explain why black diamonds are only found in Brazil and Central Africa. Another theory is that black diamonds formed in the meteorite before it struck the Earth. This would mean that it is an extraterrestrial stone, which gives it a rather mysterious touch. The conclusions are not definitive, but nonetheless, this is a beautiful stone that, when set in a gold or platinum ring, pendant, or earring, will form a chic piece of jewellery.
Some scientific facts about black diamond
- Molecular formula: C (Carbon)
- Specific hardness on the Mohs scale: 10
This means that on a scale of 1 to 10, this stone has the greatest hardness and can only be scratched by materials with the same hardness.
Black Diamond in History
Black diamond is generally less popular than its colourless counterpart, but over time, several black diamonds have gained quite a bit of fame.
The Spirit of De Grisogono, formerly known as the ‘Amsterdam’: this black diamond weighed nearly 56 carats in its rough form and was found in South Africa in 1972. After months of cutting and polishing, a pear-shaped black diamond emerged, weighing almost 34 carats, and was named the Amsterdam in honour of the city's 700th anniversary. This stone came into the hands of the Swiss jeweller De Grisogono in 1991, who used the diamond for marketing purposes. Consequently, jewellery, sunglasses, and phone cases set with black diamonds became extremely popular during that time. The Amsterdam, which brought great success to the jeweller, was renamed the Spirit of De Grisogono. Unfortunately, the Swiss jeweller eventually went bankrupt, but not before sparking Queen Letizia of Spain's interest in black diamonds, as she became a great admirer and wearer of black diamonds.
The Black Orlov: a black diamond weighing over 67 carats, said to have been stolen in India in the 19th century. Originally, the stone weighed 195 carats. It was reportedly one of the eyes in a statue of the Hindu god Brahma until it was stolen. Whether this is true is unclear, as India is not a known source of black diamonds. But because of this myth, the stone was said to be cursed, and several owners of the stone reportedly committed suicide, such as the Russian princess Nadia Vygin-Orlov in the 1940s, after whom the stone is named. The next owner was Harry Winston, who had the stone cut into three separate stones, supposedly to break the curse. Now known as the ‘Black Orlov’, this cushion-shaped black diamond was set in a brooch and sold to a diamond dealer named Dennis Petimezas. Since then, it has been displayed in the Natural History Museum in London and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Symbolism of Black Diamond
Diamond, including black diamond, is the birthstone for the month of April. Because the gemstone is so hard, it is seen as a symbol of eternal, indestructible love and strength. Due to its clarity, it also symbolises purity.
Black Diamond at DiamondsByMe
Black diamond can be used in various ways, but it will always give a chic and bold feel. Beautiful applications of black diamond include, for example, as a centre stone in an engagement ring with a black diamond, or many small, pavé-set diamonds. For inspiration, take a look at the following jewellery:
- Black diamond rings
- Black diamond earrings
- Black diamond pendants
- Black diamond bracelets
- Black diamond cufflinks
