Black Diamond Rings – Everything You Need to Know

Every person wants to throw a unique wedding party and to include more original elements in this process. Of course, at the same time, they want to follow certain traditions. Buying a wedding ring for the big day is a must, but this doesn’t mean that you should stick to classic wedding rings.

There are many people who are looking for alternative wedding rings and it seems that black diamond rings are among the most popular options.

Obviously, you don’t have to throw a wedding celebration in order to buy a black diamond ring. This is a great gift for your special one at any time.

Finally, you can also buy a ring like this for yourself.

What are Black Diamond Rings?

As the name suggests, black diamond rings are a type of rings that have black diamonds on them.

According to some sources, black diamonds are among the top 5 most popular colors at least when it comes to colored diamonds. It’s good to mention that they are natural diamonds just like pink or yellow diamond rings.

It’s interesting that black diamonds are the hardest form of natural diamonds. They also come with a high level of impurities. Black diamonds are essentially polycrystalline diamonds that include diamond, amorphous carbon and graphite.

In its natural form, the black diamond can be mined all over the world, but Brazil and the Central African Republic are among the top exporters.

Nowadays, black diamonds are used in many different pieces of exclusive jewelry including black diamond rings. The specific color and the elegance that this ring radiates are just some of the reason why many people love them.

The meaning behind black diamond rings

It turns out that people have been giving black diamond rings to each other for hundreds of years.

Needless to say, in the past, only royalty could’ve afforded to buy and give this type of rings.

The good news is that ordinary people can buy black diamond rings today.

Similar to other types of diamond rings, black diamond rings are often associated with certain personality traits and characteristics. Namely, black diamonds are often linked to authority and power.

In some parts of the world, these gemstones are given supernatural power.

Due to the fact that this diamond is the toughest one, it has often been linked to attractiveness. That’s why many celebrities and successful people have black diamond rings or at least black diamonds in their possession.

The different types of black diamonds used in rings

Generally speaking, there are three kinds of black diamonds available in the market. These types have many similarities, but also a few significant differences. These differences affect the final price of the ring.

First of all, there is a completely natural black diamond also known as fancy black diamond. They are nothing like the rest of the colored diamonds found on the market. As we already said, black diamonds represent an impure form of polycrystalline diamond. This diamond includes amorphous carbon, graphite and of course – diamond. But, what does this description actually mean? Well, this means that ordinary natural colored diamonds are getting their specific colors as a result of the impurities that are emerging during the process of formation. On the other hand, black diamonds have a very high level of clusters of graphite and inclusions and this is the reason why they look black.

Synthetic black diamonds are the second type of black diamonds. They are also known as lab-grown, stimulant or manmade black diamonds. It’s very important to understand that they don’t represent real diamonds. For an ordinary buyer, there is no significant difference in the appearance of natural and manmade black diamonds. However, on a structural level, there’s a huge difference and this makes synthetic black diamonds different and cheaper.

Finally, there are so-called treated black diamonds. What’s interesting is that they represent ordinary white diamonds that have very low value because they have a high number of inclusions. After a short treatment, they are turned into black diamonds and sold at a higher price.

The cost of Black Diamond rings

There are a few different things that affect the final price of black diamonds rings. Of course, some of them are more important than the others.

For starters, it all depends on the type of black diamonds. As expected, manmade and treated black diamonds are much cheaper than natural black diamonds. Their prices are incomparable. We should also mention that natural black diamonds with a GIA certificate are the most expensive ones. This is quite natural because the three types of black diamonds have different qualities.
Another thing that you should take into account when assessing the value of black diamond rings is the material used for the creation of the ring. Similar to other types of diamond rings, the most used materials, in this case, are gold and platinum.

Keep in mind that it’s not very important what kind of gold we are talking about – white or yellow, but the karat plays an important role. 18-karat gold is more expensive than 14-karat gold. Platinum is a more expensive material than any type of gold. In any case, the weight of the ring and the type of material used in it plays a very important role besides the diamond itself.

Additional stones

The latest trends have shown that more and more people are looking for black diamond rings with additional stones. So, instead of using a one-stone ring, people want to get a ring with three or more stones. Some of them are making combinations with other types of natural diamonds while others use completely different gemstones.

4 Cs

Of course, we will end this discussion about the value of black diamond rings by analyzing the 4 Cs of black diamonds. People that have experience in this area, will notice that the 4 Cs have a different impact on black diamonds and their overall value.

Clarity – one of the things that make black diamonds special is that they are not graded for clarity. It makes logic when you focus on their appearance. This gemstone is opaque and very included. This means that it’s impossible to evaluate the clarity.

Color – we have already mentioned that black diamonds are often found as fancy black diamonds. This is a common term for colored diamonds. But, there’s a difference between black diamonds and other colored diamonds. In the case of black diamonds, we can’t talk about different saturation and different tones. These are one-graded diamonds. The small impurities found in the diamond can have lively black and dark gray color. So, the final color of the diamond depends on the specific kind of inclusions.

There are gems, where the opaque parts are located around the transparent parts of the diamond. This situation comes as a result of the irregular distribution of impurities in the diamond. Of course, experts are always recommending black diamonds that have equal color distribution all over the structure.

Cut – some experts may say that the cut of any diamond is the factor that should determine whether the diamond is worth the price or not. The cut is used to optimize the brilliance of this special gemstone. But, these experts may be right when it comes to colorless diamonds, but the situation is very different when it comes to black diamonds. Due to the fact that black diamonds are unable to reflect light in a proper way, they are not able to produce any sparkle. This means that their luster is minimal. However, if the cut is made in an adequate way, the diamond will be able to reflect some of the light and make the stone look more attractive.

Black diamonds, just like other similar diamonds, have different cuts like heart, round, cushion, marquise, princess, and pear. We should also mention that it’s quite difficult to polish and cut this specific kind of gemstones due to their unique structural matrix. If this activity is conducted by inexperienced jewelers, they can easily break apart or crack. The process of cutting is time-consuming and requires extreme precision. That’s why only expert diamond cutters are hired for this job.

Carat – the vast majority of black diamonds available on the market today are around one carat. Compared to colorless gemstones of this kind, they are much denser. To put it in simple words, a 1-carat black diamond is a little bit smaller compared to a 1-carat colorless diamond. Another fact that we should mention is that very big natural black diamonds are extremely rare. This is the reason why diamonds with higher carat weight are much more expensive.

How to take care for black diamond rings

Once you buy a black diamond ring, you have to take a good care of it in case you want to keep its special properties alive for many years.

Regardless of the type of black diamond on your ring, be it natural or treated, you should never use an ultrasonic cleaner to get rid of dust and dirt. Numerous studies have shown that these cleaners have a negative impact on the color of the diamond.

Don’t forget that black diamonds are not difficult to chip and crack because they are quite porous. In order to keep your ring safe, you should try to avoid situations where the diamond will be subjected to blows and/or hard knocks. You should also stay away from the use of harsh chemicals whenever you are wearing your diamond ring.

Don’t miss out: How to Clean a Diamond Ring at Home

In case you are using a manmade black diamond on your ring, you should be very careful. Experts advise a removal of the ring before washing dishes, bathing or swimming. In addition, these diamonds should not be exposed to oils or lotions and any kind of chemical. The best idea is to designate a place where you will keep the ring safe whenever you are involved in an activity that can affect its properties. Just like in the case of natural diamond rings, you should avoid blows and hard knocks.

Finally, treated black diamond rings don’t need special care except for the fact that you should stay away from ultrasonic cleaning. Some sellers may say that even ultrasonic cleaning can’t hurt these rings, but expert gemologists say that this cleaning technique is not safe.

Purchasing black diamond rings

It’s not difficult to find great black diamond wedding rings. However, if you want to stay on the safe side, and buy the best possible black diamond rings for the price, you have to be careful and take a few things into account.

Similar to other kinds of diamond and gemstone jewelry, you should make sure that you are buying rings from a reputable jeweler. This jewelry store must have a good reputation, excellent background, clear refund policy and many positive reviews.

Next, you should check the labels thoroughly. In case you are looking at a manmade black diamond label, this sometimes means that a real black diamond was treated with irradiation or heat. However, it can also mean that it’s just a stimulant. If you are unable to determine what you are looking at or you think that the label is misleading, you can always talk to the seller and ask them for advice. Don’t forget that stimulant diamonds have inferior physical properties compared to real diamonds. On the other hand, treated black diamonds have the same physical properties as their real, natural counterparts.

Potential buyers should also remember that authentic, genuine, natural black diamonds are very rare. They are not easy to find and this especially true for quality cut black diamonds. That’s why their price goes to around two thousand dollars for one-carat gemstone.

If you don’t have enough money to buy a black diamond ring with an authentic stone, look for alternatives. There are many attractive diamond alternatives too.

However, you should not pay a relatively high price for a stimulant that is being sold as a natural black diamond.

We hope that this black diamond rings guide will help you make the right choice.

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