The Mysterious Black Diamond Engagement Ring
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Black diamonds were once considered flawed and of no value, but today they are one of the most sought-after gems due to the extraordinary uniqueness that is attached to owning them. However, not all black diamonds are of equal values and thus careful study of the properties of the stones must be done to ensure that they are of high quality and value.
Generally colored diamonds owe their brilliant hues to chemical impurities that grow within the crystal lattice during the diamond formation phase. With black diamonds, this is not the case at all. The dark smoky coloration that you see in the black diamond is actually contributed by the mineral inclusions of iron oxides like magnetite, hematite and sulphide compounds. When present at very high concentrations, the mineral inclusions cloud the stone thus making it turn grey or black. Since mineral inclusions are the cause of the rich black color of the stone, black diamonds are typically opaque. The most expensive ones are translucent or semi-transparent black diamonds.
Do not confuse genuine black diamond with carbonados which are specific kinds of black diamonds that does not hold any true value in the jewelry industry. Though they may be large, they are often porous in nature unlike the true crystalline diamond which is much more appreciated. Unfortunately, carbonados are easily found instead of the true gem-quality black diamonds and they are often used to cut or shape other diamonds.
As always, before purchasing a black diamond engagement ring, check whether the stone has undergone treatments to enhance its color. Make sure that detailed writings of the treatment are noted in the gem’s certificate as the stone may require special care to avoid future damage. Synthetically grown black diamonds are inferior in quality and they have been exposed to heat to achieve the smoky black coloration. Due to the increase demands for black diamonds, heat treatments are often uses on low-quality stones to induce graphite residue to appear in the crystal tinting the stone grey or black.
Black diamonds make a stunning engagement ring especially when set in white metals such as white gold, silver, platinum or titanium. If you and your bride-to-be love cotemporary styles that appreciate the high contrast between the light metal and the dark stone, this is definitely the kind of engagement ring to go for. Not everybody equates a celebration for engagement occasions with the dark mood of black diamond which often signifies mourning, traditionally. Get an idea of what your other half thinks about it first before deciding to buy the mysterious black diamond engagement ring. For bold, strong personalities who love to break the rules, black diamond engagement ring would be the perfect purchase.