Black diamonds have become increasingly popular over the years, especially with their use in rings and other jewellery pieces with unusual designs.
This coloured diamond has become more popular due to the increase in demand. That’s why knowing how to value these coloured gems is essential if you own them, black diamonds especially. That’s why the purpose of this article is to help you understand the value of these magnificent stones.
Black Diamond's Origin
Graphite is responsible for the colour of black diamonds. There are many inclusions in black diamonds (minor blemishes that alter the gemstone's appearance). Black diamonds used in jewellery can change colour because of these inclusions.
Black diamonds are so full of inclusions that they paint the whole stone black, giving it a gem-like appearance. The Mohs scale measures mineral hardness, and diamonds score the black diamond a ten (the highest possible). Diamonds are solid crystals with distinguishable natural lines that make up their structure.
Unlike white diamonds, black diamonds are composed of many tiny crystals arranged randomly.
It's known that black diamonds are even more complicated than colourless diamonds, even though they're still rated as a ten on the Mohs scale. As durable as black diamonds are, they have been used for various purposes before being used as gems for jewellery.
What A Black Diamond Is Worth
As opposed to red or blue diamonds, black diamonds are not rare. Their number is almost as significant as that of their colourless counterparts. However, collectors and dealers have always remained somewhat mysterious about them.
Understandably, you would want to know how much a black diamond is worth since you are likely unfamiliar with it.
It depends on how in demand a black diamond is for its actual value or worth. As I have already mentioned, its demand has soared in recent years, increasing its value. A catch, however, is that though there are some “natural” black diamonds, some have also been treated and enhanced in a lab to give them that back colour, which affects their original value. The black diamond price difference isn't as significant as with colourless diamonds or fancy coloured diamonds that are considered rare.
They are not worth much if they are lab-grown diamonds. Solitaire can be purchased for as little as $100, depending on where you buy it, the design, and the other stones beside it.
Black diamonds are not very pricey per carat, regardless of their size. It is not possible to say the same for a colourless. This is why a three-carat colourless diamond costs four times as much as a black diamond of the same weight.
The Value Is Affected By The Following Factors
The Colour
The colour of the diamond affects its value. Whether natural diamond, natural black diamond, or treated black diamond. Black diamonds can be found everywhere. As with the colourless ones, this is pretty similar.
The black, however, does not sparkle as the colourless ones do. Neither colour grading nor transparency is present. In this world, there is only one colour - black. Some fewer people want black diamonds since everyone knows diamonds are colourless. A lack of brilliance can also be attributed to it.
Despite its increasing popularity, it still has a long way to go before it catches up to the colourless one. Black diamonds are also treated in most cases. Most of the time, these are colourless diamonds with many inclusions or flaws.
Colour is added to them by heating or irradiating them. A great deal of what appears to be black diamonds is green, even though they look black to the naked eye. Even though you cannot tell a treated one from a real one unless you have an expert's eye, its value still drops. Natural diamond is rare, but treated ones are common. This is why black diamonds are so common.
The Cut
There are risks involved in the process of diamond cutting. There is a heavy concentration of graphite inclusions, which explains this. It is black because of graphite. As a result, colourless diamonds are also more likely to pit than colourless ones.
Diamonds, including cutting, polishing, and setting, could become damaged during processing. When any part of the item remains after the damage, its value is reduced.
The Shape
A black diamond is commonly formed in a round pear, princess, or oval shape. There is a direct correlation between these shapes and the size and lustre of the diamond.
As I explained earlier, it is too risky to cut a black diamond. Therefore, the fancy black diamond shape cannot be used.
Diamond cut with lasers by jewellers today. Furthermore, the diamond shape is in high demand and quite popular. Black diamonds may therefore have a slight value boost due to their shape.
The Size
The diamond's carat weight is also included in this. We all know that more extensive or precious stones have a higher value. However, the price per carat is not as significant compared to colourless diamonds.
Conclusion
There are many inclusions in black diamonds. A vendor who provides high-quality photos is highly recommended when buying a black diamond or any Fancy Color Diamond. Your budget should allow you to buy the best-looking black diamond.
FAQs
Does Fancy Black Diamond Exist?
The chemical composition of fancy black diamonds is the same as that of traditional colourless diamonds. Inclusions give black diamonds their colour, which is the main difference between colourless and black diamonds.
The Black Diamond Symbolizes What?
For a diamond engagement ring, black diamonds represent eternal, perfect, and unchanging love, like colourless diamonds. There is also a strong association between black diamonds and passion, action and energy.
How Much Do Black Diamonds Cost?
The cost of black diamonds is generally lower than that of white diamonds and colourless diamonds, even though black diamonds are rarer. This is mainly due to a decrease in demand. A black diamond ring or another jewellery piece with colourless diamonds is more common, whereas black diamonds are a relatively uncommon gem.
What is the value of a 1-carat black diamond?
The diamond price can vary depending on the market conditions and quality. Leibish & Co. offers loose, GIA-certified diamonds for about $2,400, which are cheaper than a white diamond.
Black Diamonds: Where Should You Buy Them?
Black diamonds are rare, making them harder to purchase from physical diamond retailers than other jewellery. You can buy loose black diamonds, and black engagement rings from trusted online retailers.
In addition to their specialisations in diamond jewellery, both vendors offer a wide range of fancy colour diamonds, with Leibish & Co. specialising in black diamonds.
