Black Diamond

BLACK DIAMONDS OR STARDUST

Today, black diamonds are a highly prized gem for designers. Discovered in Brazil in 1840, black diamonds were first used in industry. It wasn't until the beginning of the 20th century that the world of jewelry began to take an interest in this atypical stone full of mystery. Named carbonado by the Brazilians, this stone closely resembles diamonds, but there are a few differences. Unlike "normal" diamonds, carbonado is not monocrystalline. They are formed from an aggregate of several crystals: diamond, graphite and hematite, and have a porous appearance. With the same hardness as diamonds (10 on the Mohs scale), they are more difficult to cut, since they lack a cleavage plane (a structural weakness that facilitates cutting). This difficulty results in considerable losses during the cutting process (up to 50% of the rough weight can be lost to achieve a cut stone). 

Origins still unknown
Normal" diamonds were formed in the earth's mantle and brought to the surface by volcanic eruptions through rocks such as kimberlite. Black diamonds, on the other hand, contain no trace of kimberlite. The origin of these black stones is still poorly understood, but several theories exist. The most plausible seems to be that of extra-terrestrial origin. Black diamonds were formed in a hydrogen-rich environment outside the solar system. Their creation is the result of a supernova, the implosion of a star. The luminescence of black diamonds shows that radioactive elements were involved in the formation process. The The main deposits are still to be found in Brazil, but also in the Central African Republic. Today, as with white diamonds, carbonados are used as gems, treated by heating or irradiation. 

The mysterious and bewitching aspect of this stone has attracted the attention of many designers. The jeweler Bare uses black diamond brilliants to set its Kite Kite earring. Rivka Nahmias uses barely cut black diamonds to create a bracelet in yellow gold both rock and understated. Alessa Jewelry perfectly blends white and black diamonds revealing a pendant pendant. Hoorsenbuhsgoes for the total black look with his ring Phantom ring in black gold set with black diamonds. Finally the world of piercing is no exception to this trend: Maria Tash sublimates ears with her piercing jewelry in white goldset with black and white diamonds.

Discover our jewels set with black diamonds!