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What is a black diamond? Are black diamonds even real? Is their color real?
Unfortunately, over the years, they were misrepresented, and therefore much disinformation surrounds them. But I believe that the most exciting information that appears to be missing is the most fundamental one: what is the benefit of black diamonds? Black Diamond Earrings
figuring out the Value of Black Diamonds
Before we start, care to imagine the value of a black diamond?
Even after ten years of working in the diamond industry, concentrating on natural colored diamonds, whenever I am asked to describe the prices of colored diamonds (it doesn’t matter which color), I turn back to the basics – Supply and Demand.
When it comes to the demand, it’s a bit complicated… the need for black diamonds has gone up substantially in recent years and became amazingly desired fashion items. While many buyers don’t even treat them as diamonds (after all, brilliance is not their solid side), others adore them and wish to have them just for that. But the idea is not pure (I’ll explain later)… The reality is that most black diamonds on the exchange are not “real” black diamonds, not natural black diamonds but rather treated ones; Need for Black Diamonds.
What are Black Diamonds?
You see, black diamonds are diamonds. As such, you are finding them is a complicated (and costly) task. True, they are not rare as pink diamonds or even yellow diamonds, but they are not stones you can pull up from the grounds. With that said, they are still largely different than other colored diamonds.
While most colored diamonds get their color due to impurities during their development process (trying to explain it), black diamonds are basically colorless white diamonds with so many formations (piques’). Those are consistently spread throughout the stone so that the diamond appears… black.
Surprisingly, diamonds that have so many formations are not easy to find and are pretty rare. But as discussed above, these are not the ones that you usually see in stores and that people typically buy. The ones that people wish for are sought after also due to their cheap price. It is a price achieved by taking reasonable white diamonds of inferior quality and painting them black via irradiation or heat treatments.
The opaque color of black diamonds is caused by dark inclusions or, more generally, by color processing. Most black diamonds are treated to become green so dark it resembles black but not opaque.
* Side note – for deeper understanding, check out What is a Black Diamond?
So when it occurs to supply and demand, it is split into cheap prescribed black diamonds and the more unique and expensive natural black diamonds… Accordingly, when it proceeds back to the question:
Are Black Diamonds Expensive?
DIAMOND EDUCATION
Treated or improved black diamonds are incredibly cheap. While I’m addressing these lines, I went to eBay. I encountered listings offering 1-carat black diamonds for as low as $100-$200 per carat, and accordingly, a treated black diamond ring (or engagement ring) can cost as small as $200 to $1,000 – depending on the complexity of the design and the scuffle white diamonds you set alongside it (typically black diamonds positioned next to white’s for the contrast).
However, when it comes to GIA-certified natural black diamonds, the price can regularly be $1,500-$3,000 per carat for diamonds weighing 1.00 – 3.00 carats, which means that a 1-carat genuine black diamond ring would cost roughly $2,500 – $3,000.
The differences in prices of natural black diamonds have resulted from various qualities. Black diamonds are often harder to finish, and that may affect the cut. Also, you need to make sure its surface is creamlike and that the diamond is not porous.
Black Diamonds Price Per Carat
However, even with natural black diamonds, if we compare their price per carat to any other diamond, they are as cheap as they can get. Their uniqueness and affordable pricing make them an excellent cheap alternative to the conventional white diamond ring.= White and Black Diamonds Eternity Rings
The table below shows prices of treated black diamonds vs natural black diamonds vs. white diamonds based on current diamond prices found online. Please note that to better and easier recognition of how much the diamond would cost, the prices below are both per diamond and per carat.
Black Diamonds Prices
Treated Black Diamonds $200 $100 $300 $300 $400 $800 $500 $1,500
Natural Black Diamonds $2,000 $1,000 $3,000 $3,000 $3,000 $6,000 $3,000 $9,000
Colorless White Diamonds $2,500 $1,250 $5,000 $5,000 $9,500 $19,000 $12,000 $36,000
Since the price per carat of large natural black diamonds remains more / less the same, around $3,000 per carat, the contrast between white and black diamonds increases exponentially as the size of the diamond increases. The conclusion is that while a 3-carat white diamond costs around $35,000, a 10-carat black diamond fetches less at $30,000.