Inside and Out Black Diamond Hoop Earrings in 18k White Gold

Diamonds are the hardest natural substances found on earth and as a result, has the effect that no other natural material can scratch them. This makes them so popular for their use in Jewellery. A true black diamond, however, is not the same as the traditional diamond described above. It is similar in that it was created from carbon put under immense pressure, but differs in some key aspects.

Black Diamond Jewelry in the USA

A black diamond, also called a Carbonado (Portuguese for black), has a polycrystalline structure and is more porous as opposed to the solid piece white diamond. As a result the black diamond is more brittle yet is harder than the white. This also makes the black diamond harder to cut into shapes commonly used in white diamonds.

The impurities contained in the black diamond, absorbs light, causing the dark colouration and therefore lacks the lustre that makes its white counterpart attractive. Until recently, the black diamond was not commonly used in jewellery, because of its comparatively unimpressive appearance. In most instances, however, the diamonds used in jewelry is a normal diamond that is treated in order to darken its appearance. This is done because the diamond of a suitable size may not be of the desired clarity or consistency according to the value scale and as such is considered less valuable in its natural form when compared to the the top valued diamonds.