A black diamond has the same physical and chemical properties as an ordinary mineral. Its color is formed by granite dust particles and other inclusions. Crystals are used to make unique and daring jewelry.
There is no exact information on the nature of the formation of the mineral. Some scientists believed that it appeared after a supernova explosion many billion years ago. They explained their guess by the unique composition of the mineral. It contains rare compounds of titanium, nitrogen and hydrogen, which were previously found only in the study of foreign bodies.
In 1993, the opinion of the researchers was refuted. Black diamonds were found in Kamchatka volcanic rock. According to the new version, this stone was formed a billion years ago in the bowels of the earth. Streams of hot lava carried it to the surface.
The origin of the gem has nothing to do with the formation of ordinary diamonds. Sources of rare minerals are found in Brazil, Africa and Kamchatka. There are minerals for technical purposes. They are synthesized under a pressure of 6–12 GPa.
Varieties
In nature, there are two stones that are similar in physical and chemical properties to diamond.
- Pique.
- Carbonado.
Monocrystalline natural black pique diamond is a monolithic mineral with a large number of coloring inclusions. This type is more often used in jewelry than carbonado. Craftsmen choose only evenly colored stones.
Polycrystalline black diamond - carbonado is built from many tiny crystals. They are connected to each other by a siliceous base. Due to its porous structure, the mineral was not considered precious for a long time. During cutting, the stone crumbles heavily and loses up to 80% of its volume. Only a master of the highest category can qualitatively polish carbonado.
Magical properties
The origin of the name of the stone "diamond" from the Greek word "indestructible" determines what opportunities a black diamond will endow its owner. The crystal symbolizes invincibility, success and the achievement of lofty goals.
The decoration will reward a person with courage and strength of character. At all times, it was believed that the diamond sharpens the hearing. This also applies to its dark variety. In addition, the gem enhances the abilities of all analyzers - this helps to increase vigilance.
It is not recommended for fish to wear jewelry with dark diamonds. Amulets with strong energy are not suitable for them. For Virgos, Taurus and Scorpions, wearing a crystal will not bring any harm or benefit. They can only use it as a decoration.
Black Diamond Jewelry
Black diamonds are in no way inferior to transparent diamonds in jewelry making. They look great in classic and modern cuts. What is black diamond and its beauty was first presented to the whole world by the jewelry House deGrisogono. After that, the cost of a black diamond increased 20 times.
Today the House of deGrisogono defines the fashion direction of luxury jewelry with black diamonds. In most jewelry, be it earrings or rings, the dark crystal is the main accent, complemented by the smallest transparent diamonds.
In the manufacture of jewelry from black diamonds, large samples are often used. This is due to the democratic cost of raw materials. The large crystal size helps to achieve a bold and daring design.
Jewelry is meant for true connoisseurs. Jewelers choose frames made of rare and unusual metals such as black gold. The famous jewelry houses Chopard and Bulgari emphasize the value of just such a combination.
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The natural black diamond is one of the most mysterious stones. They say he turns his master into magicians, endowing him with superpowers. And its origin is explained in different ways. Someone believes that black diamond crystals are an intermediate stage in the formation of an ordinary diamond. And someone is inspired by the version that black diamonds are the most real space aliens.
History and origin of the stone
The alien version of the origin of black diamonds makes sense. She explains that the black diamond has more differences than its common counterpart. It becomes clear why it was never found in kimberlite pipes. But the asteroid, which fell on our planet more than a billion years ago, could well become the source of this unusual and atypical mineral rock for terrestrial soils. This hypothesis is actively promoted by Western gemologists. She is beautiful and loved by fans of jewelry adorned with a black diamond.
But most mineralogists are inclined towards the idea of \u200b\u200bvolcanic origin. That is, the technology of stone formation is the same as that of a traditional diamond, just the conditions of occurrence are different, and it is they that influence the color, give this unusual dark color. Findings of a gem in volcanic rocks speak in their favor, in particular, a black diamond was discovered in the magmatic formations of Avachinskaya volcano in Kamchatka.
The first who discovered stones in nature, which later gained jewelry popularity and magical reputation, were the Brazilian miners. It was they who first introduced the name carbonado (from “carbon” - “coal”). It happened in 1840. The found mineral did not lie as deep as ordinary diamonds, and had an unusual color.
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And today Brazil is the main stone deposit. Only Central Africa can compete with it in this area. In general, in nature, black crystals can be found in volcanic pipes and alluvial (flowing water) deposits.
The black diamond did not immediately become a favorite in jewelry. For a long time, these crystals were used for technical purposes. The most famous representatives of this gem are Black Orlov (67.5 carats) and Amsterdam (created to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the Dutch capital). The latter weighs 33.74 carats and is a single crystal. In autumn 2001, this handsome man was sold at Christie’s auction in Geneva for $ 352,000. But the legendary "Black Prince" is neither a diamond nor a black stone at all - it is one of the largest and most expensive rubies in the world.
"Black Orlov": mysticism of diamonds
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The 19th century Black Eagles crystal is a cut diamond made from 1/3 of the magnificent diamond found in India. Its story is full of secrets and mystical episodes and resembles an adventurous detective with many deaths.
It is believed that the curse of the black diamond is associated with the god Brahma. Once a luxurious crystal was in the Hindu temple of the city of Pondicherry and adorned the cult statue of the deity. The stone was built into the eye socket of the idol and was called the "Eye of Brahma". From here he was first stolen. After that, a rumor was born about the cruel heavenly curse of the crystal and all its owners. However, skeptics claim that this is nothing more than an artificially inflated myth, a PR step of its time in order to draw attention to the stone and create a magical halo around it.
However, the path of the stone is littered with the mysterious deaths of those who held it. The owners of the legendary diamond at different times were persons of royal blood - Russian princesses Nadezhda Orlova and Leonila Baryatinskaya. Just Nadezhda became one of the notable victims of "Black Orlov", she committed suicide. European newspapers of those times were literally replete with scandalous headlines, where the Eye of Brahma was called "the stone of devilish power", "the ice shard of Cocytus". In those days, the public had an interest in Dante's Divine Comedy, and in it there is a mention of the ominous Lake Cocytus, where traitors were drowned.
Wealthy European nobility, wealthy American merchants, representatives of the occult sought to take possession of the "Black Orlov". But here, too, there was a train of deaths. There were both nameless victims and names known to the world. Here is an American businessman named Paris, who was the first to take a diamond to the United States for profit, throws himself from the roof of a skyscraper. And the New York jeweler Charles Winston was still able to tame the sinister magical energy. He placed the stone in a pendant necklace, where hundreds of white diamonds began to surround a black crystal.
To the chagrin of Russian art critics and mineralogists, this gem is not among the masterpieces of the national treasure. Once he was irrevocably taken out of the country. Currently, the legendary jewel belongs to Dennis Pitemezas, who often exhibits a brooch with this diamond in the Natural History Museums of London and New York.
Today the world knows 300 pieces of genuine unusual designs similar to "Black Orlov". A black diamond of this rank is very expensive, its price can easily be mistaken for a phone number.
Types and properties of the mineral
Mineralogy knows two types of diamonds, from which black crystals can be obtained. And some of their chemical and physical qualities are different.
The first type is carbonado, which was mentioned above, in connection with the history of the Brazilian field. They never coexist with ordinary diamonds, they have a different structure with a polycrystalline structure. The smallest diamond pebbles seem to be soldered together on a siliceous basis. This adhesion is uneven, so carbonado has a porous-loose structure, like ordinary pumice.
In terms of material composition, this black diamond includes, in addition to graphite, also compounds of iron atoms: hematite with magnetite. It is they who give the carbonado this rare thick dark color. Since there are many foreign inclusions, the stone is opaque and does not reflect, but, on the contrary, absorbs color.
Jewelers did not take this type of diamond seriously for a long time, it was used only in scientific and industrial tasks. Moreover, of the legendary parameters of a good diamond ("clarity - weight - color - cut") carbonado crystals have only three, they are not characterized by purity.
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It is worth mentioning that this diamond is harder than ordinary diamond, it is difficult to cut it. Moreover, the porous structure makes polishing difficult. When processing crystals of this type, more than half of the rough diamonds are lost. But the current growth of technologies in the field of processing precious stones now greatly facilitates the task, and jewelry diamonds of a unique color and origin are increasingly adorned with luxurious expensive items.
The second type of crystals from which unique diamonds can be obtained are pique diamonds, which have a monocrystalline structure. These are rare natural stones with a large percentage of graphite inclusions in their composition. They are translucent, often not even black, but dark gray, black-green, thick brown. But in reflected light, the resulting diamonds look like black and resemble obsidian in appearance and appearance.
There are not many pique crystals in the natural environment. Therefore, the predominant number of crystals used today in the jewelry market are cut diamonds irradiated to a characteristic dark tone. Or diamonds that have been treated with HPHT (high pressure / high temperature) technology.
The "semi-precious" fashion of recent years dictates a great demand for crystals of an exclusive dark color. Of course, they cannot compete with colored diamonds in terms of the play of light. But they have their own enchanting adamantine shine and exotic charm.
Black diamond is one of the most mysterious and amazing minerals on the planet. The history of its origin goes back to ancient times, because the first black diamond appeared on our planet about 3 billion years ago. After a long and thorough research, American geologists have come to the conclusion that black diamonds are of extraterrestrial origin. Several billion years ago, the Earth collided with a large asteroid, the result of the meeting was a black diamond. This mysterious gift also has another, linguistically sound name - carbonado (literal translation of the Spanish word carbon - "coal"). Currently, there is a precious crystal evaluation system based on 4 main elements:
- cut (cut);
- clarity;
- color (color);
- carat weight.
The name of this system is 4C.
Acquaintance with diamonds
Before revealing the secrets of the mineral, you need to answer the question of what a diamond is. After all, not every flickering and expensive crystal is such. A diamond is not called the material from which the gem is made, but a specific type of cut with 57 facets. You can not apply this name to other types of cut, without indicating the name of the stone itself. This is only permissible when diamond is used as the cutting material. Colored diamonds are quite rare in nature, hence the question of what color diamonds are. Blue, deep blue, violet, green, red, yellow - the colors of diamonds are presented in a rich palette. Colored stones are common in nature and do not have the same value as colorless, that is, white minerals. To determine the shade of a classic colorless stone, experts use a special scale that has a markup from 1 to 9.
The number 1 indicates that the mineral is completely colorless, and 9 that there is a clear yellow tint.
Mineral characteristic
Colorless crystals are the least common in nature. Gemstones in color categories 1 to 4 are overpriced as they are rarely found. But not only the color of the crystal affects its value. Weight is also important. And it is measured in carats. One carat of a diamond weighs 0.2 g. By weight, stones are divided into 3 groups: small (up to 0.30 carats), medium (0.30–0.99 carats) and large (over 1 carat). Today the price for 1 carat diamonds is about 513 thousand rubles. Compared to classic stones, less precious green diamonds are cheaper. Not only weight and shade, but also another important parameter - defectiveness (purity) - will help to choose a real and truly unique jewelry. There are no absolutely pure minerals, each of them has small defects: cracks, bubbles. Defectiveness is determined on a scale of 12 groups. The highest cost of diamonds included in 1-6 groups, since the defects of these stones are invisible to the naked eye. Thus, the more specific and precise the characteristics of the stone, the higher the opportunity to acquire a valuable and rare mineral.
The origin of the mineral
To get such a well-known name - black diamond - a diamond is not enough one black color. You also need to have a special origin. The concept of "black diamond" is rather broad and is defined by the following categories:
- diamond grit with a dark shade;
- carbonado;
- monocrystals of black color.
The physical characteristics of diamonds, or rather carbonado, are quite unusual. After all, these stones have a porous structure, which provides the stone with extraordinary strength. Carbonado is a fairly large number of natural materials. Due to the large number of inclusions of graphite, hematite and magnetite, the color of carbonado diamonds becomes opaque. Regardless of size, weight and other characteristics, the price of diamonds made from carbonado has always been low. This was due to the presence of only three characteristics of the 4C system (cut, color, weight). In addition, the hardness of the stone did not allow it to be accurately cut and polished. During processing, about 55% of the weight of the mineral was lost.
The first carbonado deposit was discovered in Brazil in 1840. They used this stone to polish wood, and then transferred to Europe. Today, this gem can be found in some parts of the hot continent of Africa. Black diamonds are not found in common mineral mining sites. The deposits of the latter are formed deep in the earth's crust, in volcanic pipes. But black diamonds never go so deep, most often they are found in alluvial deposits (deposits of water flows), far from deposits of ordinary stones. This is one of the reasons geologists assume that the mineral is of extraterrestrial origin. The second reason is associated with the presence of carbon in the composition of the mineral, which is so rich in outer space. Dark diamonds are formed in stars when asteroids explode. And then the asteroids come with this gift to Earth. In addition, such a story has a positive effect on the sales of the mineral.
The cost of a 1 carat carbonado-cut diamond is currently $ 600.
Black single crystals
Today, black diamonds obtained from natural dark single crystals are recognized as truly valuable and rare. Surely you will be interested in the question of how much is 1 carat of a diamond with such uniqueness and irresistible natural beauty. This kind of pleasure can cost you $ 400-500. But the price of a large diamond of 1 carat can reach $ 1000. After all, this type of stones has a natural black color, unlike carbonado, it is much more often used in jewelry. These minerals include crystals that have a brown, gray, or green tint. At times it may even seem that you have a green diamond in front of you.
Touching on the topic of green minerals, one cannot ignore the famous, striking Dresden Green Diamond.
Emerald splendor
Today, it is he who is recognized as the king of all green gemstones - the green crystal of Dresden. Amazingly rare and dazzling, mysterious and mysterious, radiant and majestic. This mineral is called the miracle of jewelry. The crystal resembles a dewdrop (or has a pear-shaped outline) in shape, and the apple-green color makes it even more splendid.
The name of the diamond is associated with the German city of Dresden, where the jewel was kept for several centuries. But this miracle of jewelry craftsmanship was cut presumably in India. Despite the fact that the possibilities of cutters in the 18th century were rather meager, the stone turned out to be amazing. Although even a small diamond of 1 carat did not have such a quality then. Scientists note that it took about 5-10 years to cut a beautiful crystal, which also proves that the stone originally weighed 100 carats, but after cutting the weight became equal to 40.70 carats. The history of the mineral begins in the 18th century. British merchant Marcus Moses brought this green diamond from India and showed it to King George the First. The ruler appreciated the gem at its true worth, namely 10,000 francs. At that time, the price for diamonds was quite accurate and specific.
Despite the amazing beauty of the stone, the king did not purchase it. This was done a little later by Duke Frederick Augustus II. He owns the legendary collection of precious stones "Green Vaults", which included the Dresden diamond. For some time, the stone was included in the sign of the Golden Fleece (a knightly order founded by the Duke of Burgundy). In 1763, this sign was broken, and the miracle of nature fell into the hands of the jeweler Diessbach, who used the stone as a hat decoration. In the 2000s, the crystal was exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution. It is not enough to read the description of this magic stone, you need to see it with your own eyes. The precious mineral is currently kept in the Green Vault Museum in Dresden. Everyone who has seen this miracle of jewelry at least once assures that the stone has a fantastic aura and gives a lot of energy. However, a diamond does not reveal its properties to everyone, but only to pure souls, sincere people. There is an opinion that magic is clearly present here.
Unusual crystal properties
Since ancient times, people have believed that stones have their own soul, special energy and various extraordinary properties. The diamond stone is no exception. It benefits both the physical and the emotional state of a person. The healing properties of a green diamond are to prevent the formation of kidney stones, in the treatment of anemia, diabetes and stomach diseases. This crystal is the most suitable amulet for pregnant women, because it is a symbol of motherhood, contributes to a favorable course of pregnancy. The stone also has a special effect on the nervous system, helping in the treatment of the following diseases:
- schizophrenia;
- epilepsy;
- sclerosis.
The magical properties of a diamond help a person achieve emotional balance, pacify anger or irritation. Not much attention is paid to the diamond zodiac signs. It is much more important that the owner is determined and confident in himself, with pure and good intentions. The mineral will bring boundless happiness and good luck to such a person.
The positive properties of the stone are not revealed to people who are greedy and vicious.
It is not difficult to answer the question of who this amazing, captivating stone is suitable for: almost all signs of the zodiac. Especially purposeful and determined Aries. If you are Leo or Sagittarius according to the horoscope, give preference to a red stone. These diamonds are your adornment and amulet, the cost of which is several times lower than that of traditional colorless stones. Libra and Gemini are more suitable for a yellow diamond. The yellow crystal is of much lesser value. For 1 carat, the price is about $ 200-300. Black diamonds are suitable for everyone, without exception, especially for people who want to protect themselves from evil spells and bad influence. The black diamond inherited is the most powerful.
To get energy and benefit from a stone, you must first of all believe in the magical properties of diamonds. Only in this case will the stone be fully revealed to you.
For quite a long time (several centuries) black diamonds have not been used in jewelry. Designer Fawaz Gruosi, who founded his own jewelry house, De Grisogono, opened a new path for them. He first acquired a large batch of stones, despite the complete indifference of society to black minerals. The first few pieces of jewelry were overwhelmingly successful with buyers, and after 2-3 years the diamond has already become a symbol of the jewelry house. The cost of a black diamond has increased 20-30 times. Today Gruosi is the owner of an amazing pendant with a heart-shaped black diamond. The stone weighs 115.34 carats. These stones look best in jewelry with yellow and transparent diamonds. The largest single-crystal black diamond is "Amsterdam". The value of the diamond exceeded 350 thousand dollars. The weight of the stone is 33.74 carats, the number of faces is 145.
Now you know what a black diamond is, what are its types and deposits, ways of evaluating a crystal, stories of mysterious origin. A diamond is a mysterious and majestic stone. Trust him and your life will shine with thousands of new facets.
Today, many jewelry stores boast a variety of black diamond jewelry shining on their windows. These stones look great in a cut with white gold or platinum, combined with other precious stones, and are quite popular among lovers of original jewelry.
It is worth noting that a couple of decades ago, jewelers were new to black diamonds.
History and features of the black diamond
The very first black diamond was found by Brazilians, and the next one by Africans. It is noteworthy that the deposit of the mineral in question always has a separate geography and rarely coincides with deposits of other diamonds.
Scientists put forward two theories regarding the origin of the black diamond:
The only thing that scientists agree with each other is the fact that black diamond is several billion years older than all gemstones and is considered the most unique and beautiful mineral on earth.
The diamond owes its unusual black color to graphite, magnetite and hematite, which are part of the stone. Due to the presence of many inclusions, a black diamond is almost always opaque, has no shine and "games". The polycrystalline base is responsible for the stone's incredible strength, which is often the main obstacle to the mineral's use in jewelry industries.
From the moment the first stone was found until the middle of the 20th century, the black diamond was very rarely mistaken for a gem and was hardly considered an object of interest to jewelers.
A polycrystalline diamond, which is formed from a large number of scanty diamonds, soldered on a silicon base, is commonly called a carbonado. The adhesion itself is not always uniform, which explains the porosity of the mineral. A black diamond lacks luster because crystals do not reflect light, but absorb it.
Technology does not stand still, so today black diamonds can be made from carbonado and weigh from 1 to 10 carats.
In addition to polycrystalline diamonds, there is another type of black diamond on the planet. It is a black monocrystal that has all the properties of an ordinary gem diamond. Such stones, in fact, are very black, because they contain a large amount of graphite.
These diamonds also include minerals of a thick dark gray, brown or green color, which look completely black in reflected light. All of them are either weakly or not at all transparent. Due to the fact that there are a lot of inclusions in them, they are rather difficult to process.
It is worth considering the fact that if the diamond has an even shade, and there are no defects inside it, then it can become a first-class black diamond.
How is the clarity of a diamond determined?
There are several indicators on the tag of all diamond jewelry: type of cut, clarity and color. The first value depends entirely on the work of a person, but the second two - only from nature. Do not hide the fact that all natural stones have some inclusions and cracks.
A stone can be called flawless if there is no defect inside, because external flaws are always corrected by polishing. From this comes the conclusion: the less “defects” a diamond has, the higher its purity.
On the most popular rating scale, the GIA, there are 11 main groups.
A slightly different scale is used on the territory of Russia. For example, if you want to find the clarity of a stone weighing less than 0.29 carats, then it is customary to take into account groups from 1 to 6. In the case when a black diamond has the same weight, but differs from others in shape, then groups from 1 up to 9. All large and medium-sized stones are rated on a scale from 1 to 12. The number means the number of defects: the larger it is, the less “pure” the stone.
A diamond from group 5 is considered an average. It contains either several small cracks, or 3 blotches of dark color, or 6 light blotches.
Black diamond cut types
Currently, there are 5 main options for cutting gemstones in jewelry:
In addition, there are two more cutting methods: full and single. The first option denotes a round diamond shape and the presence of 57 - 58 facets. The second option implies a round cut, but fewer facets - 17-18.
It takes less time to complete a single cut, so such stones are somewhat cheaper. And stones with a full cut, respectively, are more expensive.
Principle of cabochon diamond cutting
The type of cut that used to be considered round is today called a cabochon. This is a specific grinding of a convex shape, during which edges and edges are not pronounced. It is customary to use cabochons for cutting inserts in precious items made of opaque minerals.
Currently, this type of finish is not appropriate if polycrystalline diamond is to be cut. It is used for semi-precious and ornamental stones that “blossom” with cabochons.
There are several main types of cabochons:
Stones that have undergone cabochon processing are round, oval multifaceted, oval irregular and heart-shaped.
This cut is appropriate when working with opaque stones: jade, turquoise or tugtupite. In addition, it can handle stones that have the effect of asterism, cat's eyes or opalization.
The cabochon makes it possible to see the star in the asteric stone and conveys the play of colors on the opals.
What is more expensive than a black or white diamond?
A white diamond has many shades: from completely transparent to yellow-brown. It is generally accepted that the more transparency a white diamond has, the more unique and expensive it is.
Not so long ago, a black diamond was considered precious, because it consists of graphite, completely black and completely opaque. It has many different inclusions and elements. Due to the fact that the stone is not transparent, it does not let the sun's rays through and does not refract them. This suggests that polycrystalline diamond can reflect rays exclusively from its own faces located outside.
Despite all the nuances inherent in the black diamond, it is gaining great popularity and demand every day. This is because the stone is rare and looks better in jewelry. Based on this, we can conclude that it costs more than a white diamond.
Precious jewelry with a black diamond is called unique creations of modern art.
They blend perfectly with precious metals in any style and performance.
Today, jewelers use carbonado in various jewelry: rings, earrings, pendants and necklaces. Gold, silver and platinum are ideal for diamond. Such works look aristocratic, respectable and chic. They always remain at the height of fashion and will never lose their grace.
There are several interesting points regarding the gemstones in question. Here are some of them:
- The first mention of diamonds dates back to 3000 BC.
- A real diamond cannot be X-rayed, which is the main way to verify its authenticity.
- Scientists have succeeded in creating an artificial diamond from the ashes of animals that have been cremated. The process was named "LifeGem".
- We managed to find out that on the planets Jupiter and Saturn there are periodically brilliant rains.
- Diamond is a very hard mineral. It can only be broken with another diamond.
- More than half of the mined gemstones are not suitable for jewelry making, therefore they are used in industry.
- To find just one carat of carbonado, workers have to sift about 200 tons of earth.
It is worth taking into account the fact that black color and perfect clarity are not enough for an ordinary diamond to become an expensive diamond. "What is a black diamond?" - This is a stone that includes dark-colored diamond chips - a waste when producing valuable diamonds; porous carbonado with polycrystalline texture; diamond "pique", which has a single crystal structure and many impurities. It is customary to use only these stones in modern jewelry making.
In this article:
Black diamonds have been very popular lately. And although they are not as common as transparent ones, they can now be found in any major store. Such stones look especially beautiful when cut from white gold or platinum, complemented by transparent diamonds. Not so long ago almost no one knew about such a stone as a black diamond.
Black brilliant
In nature, there are two types of black diamonds that can be cut to make a diamond. But they are often not used in jewelry, but cut diamonds of other colors. So what are black diamonds and diamonds?
Stone in nature
Diamonds are cut diamonds. This fact is well known. The color that the diamond originally possessed will become the color of the diamond. There are two types of stones, which in terms of physical properties are related to diamonds and are naturally black in color, but there are some differences between them.
Since the 18th century, a black diamond called carbonado has been known. The first deposits of such diamonds were discovered in Brazil, and a little later they were also discovered in the Central African Republic. Carbonado is never found in conventional diamond deposits, which indicates a different origin. In addition, carbonado is mined on the surface, unlike conventional carbonado deposits which are located deep in the Earth.
Carbonado is a black polycrystalline type diamond that is formed by multiple diamonds brazed on a silicon base. This adhesion is non-uniform, resulting in porosity. The black color is due to the graphite, magnetite and hematite included in its composition.
The diamond crystals that make up the carbonado are located relative to each other so that all the radiation that hits it is reflected, which means that it is devoid of the brilliance and play of the color of diamonds. The peculiarities of its structure make carbonado strong and resistant to breaking, unlike diamond. What is important: the most important property of such a crystalline form of carbon is preserved - an unusually high density.
The use of carbonado has always been limited to the industry and almost never even considered as a piece of jewelry. The main parameters for evaluating diamonds are weight, color, clarity, cut. It turns out that this diamond completely lacks such a parameter as clarity. This black diamond is very difficult to cut and polish due to its high hardness and porosity. When processing a stone, up to 2/3 of its weight is lost.
However, progress does not stand still, and with the development of technology, it became possible to make gemstones from this mineral. At first, for this, stones of especially large sizes were chosen - at least 10 carats; crystals with the most uniform color were also chosen. Now you can find carbonado diamonds weighing up to 1 carat.
Besides carbonado, there is another type of black diamond. This black diamond is a single crystal and has similar properties to ordinary diamonds. These stones are very rare and they are black in color. In structure, they are similar to a diamond without color, but differ in graphite inclusions, which gives them such a unique color.
The same diamonds include stones of dark colors - blue, green or gray, which in the reflected color look like black. They are most often opaque, sometimes translucent, most of them contain a variety of inclusions, making it difficult to cut. If the color is uniform, and the number of defects is minimal, then they can be cut to create a beautiful diamond.
Recently, the demand for black diamonds has been growing. They differ from ordinary ones in the absence of a play of color, but they win by their uniqueness. To meet the demand, a large number of stones with even color and minimal inclusions are required that can be cut and polished.
Black diamonds of the two types described above are rare and not very suitable for jewelry. Therefore, other methods of obtaining stones are used. Gemologists believe that most of the diamonds in jewelry now available at the jewelry store were in fact once low-quality crystals of yellow or brown color. If they have a lot of defects, then the demand for them will be so low that it will hardly be possible to sell them. Therefore, technologies are used to give them a black color, for example, tinting, irradiation and heat treatment.
Black diamond set in white gold
Jewelry price
Jewelry with black diamonds does not have a very high price compared to colorless ones. This applies to diamonds that have been processed to obtain a rich black color. Faceted carbonados are somewhat more expensive, but they are not rivals to the real ones either. Stones of excellent quality and over a carat can start at $ 500 per carat.
Black diamonds that have been obtained by processing a black monocrystalline diamond will cost more. If the diamond is of high quality and weight in excess of 1 carat, as well as a GIA certificate, then its cost can start at $ 3,000 per carat.
Once the designer Gruosi discovered a black diamond in the catalog that was sent to him. Their cost then was quite penny and did not interest most of the designers, but he liked them. Gruosi ordered a batch of these stones and sampled several pieces of jewelry to gauge demand. Jewelry flew at a breakneck speed, and, two years later, the diamond became a symbol of his jewelry house and began to cost much more.
Magical properties
The name of the stone comes from the Greek language and means "indestructible". It determines not only the features of its structure, but also the properties - the traits with which it awards its owner. It is believed that a black diamond will give love, success, happiness and invincibility.
Many people believe that the stone affects all senses: eyesight, hearing improves, and even intuition develops. It protects from evil spells, acts like a mirror. When a person wears an adornment with such a diamond, then any influences not from him will be transmitted to the one who sends them.
