Black Diamond Rings

Shopping for a vintage black diamond ring?

Black diamond jewelry seems especially appropriate around Halloween, that most spooky day of the year, but there’s really never a time when the gem isn’t fashionable. In fact, some jewelry lovers prefer black diamonds over other diamonds. 

While black diamonds may have entered our public lexicon when Mr. Big presented Carrie Bradshaw with a black diamond engagement ring in Sex and the City 2 (“because you’re not like anyone else,” he told her), jewelry aficionados have known about this fancy colored gemstone for centuries. And an antique or vintage black diamond engagement ring is indeed an edgy, dramatic choice — just keep in mind that with diamonds, it’s all about sparkle, and the darkness of a black stone obscures its fire and brilliance.

“Typically, natural black diamonds are completely opaque, but they have a high luster, which gives the stone an almost metallic appearance,” says Brenda Harwick, senior manager of on-campus instruction at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

Usually a black diamond is faceted and either used as an accent or, if it is a solitaire, then it has been treated by a combination of high heat and low pressure to bring out its opaque black color. While they may look exotic, black diamonds are less expensive than white diamonds and are not held to the same standards — in other words, the 4Cs diamond grading system will not apply. Black diamonds, whose gemological name is carbonado, tend to vary little or not at all in terms of tone or saturation, and light dispersion is all but irrelevant. Instead of the 4Cs, the GIA issues a colored diamond identification and origin report in which the black color’s origin is noted as either natural or treated.

If the inky opacity of a black diamond seems a bit extreme and you’d like a little light to shine through, consider a gray diamond, which can be cut for maximum brilliance. 

On 1stDibs, shop vintage black diamond rings set in white gold, yellow gold and more.