RAPAPORT... One of the least understood diamond types may be that diverse group formerly classified simply as carbonado.
To the mainstream, pairing the words black with diamond may sound like an oxymoron. For many diamond lovers, the whiter, the better is the rule, with the exception being the current focus given to fancy colored diamonds.
A LONG HISTORYDemystifying the world of natural black diamonds may lie with interplanetary science, rather than the gemological laboratory. Scientists have long theorized about the origin of black diamonds, agreeing that carbonados are indeed ancient. Recent atomic measurements date black diamonds closer to four billion years old, at a time when the earth was bombarded with cataclysmal meteoric activity.
Mines have occasionally produced black rough, with superior specimens going directly into private collections. Black diamonds turned up in Brazil in 1800 and later in South Africa. Thereafter, unattractive blackish diamonds were downgraded to industrial application and labeled carbonado, a Portuguese word meaning burnt, or carbonized.
In the 1990s, scientists found a link between Brazilian and South African carbonado, both of which bore similar isotopes of carbon and nitrogen, suggesting a common origin for all of the material. Distinguishing this group of black stones are irregularly shaped, undefined porous rough, less dense crystals, with generally a dull-looking appearance.
When a black diamond is discovered to be rich, tough and uniformly opaque, free from surface-reaching fractures common to lower grade goods, another story unfolds. The Amsterdam Black Diamond was originally earmarked for industrial use. It was soon determined, however, to be much tougher when sawn than other industrial diamonds, a trait that signals gem-quality black diamonds. Instead, the 55.85-carat, African black crystal was cut into a 33.74-carat pear-shaped gemstone. When sold at Christie’s in Geneva in 2001, the diamond fetched $352, 000.
DIFFERENTIATING FEATURESA fine black diamond’s apparent blackness may be the result of crisscrossed fissures within the crystal structure. With black sulfide deposits on them, they emerge as opaque. A truly semitransparent or translucent black stone rarely occurs. Under the intense scrutiny of lighting and magnification, many such stones present a deep brown or deep green body color, as seen in a 20-millimeter (mm) round brilliant natural black diamond sent to the Dubai Gemstone Laboratory. Under intense fiber-optic illumination, a deep brown body color and unusual growth patterns emerged. Fancy black diamonds are a range of very dark-toned, semi-opaque stones categorized as: charcoal or pale black; gun metal, a bright lustrous black, and ink black, onyx-like, possibly with a lighter saturation.
The “tougher” trait in gem-quality black diamonds allows for a natural black diamond to take a superior polish. This property produces highly reflective facets, and razor-sharp facet junctions. Well-cut black diamonds in large carat sizes offer the best viewing opportunity of this distinguishing feature.
STYLISH EXAMPLESPublic recognition drives the demand and the soaring prices placed on such exceptional jewels. Before attracting international acclaim, the celebrated Black Orlov Diamond sported a lesser known epithet: The Eye of Brahma. When gem dealer Charles F. Winson owned it, he valued it at $150,000. In 1969, the stone sold for $300,000. It resold at Sotheby’s in 1990 for $99,000 against a pre-auction estimate of $50,000 to $75,000. The 67.50-carat oval cut “very dark gunmetal-colored diamond” had been meticulously fashioned into a diamond and platinum combination brooch-necklace at Cartier. In 1995, a private collector purchased it for $1.5 million. Christie’s New York auctioned it again in October 2006 for $352,000.
Daring use of black diamonds earmarks the brand of iconic jeweler Fawaz Gruosi, the man credited with fueling the current enthusiasm for black diamond jewelry. Gruosi’s self-named, heart-shaped black diamond might be the largest black diamond of such cut in the world, weighing 115.34 carats. The dramatic black heart is the focal point of a neckpiece with 58.77 carats of smaller black diamonds, accented by white diamonds and tsavorite garnet.
Lately, black diamonds in every size are featured in luxury goods. Their dramatic impact assists designers in delivering an unforgettable statement in jewels. “Bold, elegant minimalism” defines innovative Italian designer Paolo Piovan’s Phantom of the Opera, a 45.20-carat natural black diamond solitaire ring accented with white diamonds. Within the international set, Piovan is recognized for his opulent designs and iconoclastic mix of gemstones producing wildly exciting parures. Fancy black diamonds are a perennial fixture in Piovan’s collection.
Igal Reihani, of Igalianna Jewels, a fifth-generation jeweler, draws inspiration from his late grandfather, jeweler Eliezer Saedian. Old-world craftsmanship is infused into Reihani’s work and he often chooses black diamonds to carry out his artistic statement. Whimsy and chic are intertwined in his fancy black diamond pendant earrings; though identical in design, rubies paired with black diamonds are on one side, and black and white diamonds on the other. Igalianna’s art form marks the brand, which penetrates the wholesale, retail and online market.
Broad consumer acceptance of black diamonds is evidenced at Heavenly Treasures, a retail and web-based jewelry business. With a prominently positioned link to black diamond jewelry on their website, owner Michael Ades charts vigorous public interest in these achromatic gems. “All of a sudden, black diamond jewelry is the ‘in’ style again. We’re finding customers want pieces with a mix of black and white diamonds. That way, they get to see the sleek jet black look along with the classic, sparkling bright whites.” His tailored, triple-row diamond line bracelet has two rows of enhanced black diamonds, sandwiching an inner row of white diamonds, priced at $3,995.
The dictionary defines black as: “destitute of light or whiteness; the darkest color, or destitution of all color.” For jewelers, however, black diamonds elicit metaphors such as smart, sleek and cosmopolitan. With pacesetters eager to exploit the sultry stones’ dramatic potential, black diamonds will be seen for some time.
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2007. To subscribe click here.