Education
Diamond Education
- Diamond 4 C's
- Diamond Buying Guide
- Answers to 1 Carat Diamond Questions
- Your Guide to Buying a Diamond Online
- How to Pick the Right Diamond
- Diamond Buying Mistakes
- Real vs. Fake Diamonds
- Lab Diamond Buying Guide
- 10 Most FAQ - Diamonds
- Off Size Diamonds Guide
- Popular Diamond Cuts
- Price of a 2 Carat Diamond
- Top FAQ - Lab Diamonds
- What Is the Average Diamond Size in Engagement Rings?
- Diamond Carat
- Diamond Clarity
- IF Diamonds
- FL Diamonds
- Diamond Inclusions Guide
- Flawless vs Internally Flawless
- Which Diamond Clarity Is Best?
- VS2 vs VS1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- VVS2 vs VVS1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI2 vs SI1: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- SI1 vs VS2: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- VS1 vs VVS2: Diamond Clarity Comparison
- Accent Diamond Clarity
- Lab Diamond Clarity
- SI Diamonds
- VS Diamonds
- VVS Diamonds
- Diamond Color
- Diamond Cut
- Diamond Cut Types
- Ideal Cut Diamonds
- Hearts and Arrows Diamonds
- What is Diamond Depth
- Diamond Table
- Lab Diamond Cut
- Antique Cut Diamonds
- Brilliant Cut Diamonds
- Rose Cut Diamonds
- What Is The Most Expensive Diamond Cut?
- What Are Step Cut Diamonds?
- Diamond Bow Ties
- How Are Diamonds Cut
- Diamond Brilliance
- Spread Diamonds
- Diamond Fire
- Crushed Ice Diamonds
- Diamond Shape
- Lab Diamond Shape
- Asscher
- Cushion
- Emerald
- Marquise
- Oval
- Pear
- Princess
- Radiant
- Round
- Which Diamond Cut Is Best?
- Round vs Princess Diamond Cut
- Round vs Cushion Diamond Cut
- Cushion vs Princess Diamonds
- Cushion vs Oval Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Asscher Cut Diamond
- Princess vs Marquis Diamonds
- Princess vs Radiant Cut Diamonds
- Cushion vs Asscher Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Radiant Cut Diamonds
- Oval vs Marquise Cut Diamonds
- Oval vs Pear Cut Diamonds
- Pear vs Marquise Cut Diamonds
- Emerald vs Cushion Cut Diamonds
- Elongated Cushion Cut Diamonds
- Diamond Certification
- Diamond Fluorescence
- How Diamonds Are Formed
- Diamond Pricing
- Diamond Size Chart Carat & MM
- Diamond Symmetry
- Diamond Polish
- Diamond Girdle
- Diamond Culet
- Engraved Rings
- Fancy Colored Diamonds
- Loose Diamonds
- History Of Lab Grown Diamonds
- Natural vs Synthetic Diamonds
- Diamond Sourcing
- NY Diamond District
- Diamond Certification
Engagement Ring Education
- How To Buy Engagement Rings
- Affordable Engagement Rings
- Cost of a One Carat Diamond
- How To Buy A Lab Diamond Ring
- How to Buy An Engagement Ring In a Time Crunch
- How to Choose An Engagement Ring
- How to Pick Your Engagement Ring Budget
- Engagement Rings For Second Marriage
- Best Time to Buy An Engagement Ring
- How to Buy An Engagement Ring As a Couple
- Everything You Need to Know About Dainty Engagement Rings
- Future Mother In Law's Guide to Engagement Ring Shopping
- Engagement Ring Financing
- Why You Need an Engagement Ring Appraisal
- Best Round Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Square Cut Engagement Ring
- Top Teardrop Engagement Rings
- Best Asscher Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Oval Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Radiant Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Marquise Cut Engagement Rings
- Twisting Rings
- Best Emerald Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Best Dainty Engagement Rings
- Best Unique Engagement Rings
- Best Traditional Diamond Engagement Rings
- Best Split Shank Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top 10 Square Halo Engagement Rings
- Top 10 Unusual Engagement Rings
- Black Diamond Engagement Rings
- Edwardian Engagement Rings
- Antique Style Engagement Rings
- Nature Inspired Engagement Ring
- Filigree Rings
- Art Deco Rings
- Wide Band Engagement Rings
- Infinity Engagement Rings
- Best Two Tone Diamond Engagement Rings
- Victorian Style Engagement Rings
- Minimalistic Engagement Rings
- Big Style Engagement Rings
- Cute Style Engagement Rings
- Modern Style Engagement Rings
- Past Present and Future Rings
- Thin Engagement Rings
- Pretty Style Engagement Rings
- Double Band Engagement Rings
- 1 Carat Diamond Ring
- Top Princess Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Women's Rose Gold Engagement Rings
- Top Round Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Sapphire and Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top East West Engagement Rings
- Top Pave Engagement Rings
- Top Split Shank Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Unique Halo Engagement Rings
- Rose Gold Pear Shaped Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Pear Shaped Engagement Rings
- Top Oval Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Engagement Rings
- Top Marquise Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Emerald Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Bypass Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Cushion Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Oval Engagement Rings
- Top Emerald Cut Halo Engagement Rings
- Top Yellow Gold Oval Engagement Rings
- Top Rose Gold Emerald Cut Engagement Rings
- Top Oval Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Floating Diamond Engagement Rings
- Top Cushion Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Princess Cut Three Stone Engagement Rings
- Top Simple Engagement Rings
- Vintage Style Engagement Rings
- Types of Accent Diamonds
- Everything You Need to Know Before Setting Diamonds
- Engagement Ring Prong Guide
- All About Ring Resizing
- Identifying Your Ring After A Repair
- Everything You Need to Know About Milgrain
- Everything You Need to Know About Wide Band Engagement Rings
- Eternity Rings vs Infinity Rings
- When To Propose
- What Are Baguette Diamond Engagement Rings
- What to Say When You Propose
- What Are the Groom's Parents Responsible For?
Gemstone Education
Jewelry Education
- Jewelry Buying Guide
- How To Buy Jewelry Online
- Diamond: 10th Anniversary Gifts
- Ruby: 40th Anniversary Gemstone & Jewelry
- Sapphire: 5th Anniversary Gemstone & Jewelry
- Top 10 Sapphire Earrings
- Emerald: 20th Anniversary Gemstone & Jewelry
- Top 10 Push Presents
- How To Shop For Christmas Jewelry Gifts
- How To Buy An Anniversary Band
Metal Education
Black Diamond Clarity
Black diamonds, also known as carbonados, are becoming an increasingly popular choice for all kinds of jewelry. Black diamond wedding rings and black diamond engagement rings are beautiful, unique options to consider when purchasing jewelry. The dark hue of these black gems makes them gorgeous options that provide great aesthetic contrast in women’s rings. Especially when paired with colorless diamonds, platinum, or silver. It’s essential to understand the different varieties of carbonados and the way they are graded in order to help you make the best choice.
How do black diamonds get their color?
There are several different kinds of black diamonds on the market, both natural and lab-treated. Some get their black color from an abundance of naturally formed inclusions. More commonly, others get their color from lab heat treatments. Both options are natural, authentic diamonds.
Most black diamonds on the market have been heat treated, as those that are not are extremely rare and much more expensive. When purchasing and evaluating both natural and heat treated black diamonds it's very important to understand the way they are assessed, valued, and graded.
Inclusions
Black diamonds are opaque, meaning their clarity is not measured by the same scale as colorless to near-colorless diamonds. Unlike other traditional white diamonds, carbonados don’t refract and reflect light in the same way, and their inclusions are actually what give the gems their rich beauty. There are several different kinds of inclusions in these dark gems, but remember: some inclusions are what make these dark gems unique and beautiful.
Most Common Black Diamond Inclusions:
1. Pinpoint
Pinpoint inclusions are tiny black dots inside that can either be alone or in clusters, and they contribute to the dark color of the gems. These are the most common kinds of inclusion.

2. Natural
Natural inclusions are found on the corner girdles. They are left behind after a diamond is cut. These inclusions are sometimes purposely left on the stone to show that the diamond cutter did not take too much from the original black gemstone.
3. Indented Natural
An indented natural inclusion is a small chip on the inside. These are very common and found in most gemstones.

4. Chip
A chip is an imperfection found on the surface, and is usually the result of external damage and wearing. Unlike internal inclusions, chips can usually be fixed by re-polishing or re-cutting the black diamond.

5. Feathers
Feathers are small cracks that run inside the structure. Since they are internal they can compromise the structure of a stone, especially in black diamonds which are already more brittle than colorless diamonds (due to its high inclusion count that makes up its signature color).

6. Cavity
Cavities are inclusions that make colorless diamonds unsellable for most jewelry purposes. They are small holes within black diamonds.

7. Etch Channel
Though etch channels can look like the product of a man-made laser beam, they are actually the natural result of the black diamond being exposed to high heat.
Grading
Though the conventional GIA grading scale cannot be used for black diamonds, the black diamond grading scale separates black diamonds into four categories:
1. AAAA
2. AAA
3. AA
4. A
AAAA is the highest rating, but is extremely rare, especially if it is a natural and untreated gemstone. It makes up less than 1% of what’s available on market.
AAA is the next highest rating and guarantees a high-quality, beautiful stone that’s perfect for any kind of jewelry. Gemstones with lower gradings are less lustrous and can be dull or uneven in color. Using the black diamond scale to choose AAA-rated pieces ensures your diamond will be richly hued with even opacity. AAA rated black diamonds offer mirror-like surfaces that are opaque and evenly colored throughout the stone.
AA and A grade stones are ideal for those looking for a nice stone with the that's more budget-friendly.

Cut
Carbonados are extremely difficult to cut and polish because of the high number of inclusions contained in the gems. The irregular growth patterns found within the stones makes them more challenging to properly cut, and pits within the stone make them prone to chipping and breaking. Along with their added brittleness, these dark gems are also just as hard as other diamonds, making cutting them quite a challenge.
Since the cut impacts the way light hits and reflects off of the stone, the cut impacts the clarity of these dark gems. Craftsmanship and expertise in black diamond cutting and polishing are essential to creating finished gems with high clarity and a good rating on the black diamond scale.
Treated Black Diamonds
Standard heat treatment is a great way to enhance the color and clarity grade. Black diamonds are treated with heat to achieve a beautiful finished product that shines. Heat treatment is permanent. Other colored diamonds and gemstones can achieve a higher color and clarity grade when they have undergone heat treatment, and the vast majority of gemstones used in jewelry today are heat treated.
Carbonados of a AAAA or AAA grade that are not heat treated are difficult to find, very expensive. Heat treated black diamonds work perfectly in wedding rings, engagement rings, and many other pieces of timeless jewelry.