For Black Diamond Engagement Rings - Go Antique

Something you will not come across in exactly every jewelry store is the very valuable black diamond. Despite its name its color can also be greenish or dark grey. The most common diamonds found in engagement rings are usually of a much paler color and are also more readily available.

Running across antique black diamond engagement rings is for this reason somewhat of a special occasion, considering the rarity of the stones. There are differing opinions as to the origins of black diamonds with one side claiming they get their color from different gases infused in the crystal substrate of the diamond, while others state that they are the result of a meteor striking Africa, as this is where all of the black diamonds to date have been found.

Although antique black diamond engagement rings are one of the most valuable, the size of the stone is usually not large enough as a stand-alone setting.

While antique black diamond engagement rings will work well with many different styles from a fashionable point of view, when it is worn is more important than with what it is worn. While antique black diamond engagement rings have an air of pretentiousness, it is not all about the price. Its unusual coloring almost always peeks people's curiosity and questions as well as being looked up as a rare find.

Ofsetting with complementary colors

Most black diamonds are of a comparatively small size and, if place in a large setting, they might simply "drown". It is still common to surround the dark, precious stone with a few well placed white gems or colored diamonds that will enhance the imporession of the main diamond. Tastefully done most would agree that this adds rather than detracts to the overall impression.

The majority of black diamonds mined have been from the DeBeers Mining Company, which controls of 70 percent of the world diamond trade. That means said company also has a lot of control over the proceedings. With so few black diamonds on the market, finding antique black diamond engagement rings is actually easier than finding a new one. For added contrast, some black diamonds are set into silver or titanium bands.

Many antique black diamond engagement rings are made as a matching set. Men generally prefer the elegant color and style while most women tend to fall for the traditional white diamonds. Almost as valuable are some of the fancy color diamonds, which are described as having an intense color or one not included in the color grading scale, such as black diamonds.

As a general rule of thumb - the more unusual the color, the higher the value of the gem.