Exploring the Contrasts: Black Diamonds Versus Traditional White Diamonds

Black diamond vs white diamond, in short: both are natural diamonds, made of carbon and equally hard (10 on the Mohs scale). A white diamond is valued for the light it returns; a black diamond is opaque and valued for its color and mirror-like shine. Naturally black, untreated diamonds are rare, but most black diamonds in jewelry, including ours, are natural diamonds whose color has been enhanced, and they usually cost less than a white diamond of the same size.

Light and dark are not opposites you have to choose between: a black and white diamond ring holds both in one piece.

Black diamond vs white diamond: the differences at a glance

Are black diamonds rarer than white diamonds?

It depends on which black diamond you mean. A diamond that comes out of the ground fully, evenly black, with no treatment, is rare. Carbonado, a porous black diamond found mainly in Brazil and Central Africa, is rarer still. Most black diamonds in jewelry are different: they are natural diamonds with many inclusions, whose color has been enhanced with heat and pressure until the whole stone is an even, deep black.

That is what we set. Our black diamonds are natural, earth-mined and color enhanced, and the enhancement is written on each diamond's certificate. So the honest answer is: a naturally black diamond is rarer than a white one, but the black diamond in most rings, including ours, is not.

Are black diamonds more valuable than white diamonds?

Usually not. Because most black diamonds are color enhanced, a black diamond typically costs less per carat than a white diamond of similar size. That is why a 4 carat black diamond ring, like Black Magic, can cost less than a 2 carat white diamond ring, like Evening Light. People choose a black diamond for how it looks and what it says, not as an investment. Real prices by carat: how much a black diamond ring costs.

How do black diamonds form, and how do they differ from white diamonds?

Both form from carbon under great heat and pressure deep in the earth. A white diamond grew with few inclusions, so light passes through it. A naturally black diamond is packed with dark inclusions, such as graphite, that absorb the light, so it looks black and opaque. A color enhanced black diamond starts as a natural diamond full of inclusions; heat and pressure turn those inclusions dark, and the stone becomes evenly black.

Do black diamonds sparkle like white diamonds?

Not in the same way. A white diamond takes light in and sends it back as white brilliance and colored fire (see brilliance, fire and scintillation). A black diamond is opaque, so the light stays on its surface. A well-polished black diamond shines like a dark mirror, and each facet flashes as the hand moves.

Black or white diamond engagement ring: which should you choose?

Choose white if you want the classic sparkle, as in the Luz 1.5 carat pear ring. Choose black if you want a ring that speaks before you do: see our black diamond engagement rings, from round to marquise. Or choose both: black and white diamond rings set the two side by side, like the Mercury's Moons two-stone ring.

What do black and white diamonds symbolize?

White diamonds have stood for purity, clarity and lasting love for centuries, and they are the traditional engagement stone. Black diamonds are read as strength, protection and individuality: a choice for people who do not want the expected ring. Together, black and white speak of balance, light and dark in one life. More on this: the meaning of a black diamond across cultures.

Black diamond vs white diamond: FAQ

Are black diamonds rarer than white diamonds?

Naturally black, untreated diamonds are rare. But most black diamonds in jewelry, ours included, are natural diamonds whose color has been enhanced, and they are easier to find than a fine white diamond of the same size.

Are black diamonds more valuable than white diamonds?

Usually not. A color enhanced black diamond typically costs less per carat than a white diamond of the same size. People choose black for its look and meaning, not for resale.

Do black diamonds sparkle like white diamonds?

No. A white diamond lets light in and sends it back as brilliance and fire. A black diamond is opaque: light reflects off its surface, so it shines like a dark mirror and flashes along its facets.

Is a black diamond as hard as a white diamond?

Yes. Both are diamonds, 10 on the Mohs hardness scale, and both suit an engagement ring worn every day.